That shipping issue should not be a problem as long as the case is kept at a uniform temperature during the shipping. What hurts wine is having fluctuating climate issues over time. For short periods, you can keep wine at warmer temperatures, but never a good idea to store it too warm, though again, it is the fluctuations that are bad, not the higher temps.
10-4 all that.
On the shipping front, where ya gonna find a shipper that keeps it at constant temp the whole time? Its gotta sit on the dock for X time.
I know its not practical or affordable for most, but I have toked on wine that was kept at or near 59 the whole time. Supwerb.
Well, my point is that keeping the wine at a constant temperature is an important thing, but maybe I should go into more detail about this. Boy, I bet you are glad you brought it up.
Let's begin with the ideal. You're looking to achieve balance and consistency when storing wine.
Since wine is basically alive, it reacts either positively or negatively to its environment. How it is treated will determine how fast or slow it will age and how it will turn out in the end. You want to keep wine in a dark, damp place with good ventilation, where it can be stored vibration free at a constant temperature.
Keeping a constant temperature for your wine is the most important factor and the factor that should be sought after above all others. If you store wine, the optimum temperature is 50 to 55°F. However, as long as you maintain a constant temperature within 40-65°F, the wine will be fine. Even more important than the actual temperature achieved is the degree and rapidity of temperature fluctuation to which you might subjet your wine. A slow change of temperature of ten or so degrees between winter and summer is not a big problem. But maintaining this type of temperature fluctuation on a daily or weekly basis will cause damage to your wines and age them prematurely. In time, as the wine expands and contracts, it will damage the integrity of the cork, allowing oxygen to seep back in.
Wines kept at too high a temperature will age faster than wines kept at a cold temperature. Theoretically, wines kept at 68°F will age twice as fast as those kept at 50°F. At 55°F (12°C) wines will age so slowly – with ultimately greater complexity – that you will never have to worry about them. This is not to say the colder the better. Wine that is stored too cold can develop deposits or other suspensions in the wine.
It also should be noted that white wines are affected far more by temperature problems than red wines.
Other things to keep in mind is the level of humidity at which you keep your wines. It should be between 50 and 80 percent. Light of any kind is also the enemy of wine, especially ultraviolet light, which can give the wine an unpleasant aroma and ruin it. Sparkling wines are the most suceptible to light, by the way. The light to put in any cellar where you store wine should be incandescent or sodium vapor.
If you live near a freeway or a train tressel, I would recommend not storing wine at your house. Or regular loud noises of any kind, which can cause vibration. Vibration disturbs red wine sediment and is not good for any wine. Essentially, you just want the wine to rest, undisturbed and without constant movement, until you drink it.
If you store your wine in a cellar, or under your house, be warned that there are lots of things that you don't want down there that can affect your wine. Insects can bore into your corks. Storing other foods that may cause bad odors, decay, or attract insects will alter your wine in a bad manner. Keep your cellar ventilated and free of any other foodstuffs or waste, or odors of any other kind. Wine is a solitary living organism that likes its seclusion.
Of course, never store wine standing up. The reason, I am not sure many know, is so the wine stays in constant contact with the cork. This will keep the cork moist, for one thing, but also prevent oxygen from penetrating to the wine. Keeping the cork moist makes a huge difference when you finally open it. Wine bottles can actually crack if the cork dries out and you try to pull it out. If you are not sure how a wine was shipped to you, always, always, always let the wine rest for at least a month before opening a bottle, to let the cork absorb some moisture.
And finally, remove the lead wrapping (or whateve is covering the cork) before setting the bottle down. This is what I do, then I mark the year on the cork when I would like to first consider opening the bottle. That way I do not have to think about which wines are ready and don't have to constantly pull them out to see if it is a bottle I want to open. It also is a very good idea to always store your wine with the label facing up, so you can check the sediment on the side of the bottle easier.
So, all you wine lovers out there, if anyone ever asks you again what you are going to do with that interesting bottle of red wine you have (just drink your whites within a few years; all of this was for red wines), you can tell them.
