Are you planning to take bottles of wine on a picnic, but don't know how to proceed? Are you planning to travel with bottles of champagne and need advice on how to transport them safely? Follow this article which informs you about the methods to transport a bottle of wine or champagne.
To add more fun to a party, everyone knows that wine and champagne are "musts have". So if you are invited to a dinner party where the guests love to serve wine, you will need to carry it. However, we must admit that transporting bottles of spirits like wine is a real challenge.
Therefore, to transport a bottle of wine or champagne, you mainly need to pack it well, install it away from light and shocks and avoid exposing it to extreme temperature situations.
To allow you to access all these secrets, we will show you in the next lines the tips for transporting these spirits in the car. Later on, you will also know how to keep wine bottles at the right temperature.
How to transport wine in your car?
Transporting wine in your car may seem easy, but it requires real skill. Indeed, planning such a trip will depend on two things:
- The size of your wine or champagne collection;
- The distance of your trip.
Generally speaking, transporting a small collection of bottles will require the creation of an isolated space in your vehicle. On the other hand, you will need to rent a special temperature-controlled truck to transport large stocks over a long distance. From the outset, we understand that each situation is different. However, here are a few tips to consider for a successful transport in your car.
Pack the wine appropriately
The ideal way to transport a bottle of wine is to pack it in a wine box designed for this purpose. The same is true for a bottle of champagne. This jar should provide adequate padding against breakage as well as special compartments. It will also allow you to clearly label the box under things like "Fragile" so that it can be identified and handled properly.
On the other hand, the packaging of the bottles must necessarily respect a rule of positioning that varies according to the grape varieties.
Packaging of red and white wine bottles
Red wines (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Zinfandel, etc.) as well as white wines (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, etc.) must be packaged and transported on their sides or upside down. Here, the purpose of this bottling is to keep the cork moist. Obviously, a dry cork can allow too much air to pass through, oxidize the wine and, consequently, deteriorate it.
Packaging of champagne bottles
Champagne, whether vintage or sparkling rosé, should be transported upright. This way, the pressure inside will keep the cork moist and the seal intact.
Avoid the trunk
Even at room temperature, wine must be kept cool. So it's important not to travel with it in the trunk of your car. If you can, feel free to treat it as a passenger. You can place it securely on the seats or anywhere else except the trunk.
Park your car in a shaded area
Direct sunlight is the enemy of wine, even when the temperature outside may seem mild. So if you happen to take a break during your commute, consider parking your car in a shaded area. This is also a useful tip if you find yourself with several bottles of wine in the car without access to stainless packaging materials.
Don't keep wine inside
If you leave your car parked for an extended period of time, it's best not to leave wine in the car. During an overnight stop at a hotel or once you arrive at your destination, take the bottle with you immediately. The wine will do better in an air-conditioned room or space than in a car. And if your host has a wine cellar, it is inevitably the ideal place to install your liquor.
Avoid the shock of the bottle
Apart from the risk of breakage, did you know that the vibrations of a car journey can alter the flavor of wine or champagne? This is called "bottle shock" or "bottle disease". This actually refers to the loss of odor that can occur when a bottle is opened too soon after being jostled during transport. However, the good news is that "bottle shock" is completely reversible.
All you need to do is give your bottle a few weeks of recovery time in a cool, dry place.
Check with local authorities
If you are transporting wine across the borders of your country, we advise you to be careful. Indeed, some European Union states have drastic laws regarding the transportation of spirits like wine. They set the amount of alcohol that can be brought in or transported for personal use.
In a pinch, a wine assessment and insurance is required for the transportation of large collections. However, this kind of document, especially the DAE (Electronic Administrative Document) that replaces the DAA since 2017, is for operators or salespeople.
How to keep the temperature of wine in the car?
To keep your wine at the right temperature in the car, you must first know the different climatic conditions required for the spirit.
As a general rule, the older the wine, the more sensitive it becomes to temperature fluctuations. It is therefore important not to keep it in an environment where the temperature exceeds 30°C. Indeed, high temperatures cause the corks to dry out and oxidize.
It is important to know that the best times of the year to move the wine are spring and fall. These are the seasons when summer heat and winter frosts are not a problem. Otherwise, the extreme temperature can ruin the wine.
Keep wine at the right temperature
The best temperature for storing a bottle of wine is between 11°C and 15°C. Obviously, this liquor does not tolerate an atmosphere of 25°C in the summer and 10°C in the winter.
Keep the champagne at the right temperature
Champagne can keep its maturity for years if it is kept cool. It is therefore important to keep it at a low temperature. This temperature must also be constant and around 10°C. Finally, the champagne must be kept in an environment where the hygrometry is high.
Travel with a cooler
The other way to keep wine cool during transport is undoubtedly the use of a cooler with ice flasks. For more efficiency, avoid crushed ice, as it will melt and damage the label of the bottles.
Our best container to carry a bottle of wine or champagne
At Healthy Lunch, we are involved in all areas including the well-being of your spirits. To this end, our store offers a unique product for transporting your bottles.
The Wine Bottle Cooler Bag
This bag is specially designed to contain and transport bottles of wine and champagne in complete safety. Let's find out its main specificities.
An irreproachable quality
There is no point in keeping your wine cool if the bottles end up broken and odorless during transport. To prevent this, the bag is made of Oxford, a high quality insulated fabric. It prevents the dissipation of aromas due to its waterproofness. In addition, this container has a foam interior divided into three compartments. This allows you to install the bottles comfortably while preventing them from colliding.
Excellent isothermal performance
The other characteristic of this flexible cooler bag is its foam which has very good insulating properties compared to conservation boxes. Technically, it protects the bottles from extreme temperatures and can keep them cool for at least 6 hours. This is a performance that is not found in other models on the market. You can even increase the shelf life by using ice packs.
A seductive ease of use
The Healthy Lunch bag is practical and its dimensions prove it. Indeed, with a height of 34 cm, a length of 30.5 cm and a width of 11 cm, you will have no trouble carrying it everywhere. It is also easy to clean. On the other hand, we specify that it is waterproof, that is to say, it is water resistant and we deliver it to you without any cost.
At the end of this article, we understand that the transport of wine and champagne relies on packaging procedures and respect of temperature. Therefore, don't hesitate to revisit our tips above when traveling by road. This will help you to protect your bottles so that you can better enjoy the wine once you arrive at your destination.
