Shipping Prosecco
 

I am thinking of sending some Prosecco to friends in the US for Xmas but I have been told that some have done this and the product has not arrived in the best of conditions - quality/taste-wise. Perhaps this is due to rough handling during transport.

Has anyone experienced such problems? Any suggestions?

I am sitting in a Venice hotel room as I write this and staring at an unopened bottle of prosecco which was a gift from the hotel. I am thinking of bringing it back home in checked luggage. I am not sure how "rough handling" of something in a bottle would affect the taste or quality so I would be interested in some reasonable explanation of how that occurs.

Rough handling = hot temps while in transit ???

Or too cold??

I was thinking the temp thing might be it considering how cold things can sometimes get in airline luggage holds. Maybe I'll drink mine while staring at the gondoliers on the Grand Canal instead.

Sounds like a plan! Although, at this hour, I would do a Bellini or Mimosa.

I also thought a ships hold could be too hot, if it traveled that way)

By sending if you mean shipping, the cost to ship could easily double the cost of the bottle(s) so very nice gesture on your part.

Although well-packed it should be fine, for me the hassle and cost would be too much. There are possible regulations around shipping wine to the States, I'm not current with those.

If your friends live in an urban area, you could contact a local wine dealer who delivers. That might somewhat dilute the gift and doubtful they'd have exactly what you want to send but I'd still appreciate and enjoy it!

too cold for too long a period, either move closer to italy or ship in the heated part of a hold.

Using a ship would hold the wine in a container (I doubt if you can ship anything in the "hold" any more). This could be anywhere on the ship so temperatures could range from cool (no bother) to 80c. I've seen a whole container of NZ SB go off (popped the lids off all the internal containers) when the idiots let it rest on a dockside in the Red Sea. Not a good solution.

You can rent space on a chilled container but then you have to trust the shipping agent to put the thing in one, you can buy cheap temperature loggers for transport with the goods for about £25 (probably $25 in US) which just go in with the packaging and have a USB for down load.

Buy it in the US and save yourself angst and money.

I will be shipping a case before Xmas. What matters is the value of the gesture and not the value of the item especially as it is a prosecco not found in the US. I have an excellent relationship with a MBE office which ships is special boxes where each bottle is in a polysterene sleeve. He can ship to every State.

He says there should be no problem but I was wondering if anyone had direct experience.

Shouldn't these non-human travel questions go elsewhere? They're clogging things up and making it hard to find the trip reports.

Sounds to me like you have it well sorted out.

<i><font color=#555555>"it is a prosecco not found in the US"</font></i>

I suppose that might sound glamorous and intoxicating if it were written 20 years ago, but with names like Fantinel, Col Vetoraz Valdobbiadene, Cima da Conegliano, La Marca di Valdobbiadene, Mionetto di Valdobbiadene, Nino Franco, Enrico di Valdobbiadene, and Cavit Lunetta readily available in the U.S., one can only wonder why someone would bother. If you shop at a reputable place like Italian Wine Merchants in NYC, where proper shipping equals success, giving a gift of bubbly can be worry free and more affordable.

High heat is the biggest concern, but the evidence is sketchy. Can't imagine that a shipment near X-mas would be a problem. I'd be more concerned about how my package is handled. If you knew what I know about FedEx and UPS, you might think twice before taking this gamble.

coldup LOL

colduphere and bilboburgler

at little too obvious and tediously childish

NYCFoodSnob

a simple statement - it is not found in the US

noch :-)

bilbo pax

>>>He can ship to every State. <<<

No, he can't. Each state has their own alcohol laws and many don't allow alcohol shipped in. Here's a map of where you can ship and where you can't.

http://freethegrapes.org/

kybourbon - Don't be so pedantic. Will check tomorrow morning Europe time and refer