How to Send a Bottle of Wine As a Gift

Co-authored by Murphy Perng

Last Updated: September 2, 2022 References

A bottle of wine makes a great gift for special occasions. If you live far away from the recipient, however, sending wine can be complicated. It is illegal in the US for non-licensed individuals to ship wine through the mail. If you would like to send someone wine, you will need to buy wine through a licensed company. Fortunately, there are many companies that can send fine vintages, bottles, gift baskets, and club memberships to your recipient. Select from a wide range of products to find the perfect gift for your friend or loved one.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Finding a Certified Company

1
Check that the recipient lives in a state where it is legal to mail wine. Some states forbid direct shipments of wine to a person's home. In these cases, you might want to give your friend a different gift. You can send them a gift card to their favorite wine store or winery instead. States where this is illegal include:^{[1]
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- Utah
- Oklahoma
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Kentucky
- Delaware
2
Call your favorite winery to see if they can ship wine. If you or the recipient loves a particular wine, you should first go straight to the winery. Call them to see if they are allowed to ship to the recipient’s residence.^{[2]
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- While larger wineries may be able to ship between states, some wineries can only ship wines within their own state. Others may not ship wine at all.
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3
Find an online wine company. Online stores, such as Wine.com or Wine Library, offer a large variety of brands, vintages, and varieties. These companies have the proper licenses to ship wine. Before you purchase, you should still double-check that the store will deliver to your recipient’s state, as some online wine stores will only deliver to certain places.^{[3]
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- You can usually find which states they ship to by checking their FAQs, Shipping Information, or About Us pages.
4
Use an app to deliver wine. There are a few apps, such as Drizly or Minibar, that can deliver wine without shipping it through the mail. These services often work by contacting local wine shops and having them deliver the wine directly to your recipient.^{[4]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Choosing a Gift

1
Establish a budget. Shipping wine can be expensive.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Murphy Perng
Certified Wine Consultant
Expert Interview. 15 March 2019.} Decide how much you will spend before you start shopping. This will help you choose a gift without any surprises when you check out.
- For example, if your budget is $40, you might spend about $25 on a bottle of wine and the rest on shipping.
- Shipping can vary from site to site. It is usually calculated by weight. It might cost between $9 and $15 if you are ordering one bottle.
2
Pick a wine that the recipient will enjoy. If you know which wines the recipient likes, you can limit your search to those varieties. If you’re not certain, consider the personality of the recipient or the occasion for the gift.^{[6]
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- Be creative with the gift. For example, if your recipient just moved to California, you might send a bottle of California wine.
- If it is a special occasion, such as a wedding or birthday, you might send a bottle of champagne, or prosecco.
- If you’re not sure about their tastes, pick a merlot (for red wine) or chardonnay (for white wine). These are very popular wines. White wine is neutral and pairs well with almost any food.^{[7]
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  Expert Source
  
  Murphy Perng
  Certified Wine Consultant
  Expert Interview. 15 March 2019.}
- Read reviews on the store’s webpage to help you pick a good wine.
3
Choose a gift basket if you want to send food. A wine basket will include snacks, candy, or other treats that pair well with the wine. A sweet wine goes well with sweet treats.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Murphy Perng
Certified Wine Consultant
Expert Interview. 15 March 2019.} Many online wine stores and gift shops offer wine baskets.
- Chocolate, crackers, and nuts are common features of a wine basket.
4
Buy a wine club membership if it is an important occasion. For major events or occasions, you may decide to give the recipient a bigger gift than a single bottle of wine. Wine clubs will send two or three wines to the recipient’s house monthly. You can usually buy these in three, six, and twelve month increments.^{[9]
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- Some wine clubs will include the cost of shipping in the subscription price while others will add it as a separate cost. Be aware of how much shipping will cost before you order the wine.
- Some wine clubs may allow you to decide how many bottles are sent each month. For example, you could send two or four bottles. The more bottles you send, the more expensive it will be.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Ordering the Wine

1
Add the bottles you want to your basket. When you order the wine, you will be asked how many bottles you want. Select or type in the number. Click the button that says “add to basket.”
2
Check out when you are ready to pay. The check out screen will calculate how much your shipping will cost. If the shipping is too high for you, you can remove items from your cart by clicking the “X” or “Remove” buttons next to the item.^{[10]
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- In some cases, you might see a “substitute for similar vintage” box on the check out screen. If this box is checked, the store might replace your chosen bottle with a similar wine if they are out of stock. Uncheck this box if you do not want them to do this.
3
Select expedited delivery for the best results. Expedited delivery will cost more, but it will also protect your wine against bad weather. Wine shipped in very cold or very hot weather can go bad quickly.^{[11]
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4
Select gift wrapping at checkout if available. Since you are ordering the wine online, you won’t be able to wrap your gift. Some wine companies may offer gift wrapping. This will be an option when you check out. Gift wrapping may cost extra.
- If you bought a gift basket, it will already be wrapped. You do not need extra gift wrapping.
5
Type in the recipient’s address into the section for shipping address. The recipient’s address should be typed under the shipping address while your address should be typed into the billing address. Read over it to make sure that the recipient’s address is correct.
6
Pay with a card or online payment service. In most cases, you will have to pay with a card online. You may be able to use PayPal, depending on the store. Once you hit submit, you should receive a confirmation of your order immediately.
7
Ensure that an adult over the age of 21 is home for the delivery. You should receive a tracking number with any shipment of wine. Send this to the recipient and explain that they will need to be home when it is delivered. They may have to show their ID to the mail carrier to prove that they are over the age of 21.^{[12]
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Expert Q&A

Question

Why are the shipping fees high for wine?

Murphy Perng
Certified Wine Consultant
Murphy Perng is a Wine Consultant and the Founder and Host of Matter of Wine, a business that produces educational wine events, including team-building experiences, networking events, and private parties. Based in Los Angeles, California, Murphy has served as a Wine Educator for clients such as Google, Buzzfeed, Tiktok, Snapchat, and Equinox and been featured on National Geographic and The Somm Journal. Murphy possesses her WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) Level 3 Advanced Certification.

Murphy Perng

Certified Wine Consultant

Expert Answer

Wine requires a consistent temperature and is very heavy. So it is expensive to transport wine by ship.
Question

What sort of wine should I serve with sweet dishes?

Murphy Perng
Certified Wine Consultant
Murphy Perng is a Wine Consultant and the Founder and Host of Matter of Wine, a business that produces educational wine events, including team-building experiences, networking events, and private parties. Based in Los Angeles, California, Murphy has served as a Wine Educator for clients such as Google, Buzzfeed, Tiktok, Snapchat, and Equinox and been featured on National Geographic and The Somm Journal. Murphy possesses her WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) Level 3 Advanced Certification.

Murphy Perng

Certified Wine Consultant

Expert Answer

If you have a sweet dessert, make sure that you're pairing it with a sweeter wine or something as sweet so you don't depreciate the value of the wine or you don't change the natural flavor of the wine in your mouth.
Question

Is it easy to pair dry white wine with food?

Murphy Perng
Certified Wine Consultant
Murphy Perng is a Wine Consultant and the Founder and Host of Matter of Wine, a business that produces educational wine events, including team-building experiences, networking events, and private parties. Based in Los Angeles, California, Murphy has served as a Wine Educator for clients such as Google, Buzzfeed, Tiktok, Snapchat, and Equinox and been featured on National Geographic and The Somm Journal. Murphy possesses her WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) Level 3 Advanced Certification.

Murphy Perng

Certified Wine Consultant

Expert Answer

Dry white wine is neutral and goes well with almost all foods. It does not worsen the taste of food.