What are the challenges of buying wine online?

If you’ve recently been to Italy, chances are you enjoyed some excellent wines. Surely, you’ll want to be able to ship those lovely nectars from the comfort of your home, as well. At the same time, it could be a challenge to buy wine online. Selections in your local market however may be slim, or extremely expensive due to importation costs. You should certainly consider having your own wine shipped directly to your door from a local source.  In Tuscany, smaller producers ship directly to their U.S. customers through small retailers.

Wine shipping industry

One of the most important parts of investing in a wine purchase is the ability to sample the wine and meet with the producer or importer. When it comes to shipping wine to the United States from Italy, there are so many producers, suppliers, and importers that an average consumer can get overwhelmed. The vast amount of options may seem intimidating. The most important factor to consider when shipping your wine is the source on the ground.

How Tuscan winemakers ship

In Tuscany, the wine shipping industry is well developed. Even small organizations have deep relationships with wine producers in the region. While it may be tempting to have your Tuscan wine shipped from large, well-known importers, you may be missing out on some smaller Tuscan delicacies. They usually only ship through smaller businesses due to a lasting trust relationship. So, smaller doesn’t necessarily mean illegitimate. In fact, the relationships in the wine shipping industry in Tuscany are intricate, and loyalty plays a big factor. In Italy, bigger normally doesn’t mean better. For this reason when you research shipping wine from Tuscany, be sure to consider the story behind the exporting business.

To buy it, or to ship it, that is the question!

During or after a visit to Tuscany, shipping your favorite Chianti home is one of the best ways to remember the vacation of a lifetime. Some common questions include how much wine are you can ship, and what are the advantages? Why ship wine when I can bring it in my suitcase? Shipping wine is traditionally associated with a high cost; however, shipping is normally cheaper than purchasing the product back at home. Buying directly from the producer and shipping means you ensure the top-quality Tuscan wine from a trusted source. You are sure you are getting an original product.

Purchase from Locals

Another reason you want to ship your wine directly from a local source is that you will be getting the very best that may not be available in your local market. In Tuscany, some of the very best wine producers don’t export if not through small, local resources due to the hassle and local popularity negating the necessity. Remember the vineyard you visited in the Chianti Classico region? Imagine they don’t even ship outside of Italy. By going through a small, local contact, you can have access to wines that nobody in your home country can have.

In brief, you need to have your Tuscan wine shipped from a local source that has personal contacts in Tuscany. The value of personal relationships in Italy is critical and finding someone in Tuscany that you can trust who has healthy relationships with local producers is the best way for you to ensure you will be getting the best local Tuscan wines shipped for free. Find your favorites through taking a class when you visit Tuscany. You’ll always feel a little bit of Tuscany at the table.