--- title: Moving a Wine Collection: Heat, Handling, Rules url: https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-wine/ business: O'Brien's Moving & Storage address: 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 phone: 775-359-6683 (toll-free 1-800-253-7814) hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm licenses: U.S. DOT No. 30611, MC-109375, Nevada CPCN 1070; interstate agent for Bekins Van Lines since 1955 type: Moving and storage company, family owned since 1941 --- - [Home](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/) - [Moving resources: guides, checklists, tools and data](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/resources/) - [Moving guides](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/) - Moving a wine collection # Moving a wine collection Wine is happiest near 55 degrees and unhappy above the mid-70s, so the first question on any wine move is how hot the truck, the car and the warehouse will get. Pack bottles upright or on their sides in dividers, list every case on the inventory, and check the alcohol rules of the state you are entering. or call [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) [4.3 on Google · 71 reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/) Family owned since 1941 [U.S. DOT No. 30611](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/about/licenses-and-authority/) A wine collection is both fragile and sensitive to temperature, and a move in a Reno July puts both at risk. The glass is the easy part. Heat is harder, because a few hours in a hot truck can change a wine that took years to age. This guide covers packing, temperature, paperwork and the point at which a professional wine-cellar move makes sense. ## Temperature decides the plan Most cellars hold wine around 55 degrees. Short swings are tolerated, but sustained heat is not. July afternoons in Reno average in the low 90s according to National Weather Service climate normals, and a closed truck or car runs hotter than the air outside. That is why a cool-season move is kinder to wine, and why a summer move calls for planning. For a valuable collection, ask how the wine will be carried, how long it will sit on a truck, and where it will be held at the destination. Choose a cooler day or evening for loading when you can. ## Pack bottles properly - Use wine shippers or sturdy boxes with individual cardboard dividers. Do not stack loose bottles in a regular carton. - Check corks and capsules. A bottle with a seeping cork should be set aside and not shipped with the rest. - Fill gaps with packing paper so no two bottles can touch. - Label each box with the number of bottles and which way is up. - Photograph rare or valuable bottles, labels included. ## Rules about alcohol Moving your own wine is not the same as selling or shipping it, but states have their own rules about bringing alcohol across the line, and some limit the amount a resident may import in one move. Check with the state alcohol agency for your destination, for example the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control or the Nevada Department of Taxation. The federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) covers the federal side. Interstate carriers may have their own policies on wine, so ask about it when the estimator visits your home and have the answer written into the estimate. ## Valuation and inventory List wine on the inventory by case or by bottle, with a value noted for the collection. Read [valuation coverage](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/valuation-coverage/) to see how coverage works for high-value items. A wine cellar with racks, a cooling unit and display fixtures is a separate job from the bottles, and O'Brien's handles that work as [wine cellar moving](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/specialty-moving/wine-cellars/). ## Plan every stage of the trip Ask where the wine will wait between pickup and delivery, and for how long. A day on a loaded truck in July is a very different thing from an overnight stop in a mild week. Put your wishes in writing on the estimate so the crew lead knows which cases are the careful ones. ## Carry the best bottles yourself Many collectors carry their top bottles in their own vehicle, in a cooler with ice packs in summer, and let the movers carry the rest. That puts the most valuable wine under your control for the whole trip. Whatever you decide, write it down, so the plan is clear when moving day arrives. ### Sources (checked October 18, 2026) - [National Weather Service, Reno](https://www.weather.gov/rev/) - [TTB, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau](https://www.ttb.gov/) - [Nevada Department of Taxation](https://tax.nv.gov/) - [eCFR, 49 CFR Part 375 (household goods moves)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-375) ### Free in-home estimate - An O'Brien's estimator walks through your home - A written, itemized estimate - 10 free heavy-duty boxes, yours to keep [How our estimates work](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/how-our-estimates-work/) ### Visit or call the office 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) | Monday to Friday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm | | --- | --- | | Saturday and Sunday | Closed | [Get my free estimate](#estimate) ### Related - [Wine cellar moving](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/specialty-moving/wine-cellars/) - [Valuation coverage: released value vs full value protection](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/valuation-coverage/) - [Moving in Reno in July](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-in-july/) - [The moving inventory and high-value items form](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-inventory/) Moving guides ## Read next - [Moving with plants (and state plant rules)](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-plants/) - [Moving with cats](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-with-cats/) - [Moving with dogs](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-with-dogs/) - [Moving with fish](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-with-fish/) - [Moving with kids](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-with-kids/) - [Moving in winter in the Sierra](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-in-winter/) - [Moving to high altitude](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-to-high-altitude/) - [Downsizing for seniors](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/downsizing-for-seniors/) Answers ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683), Mon-Fri 8-5, or see the [moving FAQ](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/faq/). ### What temperature is safe for moving wine? Cellar temperature is around 55 degrees, and wine tolerates short swings. Sustained heat above the mid-70s can damage it. ### Should wine bottles be moved upright or on their sides? Either works for a short move if the bottles are secured in dividers. Long-term storage on the side keeps corks moist. ### Can movers move a wine cellar? A built-in cellar, racks and cooling unit are a specialty job. See wine cellar moving for what O'Brien's can handle. ## 4.3 stars from 71 Google reviews What customers say about O'Brien's [Read more reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/)[See them on Google](https://maps.google.com/maps?cid=17335326057105140938) B Bruce E. December 25, 2024 My family moved exclusively with Bekins when I was young and O'Brien's made it a pleasure to return to this fine local company. I would be pleased to have any members of O'Brien's as friends and highly recommend O'Brien's to anyone needing the services they provide! ### Owner's reply Bruce thank you so much for taking the time to review our company. It was an extreme pleasure to work for you, please do not hesitate to call us for any help you need in the future. L Leticia H. November 1, 2024 O'Brien's Moving and Storage packing crew were great!! They were fast, friendly and most importantly, very professional. Thank you guys. M Michelle C. August 28, 2024 Extremely happy with the moving experience. The moving team showed up on time, friendly and polite. They did a wonderful job moving our boxes and furniture to the new location. We moved a three bedroom home and I could not be more pleased with the employees who assisted with the move. Highly recommend O'Brien moving for your move. ### Owner's reply Michelle, thank you so much for taking the time to write this review. We are so happy to hear about the move experience you had with our company and glad to know we met your expectations! It means a lot to us to know that. Thank you for choosing us as your moving partner. ## Get your free, in-home moving estimate An estimator visits, walks through everything and gives you a written, itemized estimate. Rather talk? [Call 775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm Our estimators: Sean, Luke, Christa and Janet. 2277 Glendale Ave Sparks, NV 89431 [4.3 on Google · 71 reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/) Family owned since 1941 U.S. DOT No. 30611 · MC-109375 · Nevada CPCN 1070