BERKELEY, Calif.-
Six weeks after travelers were restricted from carrying wine aboard airplanes, some wineries say they’ve been able to maintain tasting room sales by offering new shipping and stowage options.
“It’s amazing how adaptable wine lovers are,” said Wendy Peterson, executive director of the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau.
Taking home a bottle or six is a tradition for many wine country tourists, and a good way for smaller wineries to build customer relations. That tradition was rattled in the immediate aftermath of the London terror plot revelations last month that led to a ban on toting liquids aboard.
Since then, some of the restrictions have been modified, but passengers still can’t take wine purchased outside the airport in the cabin with them. Duty-free shop sales are allowed under a system in which the merchandise is delivered as passengers board.
Wineries have reacted by advising customers to sip and ship, offering to have purchases delivered–sometimes at a discount–to customers’ homes if they live in states where that’s allowed. They’re also handing out free shipping containers and other packing materials so customers can be confident their wine will survive the flight in checked luggage.
A lot of customers seem to like the second option, said Eileen Crane, president and winemaker of Domaine Carneros. The premium Napa Valley winery known for its sparkling wine is giving customers free packing materials, often leaving room for a few other bottles that might be picked up on the trip.
“We made it easy for them to buy wine,” said Crane.
Tasting room sales at Domaine Carneros have been averaging about 400 cases a month this year, up 20 percent over last year, and that trend has continued despite the new restrictions, she said.
At the Clos Du Val winery, also in Napa, tasting room sales have not slowed down, said winery spokeswoman Michaela Baltasar. Besides facilitating shipping, staff are selling packing materials at cost, between $2 and $6, which appears to be encouraging sales, Baltasar said.
Having wine professionally shipped cuts down on the risk it will be exposed to heat and spoil. Still, many customers like the idea of using containers to check wine in as luggage, Peterson said.
“People just like to stay close to their wine,” she said. “They come and they have this incredible experience tasting and they really want to hand carry it home.”
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