10 tips for safely transporting your wine cellar collection

Although moving it makes you nervous, leaving it behind is unthinkable: here are the top 10 tips for safely transporting your wine cellar collection to your new home.

If you collect wine for sentimental or financial reasons, entrusting your collection to another person likely makes you nervous. The fact is many moving companies specialize in moving wine cellar collections, with employees that use the utmost care when transporting this kind of valuable cargo. Here's how to prepare for the move so that everything runs smoothly.

Get your wine collection appraised to know what it is worth.

• All the major collectors have their wine cellars appraised, and so should smaller collectors — it's now or never!

Take pictures for insurance purposes to protect your assets in the event that something goes wrong.

Take a complete inventory of your collection, not only for insurance purposes, but also to give a copy to the moving company.

Take out insurance through the moving company’s insurer. Also, check your own homeowner's insurance policy to know if your collection is protected during a move.

If you pack your own bottles, purchase boxes modified especially for transporting wine bottles, or arrange to pick some up from the local liquor store.

• If not, moving companies have sturdy plastic containers designed exclusively for wine bottle transport.

If your trip is going to be a few hours, ask the movers to supply you with a temperature-controlled truck.

• Most companies will offer such types of trucks as standard service.

Get several quotes before hiring a moving company to transport your wine cellar collection.

• Compare prices, service and overall professionalism.

Check the regulations pertaining to the amount of alcohol that can be transported and stored.

• Rules may differ from one city to another.

Companies specializing in wine transport can also offer you storage solutions.

• This is especially helpful if you need to move in two stages while waiting to have access to the new space.

After the arrival of the bottles, let them stand for a few weeks before opening one.

When you hire a reputable mover with experience moving wine, you really have nothing to fear. Solutions have been designed to allow you to sleep soundly knowing your investment is in good hands.

• Nevertheless, if you decide to move your collection yourself, make sure not to skimp on the packing materials – and remember to raise a toast after your collection arrives safe and sound at your new home!