Okay to send wine now?
Check temperatures along the likely route. You won’t find the Minneapolis or Omaha forecasts reassuring. Picture it in a container on a train on a siding, or in a semitrailer pulled over at a rest stop for the night on I-90.
Wine can’t freeze till it’s in the low 20Fs (the alcohol lowers the freezing temperature), but I sure wouldn’t chance it.
I would do it, but check the mountains to see if it is cold there yet (WY-MT), cold meaning teens or lower.
Upstate NY (REAL upstate) going to be in the 40’s from F thru to M, so good time to ship from here.
Also take into account how much it costs, and when you plan to drink it. If it’s a case of $20 riesling which you plan to drink by the pool next summer, then I would go for it. If you bought some 2015 First Growth Bordeaux and you are shipping it out there, think twice.
Joe
I use this site to gauge high and low temps across the country for potential shipping:
Actually looks pretty good right now, and for the next week.
Thanks for the input. It is only two bottles of moderately priced Riesling, so I’m going for it.