Keep it moving: transportation update

Wines & Vines, July, 2004 by Larry Walker

Transportation of wine has been an integral part of the business since the days when the latest vintage was shipped overland in goatskins by donkey cart or by sea in huge clay amphorae packed in straw. There have been many changes in the wine business since those days, but moving wine from point A to point B is still a basic need.

Wines & Vines surveyed wine transportation companies to fill us in on recent changes in the shipping and storage of wine and what services they offer.

We received a number of responses by telephone and e-mail, including the following:

Bassetti Farms serves California in transporting wine and juice. Bassetti currently runs eight stainless steel tankers with split compartments, which add to flexibility for the wineries. Owner Valerie Bassetti said that one change she has noticed is the necessity for microbiological testing of tanks. She said that some winemakers require it, and Bassetti has made testing mandatory before any wine load is shipped. Contact: Bassetti Farms, 402 Bassett St., King City, CA 93930. Tel: (831) 771-0182, e-mail: vbassetti@bassettifarms.com, Web site: bassettifarms.com.

Butch Cameron Trucking has been in business for 20 years, transporting mostly bulk wine in multiple compartment tankers and in portable tanks that can hold as little as 250 gallons of wine or juice. The company also ships casegoods and barrels. Butch Cameron said they strive to be a one-stop service for customers in California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and other states. The Cameron family are grape-growers, which Butch believes gives them some insight into the needs of the wine industry. Contact: Butch Cameron Trucking, 1240 Century Ct., Ste. A, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Tel: (707) 546-0146.

Cherokee Freight Lines has been in the wine transport business, mostly in California, since 1957, operating a fleet of stainless steel semis and dry freight vans, double vans and semis. Cherokee has a fleet of more than 200 trucks dedicated only to wine. Cherokee can transport in excess of 6,700 gallons of wine in two-and three-tank compartments, and has certified tanks for brandy and hiproof. Cherokee can handle any product used in the winery. Contact: Cherokee Freight Lines, 5463 Cherokee Rd., Stockton, CA, 95215. Tel: (209) 931-3570, e-mail: orders@gocfl.com, Web site: gocfl.com.

G-3 Enterprises is a fairly new company, according to transportation supervisor Candace Burleson. It was put together from several existing companies to offer a full range of services to the wine industry. G-3 calls itself a "single source solution" for all methods of transportation, including bulk, finished casegoods and export, which is a growth area. The company can transport bulk wine in flex tanks that can hold up to 6,300 gallons of wine. The company also offers custom bonding services. Contact: G-3 Enterprises, 502 E. Whitmore Ave., Modesto, CA 95358. Tel: (209) 341-7770, e-mail: kyle.rossler@g-3enterprises.com, Web site: g-3enterprises.com.

Groskopf Warehouse has been in business for 21 years, according to Charlene Groskopf. Groskopf offers wine storage and distribution of casegoods, both in-bond and tax-paid as well as interstate shipping for wineries, distributors and liquor control boards. She said that one recent development is to offer direct shipment to consumers for wineries, with wine stored at Groskopf. She said they would ship a single bottle or even a mixed case, tracking inventory. Contact: Groskopf Warehouse, 20580 8th St. E., Sonoma, CA 95476. Tel: (707) 939-3112, e-mail: sales@groskopf.com, Web site: groskopf.com

Hoyt Shepston is a customs-house broker specializing in international shipments, warehousing and consolidation. The company was established in 1850. Fred Hosking said one very important change has been new regulations on imports and exports. Exporters must now file documents electronically--no more paper allowed--and importers must deal with new anti-terrorism laws of some complexity. The new imports laws require that the producer must have a registration number on file with the Food and Drug Administration, and the importers must file with the FDA regarding arrival of each shipment. Hosking pointed out that if an importer were to bring in a container with, for example, wine from several different suppliers, each of those suppliers would be required to have a registration number. There has also been an increase in inspections, including preliminary X-ray scans and, in some cases, a physical inspection of the content. Importers are charged from $100 to $150 for a scan inspection and up to $1,000 for a physical inspection, and the shipment may be delayed for several days and stored in uncertain conditions. Hoyt Shepston is helping clients deal with these new regulations. Contact: Hoyt Shepston, 700A Dubuque Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080. Tel: (650) 952-6930, e-mail: fred@hoyt-shepston.com.

North Coast Wine Transport is based in Sonoma County and has been in business since 1986. North Coast can transport bulk wine in sanitized and insulated stainless steel tanks with single and split compartments and in portable tanks. The company also ships barrels and casegoods. It operates on the North Coast and in the Central Valley. Contact: North Coast Wine Transport, 3517 Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg, CA 95448. Tel: (707) 433-0456, e-mail: ncwt@ix.netcom.com.