How to Import Wine from Italy
Italy is the world's largest producer of wine, with an area of 702,000 hectares (1,730,000 acres) under vineyard cultivation, and contributing a 2013–2017 annual average of 48.3 million hl of wine.
Importing Wine From Italy
Before you can stock your store shelves with amazing wine from Italy, you must be aware of the steps that you need to complete before purchasing the wine from your supplier and organizing transportation with us to the US. This includes applying for and receiving an importer's permit from Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
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There are four agencies involved in the importation of wine to the US. They are:
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Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
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Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
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Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
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State and Local Laws
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What does each agency handle?
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CBP handles the excise taxes and import duties for your shipments once they arrive at the port.
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FDA requires that a Prior Notice of Imported Foods must be filed before any alcoholic beverages are imported into the US.
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TTB issues the importer's permit and handles all other requirements for importing bottled alcoholic beverages into the US.
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You must also comply with your state's importation requirements for alcoholic beverages (California, for example, department of Alcoholic Beverage Control).
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You can read our more detailed wine import guide here.​
Shipping Wine From Italy
Once you're all set with the above government agencies, you can focus on the step in the importation process which is shipping your wine via maritime transportation in ocean containers.
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There are two routes you can take, and they each have their pros and cons. Keep in mind that the ideal shipping temperature for wine is 12-14 degrees Celsius, or 53 - 57 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 50% - 60% to avoid spoiling or altered taste.
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Dry Containers:
The first and least expensive option is shipping wine using dry containers. A dry container has no insulation and offers your cargo no protection from temperature fluctuations and humidity which could alter the taste of your wine or even spoil it, especially when shipping during summer months with high heat.
Certain suppliers might offer you the option of using insulated thermal liners inside the container to protect your wine from temperature fluctuations, but in our experience this method is only effective for short shipping transit times and there isn't reliable data proving its effectiveness.
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Refrigerated "Reefer" Containers:
A reefer container is an insulated shipping container with a refrigeration unit that is used to transport cargo that is temperature sensitive such as fruits, vegetables, meats, and beverages. The advantage of using reefer containers for your wine cargo is that it allows us to control the temperature and humidity while it's in transit to your door, no matter the distance, protecting your wine from temperature fluctuations that a dry container cannot.
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Reefer shipping rates are considerably much higher, usually 2.5 times the price of a dry container. In our experience, however, it is well worth the price, due to the protection it offers your wine from spoiling or accelerated aging. The last thing you need is for your precious Cabernet Sauvignon to arrive aged and spoiled after it's journey over the ocean.
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Popular Shipping Routes
Due to geography, shipping wine from Italy to East Coast ports is faster and less expensive than shipping to West Coast ports. Transit times from Italy to Los Angeles usually takes 30-40 days, and must traverse the Panama Canal. Transit times to East Coast ports such as New York takes less than 20 days.​
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Genoa - New York
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Livorno - New York
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Salerno - New York
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Genoa - Los Angeles
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Genoa - Savannah
Our Work
 40ft Reefer Container from France with Wine Cargo at our Los Angeles yard. |  40ft Reefer Container from Australia with Wine Cargo at our Los Angeles yard. |
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 40ft Reefer Container from Spain with Wine Cargo at our Los Angeles yard. |  40ft Reefer Container from Chile with Wine Cargo at our Los Angeles yard. |
Italy Wine Facts
In 1963, the first official Italian system of classification of wines was launched. Since then, several modifications and additions to the legislation have been made, including a major modification in 1992. The last modification, which occurred in 2010, established four basic categories which are consistent with the latest European Union wine regulations (2008–09). The categories, from the bottom to the top level, are:
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Vini (wines - informally called 'generic wines'): wines can be produced anywhere in the territory of the EU, the label includes no indication of geographical origin of the grape varieties used or the vintage. (The label only reports the colour of the wine.)
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Vini varietali (varietal wines): generic wines that are made either mostly (at least 85%) from one kind of authorized 'international' grape variety (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah) or entirely from two or more of them, grape variety or varieties and vintage may be indicated on the label. (The prohibition to indicate the geographical origin is instead maintained. These wines can be produced anywhere in the territory of the EU.)
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Vini IGP (wines with Protected Geographical Indication also traditionally implemented in Italy as IGT - Typical Geographical Indication): wines produced in a specific territory within Italy and following a series of specific and precise regulations on authorized varieties, viticultural and vinification practices, organoleptic and chemico-physical characteristics, labeling instructions, etc. Currently (2016) there exist 118 IGPs/IGTs.
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Vini DOP (wines with Protected Designation of Origin): this category includes two sub-categories: Vini DOC (Controlled Designation of Origin) and Vini DOCG (Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin). DOC wines must have been IGP wines for at least five years. They generally come from smaller regions within a certain IGP territory that are particularly vocated for their climatic and geological characteristics, quality, and originality of local winemaking traditions. They also must follow stricter production regulations than IGP wines. A DOC wine can be promoted to DOCG if it has been a DOC for at least 10 years. In addition to fulfilling the requisites for DOC wines, DOCG wines must pass stricter analyses prior to commercialization, including a tasting by a specifically appointed committee. DOCG wines must also demonstrate superior commercial success. Currently (2016) there exist 332 DOCs and 73 DOCGs for a total of 405 DOPs.
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DOP
Within the DOP category, 'Classico' is a wine produced in the original historic centre of the protected territory. 'Superiore' is a wine with at least 0.5 more alc%/vol than its corresponding regular DOP wine and produced using a smaller allowed quantity of grapes per hectare, generally yielding a higher quality. 'Riserva' is a wine that has been aged for a minimum period of time. The length of time varies with (red, white, Traditional-method sparkling, Charmat-method sparkling). Sometimes, 'Classico' or 'Superiore' are themselves part of the name of the DOP (e.g. Chianti Classico DOCG or Soave Superiore DOCG).
Ship Your Wine from Italy with Us​
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Port of Los Angeles Born
We're local to Southern California, and we have first hand knowledge, connections, and experience on how our local Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach operate that non-local or overseas freight forwarders do not have. We are able to leverage these advantages to deliver your containers on-time, safely, and reliably.
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Door to Door Services
Shipping a container from overseas to your door involves many moving parts, from the steamship line that transports your container over the ocean, to the custom agents and transportation companies that handle your cargo at the country of origin and country of destination. We aim to simplify this process by removing the need to work with multiple vendors, saving you time and money.
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Nationwide Service
If you're located outside of Southern California, we can still assist you with our Nationwide Service from all major US Ports such as Savannah, Houston, and New York. Learn More
Other Topics
Argentina
Argentina is one of the top exporters of wine to the USA. Learn about importing wine from Argentina such as Malbec.
Australia
Australia is one of the largest exporters of wine worldwide. Learn how to import wine from Australia.
Chile
Chilean wines such as Casillero del Diablo can be found all over store shelves in the USA. Learn more about importing wine from Chile
France
Learn about importing wine from France, including famous wines such as Champagne and Sauvignon Blanc.
Italy
Are you importing wine from Italy? Learn how to import wine from Italy successfully with us.
Spain
Spain is one of the largest producers of wine in the world, and wines from Spain can be found nationwide in the USA. Learn more.
Need Help with your Imports or Exports?
Since 2009 we have been providing container shipping solutions for dry and refrigerated cargo to importers and exporters in Los Angeles, the United States, and around the world.
