Wine and spirits 3PLs
Wine and spirits 3PLs that know the rules
Alcohol fulfillment comes with licenses, state limits, adult signatures and temperature holds. Here is what to require from a wine or spirits 3PL, and companies that ship for wineries and distilleries.
What to require from a wine and spirits 3PL
Licensed, and bonded if you need it
A TTB-bonded warehouse can hold wine before federal excise tax is paid. Ask which licenses the facility holds and whether your product would be stored in bond or tax-paid.
Temperature- and humidity-controlled storage
Wine ages in storage. Ask what temperature and humidity they hold, how it is monitored, and whether they offer weather holds when transit is too hot or cold.
Adult-signature shipping with approved carriers
Carriers require an adult signature for alcohol deliveries. Confirm the 3PL has alcohol shipping agreements and labels every package correctly.
State compliance support
Most states allow direct-to-consumer wine shipping with a permit, with volume limits and tax reporting. Spirits are allowed in far fewer states. Ask how they check orders against state rules.
Club shipments and allocations
Wine clubs ship in large waves. Ask about wave capacity, gift messages, and how they handle declined cards or address changes mid-run.
Vintage and lot control
Customers order a specific vintage. Make sure the 3PL tracks vintage or lot and never substitutes without your say.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Which federal and state licenses does the facility hold? Is storage bonded or tax-paid?
- What temperature and humidity do you hold, and when do you apply weather holds?
- Which carriers do you ship alcohol with, and how do you handle adult signatures and returns?
- How do you check orders against state shipping rules?
- How many club shipments can you send in a wave, and how long does a wave take?
- Do you track vintage and lot, and can we block a vintage?
- Which warehouse system do you run, and will you give us API access to our account?
Wine and spirits 3PLs
A short list of 3PLs whose own websites say they serve this specialty.
We are checking wine and spirits 3PLs now
Every listing is checked against the 3PL’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The guide above and the readiness kit below are ready today.
Run a 3PL that fits? Request a listingThe 3PL readiness kit
Everything we would want in hand before talking to a 3PL: questions to send before the sales call, an onboarding checklist, and a worksheet to compare quotes line by line. Free to print, no sign-up.
3PL readiness kit
Choose, compare and onboard a 3PL
Questions to ask every 3PL
Send these before the sales call, and ask for answers in writing.
- Receiving: how fast is inbound stock available to ship, and what do you charge for unlabeled or mixed cartons?
- Lots and expiry: do you capture lot and expiry at receiving, and are they on every shipment record?
- Picking rules: FEFO, FIFO, or a lot we choose? Can we set a minimum shelf life per customer?
- Holds: how do you quarantine a lot, and how fast does it stop shipping?
- Accuracy: how do you measure order accuracy and inventory accuracy, and how do you credit errors?
- Cut-off: what is the same-day ship cut-off, and what happens on peak days?
- Returns: how are returns inspected, restocked or disposed of, and how is that reported?
- Integrations: which warehouse system do you run? Will you give us API access to our own account?
- Retail and Amazon: can you handle routing guides, EDI orders and FBA prep?
- Insurance and liability: what is your liability per unit, and what does your insurance cover?
- Contract: term, notice period, minimums, and how we get our stock out if we leave.
Onboarding checklist
Work through this in the four to six weeks before your first inbound shipment.
- Clean SKU list: one SKU per sellable unit, with barcodes, weights and dimensions.
- Units of measure: each, inner pack, case and pallet quantities for every SKU.
- Lot and expiry rules: label format, where the lot sits on the carton, and your minimum shelf life.
- Kits and bundles: component lists for every kit, and who builds them.
- Packaging: boxes, mailers, inserts and coolant, and who supplies them.
- Channels connected: store, marketplaces and wholesale orders flowing to the 3PL.
- Inventory sync: stock counts, lots and shipments flowing back into your own system.
- First inbound: advance ship notice sent, with lots and expiry on it.
- Test orders: one of each order type, including a retail order and a return.
- Reconciliation: weekly count comparison between your system and the 3PL for the first two months.
Cost worksheet
Fill in one column per quote, using your real monthly order and pallet numbers.
| Line item | 3PL A | 3PL B | 3PL C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account or setup fee | |||
| Receiving (per hour, pallet or carton) | |||
| Storage (per pallet, shelf or bin, per month) | |||
| Pick and pack (first item) | |||
| Pick and pack (each additional item) | |||
| Packaging and inserts | |||
| Kitting or assembly | |||
| Retail or B2B order handling | |||
| Returns processing | |||
| Monthly minimum | |||
| Estimated monthly total |
Frequently asked questions
What is a bonded wine warehouse?
A warehouse approved by the TTB to hold wine before federal excise tax is paid. Tax becomes due when the wine is removed from bond, which can help cash flow for wineries holding large inventories.
Can a 3PL ship spirits directly to consumers?
Only to the few states that allow it, and usually with extra licensing. Most spirits brands sell through distributors or retailers instead. Ask the 3PL which states it ships spirits to and under whose license.
Why do wine 3PLs hold shipments in hot weather?
Heat can damage wine in transit. Many wine 3PLs hold shipments or switch to faster services when forecast temperatures along the route are too high or too low.
Other 3PL specialties
Run a 3PL?
If you serve brands that make their own products, request a free listing. No paid placement.