I am not sure if taking liquor on board a plane is so much illegal as not allowed. Most of the things the FAA does not allow on board, to my limited knowledge (IANAL), are "not allowed" but there is no accompanying misdemeanor/felony if you were to carry it on. Not that it is a good idea to do so, as TSA agents will make you wish it was a crime by the time they are done with you.
As for shipping alcohol, the legality of it is essentially random. That is, it depends entirely on the state sending and state receiving. Companies like UPS have pretty good guidelines on this, but they are not always correct or up to date.
TSA:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1189.shtm
Carrying Alcohol In Your Checked Baggage
Please note, you can’t take alcoholic beverages with more than 70% alcohol content (140 proof), including 95% grain alcohol and 150 proof rum, in your checked luggage.
You may take up to five liters of alcohol with alcohol content between 24% and 70% per person as checked luggage if it’s packaged in a sealable bottle or flask.
Alcoholic beverages with less than 24% alcohol content are not subject to hazardous materials regulations.
State shipping laws regarding wine:
http://www.wineinstitute.org/initiatives/stateshippinglaws
Military Site with Information:
http://www.hqusareur.army.mil/opm/state.htm
Whatever you do, don't ship it via USPS:
http://pe.usps.com/search/jsp/searc...arser=Simple&querytext=(alcohol)&dtype=2#hit0
11.7 Intoxicating Liquor
A potable beverage is nonmailable if it is of 0.5% or more alcoholic content by weight, which is taxable under Chapter 51, Internal Revenue Service Code. The product may be mailed if it conforms to applicable requirements of the Internal Revenue Service and Food and Drug Administration and is not an alcoholic beverage, poisonous, or flammable.
Great article on USAToday showing the laws back in 2004:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004/alcohol-policy.htm
And, the rules change completely if you are shipping alcohol internationally.
Internationally, just be clear it is for personal use:
http://www.ttb.gov/importers/personal_importation.shtml
Or you can always call your ABC and ask:
http://www.ttb.gov/wine/control_board.shtml Which is probably the best idea, they should have information on beer also.
And, supposedly, but I didn't find anything on it other than people telling this to each other and a few fed sites mentioning it is doable sometimes ... in a few states, you can ship direct between people, so long as the box is clearly marked: "ADULTS ONLY, GIFT, CONTAINS ALCOHOL" and it is truly a gift.
Whatever it is. I get alcohol through the mail fairly regularly - but under my state's legal limits and usually from an appropriate shipper (unless it's a gift or sent by myself to myself).