Wine transport from Europe

Hello all -

We're heading to France next week and I was wondering what the latest problems/solutions are for getting wine back to the US from Europe. I'd like to bring around a case of wine back with us, so I'd be grateful to hear what others have done lately to reduce costs/breakage potential/security problems.

Thanks much!

Mike

I just got back earlier today from Italy, connecting through Paris. I brought back 10 bottles, some were individually plastic bubble-wrapped that I normally bring with me from the US when traveling to Europe. Since I bought more than my intended number of bottles, I left the 4 bottles in the 2-bottle cardboard carry-on containers that the winery had provided. All were stuffed into our checked-in soft suitcases.

I've always brought back wines from Europe, a couple of times as much as 18 bottles, always in the same manner and have never broken any bottles (keeping my fingers crossed). I've always declared wines brought back at US Customs and was always waved through.

Enjoy.

edited to add: check in all wines.

Mike,

When we went to Italy in 2007 we brought back eight bottles of wine. I wrapped the wine in shirts and towels, and stuffed it securely into our three suitcases with the rest of the luggage. We did declare the wines on return, but it was not an issue. The wine survived the trip in our suitcases safe and sound. People were allowed to carry on wine in Rome, but it was confiscated in Paris. I'm very glad that we checked ours with the luggage.

Thanks, guys. I haven't been out of the country for four or five years, but it sounds as though not much has changed in that time. We'll be traveling light but I might bring an empty duffel with me to provide extra room on the return trip.

http://www.magellans.com/store/Health__ ... P321?Args=

A bit pricey at $10 for two skins, but I guess that depends upon how expensive the wine is.

Ten or twelve bottles is a lot to stuff in the suitcase with the dirty clothes. Take an empty styro shipper or two over with you, bring them back full. Use the 12-bottle ones that keep the wine standing up, so if security opens it for inspection they don't have to remove layers of bottles to get to the bottom, and therefore wont have the opportunity to re-pack them incorrectly. The shippers are bulky and a pain to schlep from place to place if you're taking trains, but they are cheap and very effective. Or spring for $300 or so for a customized rolling Pelican case designed to hold up to a dozen bottles, from some place like Wine Cruzer.

A shipper is good if you're planning to take more bottles than you have pairs of pants (my preferred clothing for wrapping bottles). The hint that I'd add is that you can make a crude handle out of packing tape that will make it much more comfortable to carry your 38 pound box.

Walt

Take an empty styro shipper or two over with you, bring them back full.

Good advice, and have done it and will so again. The practice is not without peril though. We got hastled to hell and back at LAX where we arrived with an empty shipper and then had to claim and reboard for a one way trip north. "What's in that container?" Nothing. "What do mean nothing?" It's just nothing, it is an empty wine shipper that we plan to fill up while here to help your economy. "Open it up right now!" So we took the duck tape off that was holding to top on, and showed them. That was just the start of it. Supervisor had to summoned, etc, etc. etc.

I guess they're trained to look for anything "unusual," but not always trained to think beyond that...

Liz and I flew back from Calif this past Monday with three bottles in checked bags. All arrived in perfect shape but I worried all the way home, especially through a connection at JFK in NYC. I thought I'd heard that liquid restrictions were under consideration for being lifted. Anyone else or was I dreaming???

Thanks, everyone. I'm going back and forth on whether to bring a shipper. We'll be more limited in what we can bring back without one, but getting it there and back on planes, trains, buses, and rental cars will be something of a pain in the backside.

on planes, trains, buses, and rental cars will be something of a pain in the backside.

We do quite a bit of that when in Europe. For example, we land in a major city and then train it to a non-major city for our base, and vice versa when on our way home. In a few instances, we needed to change trains in in-between city. It's a major PIA to be lugging around an empty box or 2 that you can't fold, in addition to your suitcases, as you change planes, trains, or rental cars, or lug them into a cab. BTW, some wineries have become adept at packing/boxing a case or 2. Last year, Lopez de Heredia was able to that for me with their own styro-shipper for 1, 2 or 3 bottles. These can easily be stuffed in nooks/crevices of your suitcase.

Have a good time.

something of a pain in the backside.

That's what it comes down to for me. I hate hauling a bunch of crap all over the place. I can get by with little, but *ahem* some people in the family have a bit more trouble in that department. Adding a box of wine to the mix makes for a grumpy Johnny.

How about UPSing it back?

Ramon - We'll be doing just as you said. We'll spend a couple of days in Aix-en-Provence before renting a car and heading for Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. We may spend a couple of nights out in the countryside as well. Hauling a shipper around will not be ideal (but of course, we do need to bring wine back!)

John - Is it possible to use UPS to ship back to the states? I was under the impression that most wineries won't ship here so I just figured that there were problems with that idea. Shipping back here would be the easiest option (assuming it won't cost an arm and a leg).

Thanks again to everyone for the help.

1. I always use styro shippers. They are harder to find in Europe than they are here, so I would take one with you. Just plonk it on top of your wheeled bag. It also insulates from temperature changes, which is useful as you're driving around.

2. Shipping small amounts of wine from Europe can be difficult; my producers have to do it when they send me samples, and the bureaucracy gets worse every year (and I have the licences to do it). The 'pack and ship' place over there may know what's required over here, but probably not.

I'd say your options are:
1) lug a 12 bottle shipper as your second piece of luggage. To bring it in legally, it has to accompany you.
2) my last trip I just used a big suitcase, put a 6 bottle shipper inside. On way over carried a couple gifts, my socks, my toiletries inside shipper. On way back only had to make space for the socks elsewhere.
3) Shipping back. You can't just take to DHL and have shipped to your home, you have to use a federally licensed importer. There are some commercial companies that arrange this, at least in Burgundy, but it is very very expensive. Although a friend who goes to Burgundy frequently (and leads others) and buys lots of wine (many cases), offered that next time I could piggyback with one of his shipments (it's not much more to get 25 cases cleared than 1). Probably less of an option in Provence.
4) Someone told me that in Burgundy some POs sell styro shippers (intended for within EU, but you could take). Again, less likely in Provence. But it is possible that as in Ramon's example, you can find a domaine that has shippers. But hard to chance it- maybe you could contact wineries in advance?

Thanks, Oliver and Dale. I guess that confirms my suspicions on shipping back.

I think we'll probably go with taking an empty duffel bag and some bubble wrap with us. We'll shift some clothes to the duffel bag, wrap the wine up, and put it in our suitcases with some clothing to help protect it. That ought to get us room for a case or thereabouts.

Oliver - your point regarding insulation while out on the road is well taken. We'll look for a cheap styrofoam cooler to put in the car while we're out hitting wineries and then leave it behind when we come home.