Travelling with Wine

Filed in archive Wine Shops on July 6, 2007

Travelling abroad is always exciting, especially for wine lovers. You can buy wines in other countries that are not sold in your own (and most people say that wines from Italy, for example, taste so much better in Italy than the same wines that are imported here). However, travellers are faced with the task of transporting their legal limit of wines back home (after all, there are carry-on regulations) if they do buy them while on vacation. This can be tricky, but USA Today offers some tips on travelling with wine:

You can also check wine as luggage, as long as it's within airline weight and size restrictions, National Geographic Traveler says.

But how do you pack it to make sure you don't end up with broken bottles and soaked luggage?

"Persnickety oenophiles pack their wine in fancy insulated wine suitcases," the magazine stated. "Others swear by the roll-it-up-in-dirty-laundry-and-cross-your-fingers method. Experts say foam shippers work just as well and are widely available and inexpensive."

What about international flights? U.S. Customs permits travelers over the age of 21 to bring alcohol into the country, but anything beyond one liter is subject to a duty of about 3%, according to the magazine. However, "the states have final say." So check with the alcohol control board of the state you're entering to see what the local rules are.

And although you might be eager to crack open that bottle of Bordeaux you bought on your trip to France, avoid "Bottle Shock" and let the wine sit for a few days, or even a week or two before you enjoy it.