What's a good way to safely check bottles of wine?

I wrapped mine well in plastic wrap (would have used bubble wrap if it had been available),packed them tightly in a their own small suitcase, and had the airline mark the suitcase "FRAGILE." They all arrived safely and intact. Wish I could say the same for my regular luggage, which arrived 24 hours after I did!

I must tell you that 3 of my bottles were in round, cardboard containers (sort of like a poster tubes), which may have helped a lot.

Good luck!

You can ship it to yourself. You can get packaging from someplace to ship it to yourself & check it (watch out for weight restrictions !) or you can carry it on.

All I do is pack the bottle (one bottle per suitcase) inside a plastic bag with some clothes, and then pack this in another plastic bag with some clothes, put it all in my suitcase, and send it along and hope for the best. So far it's worked.

Brutforce, sadly, I don't believe you can carry it on any more. Bottles of wine hold more than 3 oz!

A friend had a liter of Spanish olive oil confiscated at Security in Frankfurt, and wine (other than duty free) would be no different.

If you are going into France, then find a French Post Office where you should still be able to purchase a special postal shipping container, a box that will securely hold six bottles of wine. The last ones we picked up we purchased at La Dernière Goutte in Paris a couple of years ago, but they should still be available. You can then check the box in as checked luggage for your return home.

I've had good luck with the wine pouches made out of neoprene. (Available almost everywhere these days.) It lies nice and flat and takes up no space until you need it. Just slip the bottles in and they are prevented from bumping against each other - then put in center of suitcase surrounded by lots of soft clothes.

I think what Packed2Go is talking about is this:
http://tinyurl.com/2oxn4u

I took home 2 bottles of wine from Paris in the double pouch and they made it just fine.

You may not want to do this but we have brought back 12 bottles in our suitcases. We just pack the in our clothes very well. Also travelling from Germany you will probably have white wine and if a bottle breaks oh well. This part will be up to you but we never declare any wine and have always gotten through. They even searched our suitcases and saw the wine but didn't say anything. The poster tubes sound good as well as bubble wrap. Also I thought good wine comes fron Italy (just kidding

Thanks for all of your help everyone. You have all given me some good tips. Jennifer

Check your local wine source. They may stock your foreign wine choice. Take packing materials with you. ZipLock bags and bubble pack. Paper towels or toilet paper can also be used. Don't waste free transport on inexpensive wines. Maximize free transport by posting dirty clothes and such home.

Liquor/wine stores will also have special cardboard boxes with Styrofoam insets especially made for shipping bottles. These can then be checked separately or put in suitcases.

We have boxes that hold 3 bottles and boxes that hold 6. The bottles have their own "separate" compartment, so no chance of bumping into anything else.

The boxes are bulkly, but we pack them in our suitcases when we go and that way the "space" is already reserved. We just have to worry about weight.

We brought back 15 bottles from South Africa this way.

Hi J,

Bubble wrap.

I use wine skins and have a wine cargo case that I shrink wrap and check. Also If you wrap a piece of cardboard around the base of the bottle it prevents breakage and is cheap.

wineskin: http://www.ftscontent.com/

cargo cases can be found here:

http://tinyurl.com/ys2yjx

The 12 bottle trolley is checkable though you will need to bubblewrap, use wine skin or otherwise secure the bottles. It is not a hard case, but never have had problems with it.

The 6 bottle platinum case also works, though I also secure the bottles a bit to be sure and always shrinkwrap before checking.

You can declare the wine, the form for some reason does not ask how much you have, just the value. I have never paid tax or been asked how much I have.

I recently took six bottles from France in a small case.

I put them each in a ski sock and then in a plastic bag.

I think that if your case is in any way rigid then you should be ok.

You are correct, I was thinking of 'duty-free' purchases. Some places may also ship it for you at a minimum cost.

Shipping wine overseas is never a "minimal cost." Besides weight, you are paying duty, costs associated with any licensing the vendor has to pay to be allowed to ship to the US, etc.

I would only have wine shipped if the price was upwards of $200 euro a bottle and it was an entire case--only then does it pay for itself. One can easily transport their own wine in cargo without breakage.

Bubble wrap, then a plastic bag, and then dirty clothes around that. That system has survived several trips even in a soft-side suitcase.

And don't think that buying wine (or any liquid, for that matter) in the duty-free store will mean that you can carry it on the plane in the US. Unless your destination airport is the same as your port of entry (ATL, JFK, EWR, etc.), you will have the sublime privilege of having to deal with the Totally Stupid Arseholes of the TSA when they tell you that you need to check that bottle of duty-free of 1953 Dom Perignon.

I have carried wine in checked luggage many times without problem, but only if it is not available at home. Method: Each bottle is protected by a piece of laundry (socks are good sleeves) and then a plastic bag. If it is softsided luggage, several layers of clothes between the bottles and the walls, top, bottom, and sides. Case full so bottles can't slide and clink. Allow 3.5 lbs per bottle as weight estimate.

I have used the method that is mentioned above by AJPeabody on six return flights from France. I take along some old socks and put a a bottle in each sock and pack in the middle of the suitcase. I have never had a problem and take 6 bottles home with me every time. I have never had to pay a tax. When I went through customs and they ask if I have anything to declare and I say that I have 6 bottles of wine and nothing was said and I have never paid anything. I think when you have a few hundred people getting of a plane at one time they don't want to take the time to do the paper work for the small amount collected.

Hi,

I just got back from touring wineries in New Zealand and couldn't resist bringing back a dozen bottles of that country's very fine wine.

I always carry the followig materials:

A roll of bubble wrap, several sheets of tissue paper, a roll of clear cling wrap, Glad Snaplock or Ziplock plastic bags, and the shock absorbent material used between china plates or to keep carpets from slipping. (These materials weigh very little and work great for getting your bottles home safely.)

First wrap each bottle tightly with cling wrap (in case of breakage, the glass will stay together).

Then wrap a protective binding of bubble wrap or the non-slip carpet rubber around each bottle.

Then seal each bottle in a Ziplock or Snaplock bag that is large enough to completely encase the bottle. Roll the excess bag around the bottle and wrap in tissue. Each bottle now has an adequate layer of shock absorption.

Now for your suitcase -- be sure to take along a suitcase that has some form of hard walls, not a duffel bag type.

Use your clothing to pad out the bottles. If in doubt (and I take no chances) I seal my clothing, in Snaplock bags, too. Just in case there is some breakage. Be sure to pack your suitcase tightly to keep the bottles from shifting when they are being tossed onto airport conveyor belts.

By the way, jot down the names of the wines and their volumes as you pack. Keep this paper handy for when you go through customs.

It will also come in handy for when you must make a claim because a security baggage handler at the
San Francisco airport has helped him or herself to one of your expensive bottles of wine.
This just happened to me, but because I have my notes and descriptions, I knew exactly what had been taken. The dirty rats!

Remember, too, the strict baggage weight allowance -- that $20 bottle of wine may not be worth a $60 overweight charge.

And don't even try to bring any wine in your hand luggage -- you'll be leaving it behind in the security clearance area.

Sheree

See more of my travel tips at http://blog.picajet.com

As a frequent traveler to the West Coast, I bring back wine all the time - after many trips with the methods described above - i.e., suitcase, bubble wrap, etc., I finally bought a six pack egg crate wine shipper box and pack six bottles in that. The box then goes in a hard side nylon suitcase and I check it on the plane. Some airlines are nasty about taking it - United opened the suitcase when I told them it was wine and wanted to ensure it was packed correctly. JetBlue is always accomodating. Believe me, the $20 investment in the box was worth it - I have used it over and over again the past year!

Just enjoy the wine while there. All the fliting around packing, wrapping, securing, declaring, etc. isn't really worth it. Go back more often for longer stays!!!!

We brought home 3 bottles on Air France in Sept. from a shop in Amboise. The shop owner boxed them and we put the box in our large soft-side suitcase surrounded by our dirty laundry. All three bottles made it home safely.

All of these are great suggestions. I always pack bubble wrap when traveling to Europe or anywhere for delicates. I own the BYOB bottles as well. But the one thing I do that isn't mentioned is this: Go to a store that sells "Lock & Lock" containers (like Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and such) and buy the larger one that is long enough to accomodate 2 or 3 bottles of wine. (most likely 2 at best). Wrap your wine in bubble and/or the neoprene then place in side the lock and locks and snap the lid on. This gives a hard shell outer layer and will protect the bottle much better.

I used this method when I moved from Seattle to Atlanta as well, packing delicate dusties (what I call knick knacks) in plastic containers once they were wrapped in bubble wrap. It was brilliant and I didn't lose one item in the move.

I disagree with the suggestions about surrounding with clothes, etc. This is fine if you are bringing back a bottle or two, but just isn't practical for anything more. Since you are planning to bring back wine, then you should really plan to bring back wine and do it properly.

I've seen the wine suitcases and personally think they are kind of expensive for what you get. And remember that the interiors on some are just styrofoam and will degrade pretty quickly. I suggest just improvising your own. Buy a good collapsible luggage cart and bring it with you. Then, just buy wine shipping boxes as needed - I usually have good luck just buying them from the wineries themselves. Pack up the boxes, write your name on the outside (bring a Sharpie) and I check them as luggage. A full case will come in just under the typical 50 lb weight limit.

I have used the above method multiple times and is about the only one I would completely trust - there is a reason that wineries use these same boxes for shipping.

As noted by others, it is not worth buying anything that is widely available. Stick with the smaller producers or limited production wines.

Enjoy.

Forgot to add that like others that have posted, we always declare our extra wine and have never been charged a duty as it literally is only about 25 cents per bottle and the customs agent never wants to deal with a few bucks. We have brought 9 bottles back, I think that was the most. The time we bought two cases at a vineyard in Italy, we had it shipped back to us and we did pay the duty automatically.

Twice I have been at the luggage carousel when out came suitcases soaked in wine.

I always pack at least one pair of boots, usually more actually. So I put the bottle in a plastic bag then a knee high sock and then in a boot packed in between clothes. Never had a breakage problem.

Be careful about putting wine in boxes and checking them as checked luggage as well as packing them in your suitcase. If one bottle happens to break and seep through the box or luggage, they will delay your flight, put on those radio active suits and hold everything up until they discover that it's just wine. Then they will confiscate the rest of your wine! Good luck!

laartista, I'm going to try your method.

I always travel with bubble wrap, because it seems that everything I want to bring back to the States is breakable. I watched a merchant wrap a layer of paper around the bottle first, then tape on bubble wrap. I've used this method for years with great success. Sometime a slip a sock over the item for extra cushion, because we have soft-sided luggage.

esm- yeah I brought back 1/2 dozen bottles of wine and liquor from a festival in Budapest and my friend did as well we both used that methos and it worked well. The boot acts like a tight sheath around the bottle, plus keeps your boots from getting all smushed.

laartista, it seems I need to go shopping for another pair of boots now that I have a good cause!

LOL. a girl NEVER needs a reason for new boots

Cut a large, empty plastic mineral water bottle in half and set aside. Save the cap! Wrap the wine bottle in bubble wrap and put it inside the water bottle. Secure the two halves of the water bottle with wide plastic tape and replace the water bottle cap. I have transported wine, olive oil, tartuffata, and vinegar for years in this well-insulated container with narry a spill.

This past September I came back from Zurich with 4 bottles of wine. I'd gone to The Container store before I left for Switzerland and bought these wine bottle holders that hold 2 bottles each. When I packed to come back to the states, I did use my footie socks (2 on each bottle)to help with cushioning. All 4 bottles made it back ok! But this was my first time doing it, so maybe I got lucky.

>>I've seen the wine suitcases and personally think they are kind of expensive for what you get. And remember that the interiors on some are just styrofoam and will degrade pretty quickly. <<

$100-150 for proper wine luggage is hardly a large expense for those who buy wines to cellar that are unavailable in the US. It also is much cheaper than having a bottle break ruining one's clothing and belongings.

And no, they are not lined in styrofoam. At least my pieces are not.

On our last visit to Spain we went to Jerez de la Frontera and toured a Sherry bodega. We managed to get three bottles of Sherry and two glasses home without incident. We just wrapped them in clothing and spaced them in a wheeled, rather sturdy duffle bag we bought in Spain, because we ran out of room for all our purchases there. Thankfully nothing broke (not even the fragile stemmed glasses). Perhaps Bacchus was watching over us!

I always travel with a few packages of "swimmies" little kids use in the pool. They take up virtually no space when flat, but are the perfect size to fit around a wine bottle. I put it around the bottle first,then inflate it. Than I wrap it in a plastic bag and snuggle it in the dirty clothes. I brought back 6 bottles from New zealand this way in November with no problem.

On this last trip I bought one bottle and put it in a small cardboard box (not even padded - just something that would help prevent clinking). I just stuffed it in with all my other souvenirs (I bought a "dedicated" suitcase just for souvenirs) and it was fine.

"$100-150 for proper wine luggage is hardly a large expense for those who buy wines to cellar that are unavailable in the US. It also is much cheaper than having a bottle break ruining one's clothing and belongings."

I agree on this point, but I just disagree that wine luggage is the way to achieve it. I pay maybe $10 for a wine shipper and often get it for free. This seems like a better investment for me than a fixed-quantity shipper.

Jennifer, Make sure you do a little research on this one. When my husband and I went to a distillery in Scotland they would not ship their products to the US or Canada. Why? Because they very often get 'lost' in the shipment and then people ask for a credit on their credit card when it does not arrive. You don't get what you want, the merchant is out their product and their money, and someone somewhere is enjoying free whiskey. We ended up buying two bottles and just packing it carefully in our luggge in between the clothes. It arrived just fine. Also the person who suggested carrying it on with you won't work necessarily. I don't know where you live, but if it is the states they still do not allow you to take liquids on. I would hate to see that great wine confiscated at the gate! I liked the idea of packing the bottles in a cardboard tube. Perhaps you could find a few of those before you leave and put them in your suitcase. You could always fill them with underwear or other things that won't really matter if they are wrinkled. I know how valuable space is when packing. At any rate at last effort you still may find merchants who will ship it to your home - but just remember the risk. Have a great trip!

Pack a neoprine wine holder, some bubble wrap and some two-gallon zipper bags in your luggage when you leave home. Bubble wrap takes up some space, but that just ensures that you pack lightly. Wrap the bottles, use the zipper bags for the worst case of broken bottles and put the bottles in the center of your checked bag. This has worked well for me.

If it's just a few bottles, put them in a plastic bag, and roll them in your dirty clothes in your suitcase/checked-luggage.

Thanks everyone! Surely, I can make it home with a few bottles of good wine with all of your suggestions. Jennifer

Like most contributers, I pack mine in with the dirty laundry. I do place the bottle in a sealed plastic bag (just in case of breakage), but so far, no broken bottles. And lots of tasty memories.

Yesterday I was going through a pile of stuff that had accumulated next to my computer and found a printout I had done last summer about this subject.

"There's only one way to transport wine--WineSkin." This was in an article on SmarterTravel.com. Apparently it's a double seal. A 5 pack costs $9.95 + S&H. Here's the website: http://ftscontent.com/retail.html

I bought the "wine skins"--they are not meant to be reusable but they do work well and you could rig to reuse as an alternative to carrying bubble wrap as they pack flat and take up less space. The seal needs to be cut to open which renders them un-re-useable on their own in plain luggage but a fine buffer for packing in wine luggage or such.

mark

Those wine skins look like a great way to bring our wine back home. I wonder if I could find those in any retail or liquor store? Thanks for the tip! Jennifer