Amount of wine allowed from Italy?
Jan 25th, 2005, 11:40 AM
#21
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,500
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Budman,
Our of curiousity, how much was the duty on your champagne?
We'll be in Germany in 2.5 weeks and plan to bring home basically a suitcase of wine
I plan to do as suggested and just write
"gifts (wine, wood ornaments, nutcracker)"
on my customs form but if asked how much wine (and we'd fess up of course), I'm curious as to how duty is calculated.
Our of curiousity, how much was the duty on your champagne?
We'll be in Germany in 2.5 weeks and plan to bring home basically a suitcase of wine
I plan to do as suggested and just write
"gifts (wine, wood ornaments, nutcracker)"
on my customs form but if asked how much wine (and we'd fess up of course), I'm curious as to how duty is calculated.
Jan 25th, 2005, 12:06 PM
#22
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TexasAggie, if it's under $800, you don't have to write or itimize anything on your customs form. Only if you purchase more than $800.
It was long ago, but I believe it was in the neighborhood of $5 a bottle -- still wines are not a lot. Unless you are bringing cases back, I don't believe they will even bother.
It was long ago, but I believe it was in the neighborhood of $5 a bottle -- still wines are not a lot. Unless you are bringing cases back, I don't believe they will even bother.
Jan 25th, 2005, 12:14 PM
#23
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<<Do they limit the amount of wine>>
They key here is - - who is the "they". It's only in a limited sense that they "they" is the US. (federal) Dept. of Customs - - and although it is true you are limited to one liter duty-free there seems to be no limit if you do pay the duty, and the practical side of this is that the customs officials are not interested in whether you list or not, nor do they seem interested in collecting it whether they know you have it or not.
The real "they" is the Alcoholic Beverage Commisssion of the state you arrive in (and you might arrive in one, and ultimately go home to a different state, passing through more than one jurisdiction. Every state has an ABC, and there are urban legends of their confiscating every last drop (but the details seem to be fuzzy on which states did that).
And these laws are theoretically just as applicable to your "importing" ANY alcoholic beverages, even in your car from outside the state, to inside.
Practically speaking, a case or two, or several, seems to be no problem whatsoever. You're more apt to encounter hassles from your airline on the bulk of your packed baggage than from a governmental entity - - though some states might be the exception.
I've brought back a case or two at least a dozen times.
Best wishes,
Rex
They key here is - - who is the "they". It's only in a limited sense that they "they" is the US. (federal) Dept. of Customs - - and although it is true you are limited to one liter duty-free there seems to be no limit if you do pay the duty, and the practical side of this is that the customs officials are not interested in whether you list or not, nor do they seem interested in collecting it whether they know you have it or not.
The real "they" is the Alcoholic Beverage Commisssion of the state you arrive in (and you might arrive in one, and ultimately go home to a different state, passing through more than one jurisdiction. Every state has an ABC, and there are urban legends of their confiscating every last drop (but the details seem to be fuzzy on which states did that).
And these laws are theoretically just as applicable to your "importing" ANY alcoholic beverages, even in your car from outside the state, to inside.
Practically speaking, a case or two, or several, seems to be no problem whatsoever. You're more apt to encounter hassles from your airline on the bulk of your packed baggage than from a governmental entity - - though some states might be the exception.
I've brought back a case or two at least a dozen times.
Best wishes,
Rex
