I need the lowdown on the best way to bring wine back on the plane. I plan to take some bubble wrap and a soft-sided bag in my luggage for this express purpose. We are flying AF. How easy/hard is it to sneak it on and how much have you been able to get away with? Thanks for the skinny!

You don't have to sneak. I brought some wine home from Italy in my carry-on with no problem. Usually the amount you have room to carry is under the limits of most laws. You can always check with your local ABC to determine the exact amount but I doubt if it is a problem. The wine shops in the airports can tell you local laws.

I have brought a dozen bottles home at a time for numerous trips to Europe.

As for how to pack, I have used a roll-aboard as a "case" - - packing it, in turn inside a (LARGE) empty duffel bag with clothes packed all around the roll-aboard, inside the duffel (think like a yolk, inside the white of an egg),

As suggested above, you don't need to sneak it; in fact, the US government doesn't particularly care. I have declared it (staying under the $400 limit per person) and have never been asked to pay duty.

But it is your STATE alcoholic beverage commission (and/or the state you arrive in) which COULD confiscate anything above one bottle.

Tell us what state - - perhaps someone else here can tell if they have heard any such horror stories.

Best wishes,

Rex

How about California? Will they take my vino? Oh no. How many can I bring in?

From http://www.abc.ca.gov/permits/importing.html

Returning from a Foreign Country

Alcoholic beverages must accompany the returning traveler and may not be shipped to California at a later date.

Travel by Steamship or Airplane

Adults traveling into California from a foreign country by steamship or airplane may bring with them a reasonable amount of alcoholic beverages for personal or household use. A reasonable amount is not more than 60 liters (approximately five cases).

Thanks Rex.

I live in North Carolina. Wow; five cases is a lot of wine. Even if NC allows that much, I was only thinking 10-12 bottles. Thanks for the tip about the roll-aboard.

Anything beyond one liter for each person over 21 is taxable. Can you sneak in more? Not now you can't and Rex, the bill is in the mail.

The following paragraphs are verbatim from the US Bureau of Customs web site.


Alcoholic Beverages: One liter (33.8 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages may be included in your exemption if:

You are 21 years old.
It is for your own use or as a gift.
It does not violate the laws of the state in which you arrive.

Federal regulations allow you to bring back more than one liter of alcoholic beverage for personal use, but, as with extra tobacco, you will have to pay duty and Internal Revenue Service tax.

While federal regulations do not specify a limit on the amount of alcohol you may bring back for personal use, unusual quantities are liable to raise suspicions that you are importing the alcohol for other purposes, such as for resale. Customs officers are authorized by Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) make on-the-spot determinations that an importation is for commercial purposes, and may require you to obtain a permit to import the alcohol before leasing to you. If you intend to bring back a substantial quantity of alcohol for your personal use you should contact the Customs port you will be re-entering the country through, and make prior arrangements for entering the alcohol into the U.S.

Having said that, you should be aware that State laws may limit the amount of alcohol you can bring in without a license. If you arrive in a state that has limitations on the amount of alcohol you may bring in without a license, that state law will be enforced by Customs, even though it may be more restrictive then Federal regulations. We recommend that you check with the state government before you go abroad about their limitations on quantities allowed for personal importation and additional state taxes that might apply.

In brief, for both alcohol and tobacco, the quantities discussed in this booklet as being eligible for duty-free treatment may be included in your $800 (or $600 or $1,200) exemption, just as any other purchase would be. But unlike other kinds of merchandise, amounts beyond those discussed here as being duty-free are taxed, even if you have not exceeded, or even met, your personal exemption. For example, if your exemption is $800 and you bring back three liters of wine and nothing else, two of those liters will be dutiable. Federal law prohibits shipping alcoholic beverages by mail within the United States.

Would anyone know about the laws in New York? Thanks.

How about Texas? Thanks..

I used to bring about 5 cases of wine back from my Navy Mediterranean Cruises when we departed Rota, Spain for Norfolk. Most recent was in 1983 (20 years ago), and the duty on still wine was 10 cents a bottle back then. Can't be much more now.

So if you are worried about a big customs duty bill, don't. Distilled spirits is another case.

The only concern I would have would be bring it back on the plane with my carry on. Some airlines limit the weight of carry-on on overseas flights.