With the current restrictions on bringing bottles of wine and alcohol on planes what are everyones' experiences of shipping wines back to the US from Europe? I worry about once I leave the store that I will never see either my wine or money again when I get back home.

Some people have put the wine in their checked luggage with no problems. Be aware that if you purchase wine in the duty free stores in Europe airports--after security--and fly to the United States, if you need to reconnect in the United States for a flight, you will need to go through security again and will loose your wine.

Perhaps you could purchase the wine you are looking for on the Internet? It would be a lot easier.

What is said about connecting flights in the US is important.
Wine can't be easily imported to the US in many states, so you need to find out about that.
The only really reliable way to bring it is in your checked baggage--heavy, and rarely worth it.

we just shipped a case of brunello from Montalcino. it was $135 to ship it and it arrived in less than a week.. well packaged.

there was a document included that said that the wine was for research purposes only.. i think that is how they get around the laws.

We had a case of Brunello sent home from Montalcino - it arrived within 10 days fully intact. We have one bottle left - I guess it's time to return to Tuscany!

"--heavy, and rarely worth it"

Obviously not a Oenophile!

Yes, I think that it's definitely worth it. It's too hard to find the same wines here in the States for the same prices. As far as checking them in checked luggage, I also worry about some baggage handler throwing my luggage across the room and breaking the bottles ruining everything in my suitcase at the same time.

Where do you live? I live outside of Boston, and most of the time we made a local wine discovery in Europe, we found the wine at one or more local wine shops here--and no shipping charge; who knew?
Jess

I just brought two bottles back in my checked luggage. One was bubble wrapped...the other came in a box and I lined the box with some socks for extra measure. They made it home in one piece. I know others that ship wine home but I have heard some never arrive or they arrive broken. Can't speak from experience on that.

We have packed 2-3 wine bottles per suitcase several times without any problem. Our last trip we packed 3 olive oil bottles too. We just wrap the bottles in clothes and put them in the middle of our suitcase.

ACtually, Zeus, we love wine, and I stand by what I said. Bring it back WITH you. We can't ship to our state. Bring back what you can "stand". Take a box with the inserts, whatever. BUT know your state's laws--or it won't arrive--without a lot of hassle.
And by the time you have paid the shipping, maybe, maybe not can get the same in the US. Yes, I have regretted not bringing back some--but by and large, it is available. Calculate it by the bottle and see.
We have never had any problem in checked luggage, and up until recently have taken it in the cabin with us. No more because we have to change.

smp-funny story about this topic if you check out 'Day 13' of my trip report from Summer 2005. Our wine eventually arrived intact, somehow, despite what the packaging looked like when it got here! If you can pack it in checked luggage and avoid the hassle and high cost of shipping, go for it! Not sure if I'll put the link correctly, but I think you can search Tra6 and find my 'Italy Trip Report'. Have a wonderful trip!

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2

I just came back and brought a case of wine in with my checked baggage. they have special styrofoam boxes just for that purpose -- the same ones they ship the wine back.

In Northern Italy, some of the shops wanted 130 Euros per case to ship it. I just brought mine on the airplane and checked it. Can't carry on board anymore.

BTW, after I picked up my bags in Newark and proceeded thru customs, the agent asked what I had in "that box." I told her a case of wine, and she just waived me thru.

Thanks everyone.

Sounds like there will be lots of wine in my checked luggage. Shipping prices sound ridiculous. Could spend more on postage than the wine itself. Tra6, looks like a great report on your trip to Italy. I will definitely read it all before I go.

Just returned from Germany with 12 bottles of wine in checked luggage. We started with 14, but 2 broke in my suitcase. Not as bad as it sounds, one of the bottles was wrapped in hiking socks and then wrapped in clothes, so the glass was kept within the socks so just threw them away. Since all that was in my suitcase besides 8 bottles of wine was dirty clothes mostly put in for cushioning, the wine was absorbed and just threw the dirty clothes in the laundry. My suitcase was fine.