Shipping wine back to US from France
 

Friends are going to Beane and other parts of Burgundy. Any idea about a one time importers license to ship, say 300 bottles for personal use? Or the approximate cost for shipping that amount and what to expect in duty? Thanks.

I made an inquiry about a year at a local wine store (Ohio) and I was told that the Alcoholic Beverage commission makes it incredibly dificult (impossible?) even for a wine merchant to "spot" import. I am guessing that this varies greatly from state to state. <BR> <BR>And import licensing is typically from a specific supplier to a specific importer, apparently. So you cannot "collect" your 300 bottles from multiple sources, I think. I think that your best bet might be to kick around at better wine merchants in your area and they will likely know smaller independent importers from your state, and maybe, maybe there's a chance you can "represent" them. <BR> <BR>I also think that no ABC will go for the "personal use" notion. They want their state taxes paid, no matter what consumption it will ultimately have. <BR> <BR>It goes without saying that you're not going to sell it (not without a license to do so) as far as your state ABC is concerned. <BR> <BR>What kind of party IS this you intend to throw to go through THAT kind of quantity of wine? (wink)

Sharon, <BR>As Rex mentioned, contact your State's ABC and they'll give you 1000 reasons why you don't want to consider importing that amount of wine. <BR> <BR>Still not convinced, your next stops will be US. Customs and the IRS. Between those two agencies, you'll have another 10,000 reasons to forget the idea. <BR>

You can bring the wine home, you just have to pay the taxes. Contact the u.s. <BR>customs service they will tell you the <BR>procedure.

I'm sorry but I disagree, there are many states that do not allow importing wine from any other place, not even from another US state. Your state can advise you about that, Customs is another issue.

Hmm. Interesting topic. What about those of us who might require considreably less than 300 bottles but would prefer not to lug them home as luggage. Any options for having a few bottles shipped from the wineries? Opinions, experience, advice, please....

Daniel: You simply cannot ship wine home. Carry it. It's no big deal to being home a dozen bottles. <BR> <BR>I'll try to find posts I've put here on this subject before.

Rex is oversimplifying--you may be able to ship wine home, depending on where you live. But it is a huge hassle, and most often not worth it. <BR>For example, I live in Virginia. The cost of having three cases shipped, including duty and a fee to a distributor who served as token importer, was somewhere between $200 $300.

I'll weigh in on this again, as I went through this last year. I entered the US at Logan Airport (Boston): <BR> <BR>1) As far as US Customs is concerned, you only have to declare it. There is an IRS tax which they will collect (if they want to) which amounts to about $4.00/case for still red table wine. In addition, you will be dutied for anything over 1 liter (probably at 10%). <BR> <BR>2) There are also state laws regulating the importation of alcoholic beverages. You should contact your state liquor authority to get definitive information for your jurisdiction. <BR> <BR>3) It's easier to hand carry the wine in than ship it home. As others have pointed out, you encounter more bureaucracy and red tape that way. <BR> <BR>I hand-carried a case of wine from Italy last year. I found that Air France wouldn't allow the case to be checked as baggage, as they would not assume any liability for damage caused by bottles which might break en route and damage other people's luggage. <BR> <BR>A tip, which I mentioned in another post, is to travel with a strap setup which incorporates a handle. This goes around the case and makes it easier to carry. I got one from Magellan's, and it worked out great (unsolicited plug). <BR> <BR>Was it heavy? Yes. Was it a pain? Yes, especially dragging it through CDG as I changed flights. Was it worth it? Yes! Every time I drink a bottle, I close my eyes and fondly remember. Will I do it again this year? Of course!!