transporting alcohol
 

I am going to Italy for my honeymoon and wanted to bring a bottle of champagne that I received as a gift for my first night there.

My question is, are we allowed to transport alcohol and if so up to how much?
We would also like to take some wine home to(USA)...any restrictions with that as well. Thanks in advance!

If you are coming into the EU (which includes Italy) from the US, you can bring up to the following without paying duty:

• 1 litre of spirits over 22% volume or
• 2 litres of fortified wine or sparkling wine
• 2 litres of still wine

Take a look at http://www.europa.eu.int/abc/travel/shop/index_en.htm

When returning to the US, you are allowed to bring US$800 per person of items in ($1600 per couple) This includes one liter (33.8 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages 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.

Take a look at the guide put together by the US Customs Services at customs.ustreas.gov/travel.

<<This includes one liter (33.8 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages 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.>>

While this may be the letter of the law, the practical experience of hundreds of travelers, here on this forum, report quite different &quot;allowance(s)&quot; for bringing in wine. In five years on this forum (and over 19 years traveling to/from Europe, as an adult), I have never heard of ANY restrictions of alcohol importation by <i><b>federal</b></i> (U.S.) officials. If you can carry it, or lug it on the carts provided, they just don't seem to care, even when you try to bring it to their attention.

The &quot;legendary&quot; problems have to do with the <i><b>state</b></i> officials of the Alcoholic Beverages Commission (every state has one, and at least in theory, you are under their jurisdiction for each and every state you &quot;enter&quot;). I don't know how much these are &quot;urban myths&quot; (nor which states), but stories of confiscating entire cases of wine have been perpetuated, over time.

So, it might be worth your mentioning what states you will be &quot;entering&quot;. I have entered at least a half dozen or more (NY, NJ, PA, MI, GA, KY, OH, IN), and never encountered as much as the collection of duty on 10, 20 bottles of wine or more.

I think you can do whatever you like.

In any event, congratulations on your new life in marriage... and...

Best wishes,

Rex

Thank you for everyone for your responses...very helpful information. I am flying in and out of NY...so I guess I don't have much to worry about.
Thanks again!

Perhaps things have changed, but last April carrying or checking champagne was not allowed--only &quot;still&quot; wine. This was out of Boston...

Rex, Delaware is &quot;one of THOSE states&quot;.