Whats the deal about sending back cases of wine?? What is the duty? Isnt it 2 bottles per person on plane? Interested in the Barolo,Barbera,Barbaresco,Vino Nobile or Fragolino.Any suggestions on where to go Florence? I guess the coop in Siena?How about the Cinque Terre wine?

I have been bringing home a dozen or more bottles for many trips now. <BR> <BR>See the post "shipping.." which I just brought back to the top. <BR> <BR>The article in Wine Spectator is a bit dated, but I believe that it is true. There is no 2 bottle limit. The limit is much more like whatever you can physically carry. There are sales tax laws - - depending on your own state, which you might be at risk for breaking. <BR> <BR>I don't think anyone has ever conducted a survey of Fodorites to see how many pay the sales tax owed on each and every bottle of wine purchased across state lines. Anyone care to make a guess what the results of such a survey would be?

I know nothing about this and am going to Italy on May 12th so I asked a freind who just returned and she said no one at customs checked to see how much wine she was transporting. Also, she said the reason they won't ship to US is because of complications with labeling. There aren't warning labels for pregnant women on the Italian wines. I don't know if this is accurate, but that's what I heard.

Just returned from Italy and there is a 2 bottle per person limit however no one checked to see what we were carrying. Don't make the mistake of one person on our plane who put the wine inside a checked piece of luggage. It broke and you could see red wine droplets and smell the stuff all over the conveyor belt. Also, an Italian woman told us that there are no preservatives in wine in Italy, which may also be the reason shipping is a problem.

<BR>go to www.peck.it the famous gourmet shop in milan. many friends of mine have had wines shipped to the usa from there, quick easy, well worth the money!!!

I came home last October dragging a case of wine, and no one at customs batted an eye! I did check with the IRS before leaving, since they levy taxes on wine, and calculating it out, the IRS tax came to about $4.00/case! Customs wasn't concerned with this in the least, however. Now, every time I open up a bottle, I have a wonderful reminder of the trip!

I don't mind lugging wine back but how do you know that you have bought a wine that is only sold in Europe and did not lug bottles around that you could get down the street from your house at a liquor store?

I suppose you have to know your local wine merchants. And you might have to endure paying $12 for a Barolo that sells for $40 back here in the US. <BR> <BR>And personally, I find a smug, elitist pleasure in enjoying and sharing wine from bottles that do NOT say "Imported by Yadda-yadda-yadda & sons, xxxville, New Jersey" <BR> <BR>My newest favorite, from the Trentino area is Teroldego Rotaliano (a varietal, or maybe it's a specific regional blend?) - - not a specific label. I have not found it in the United States anywhere.