Bringing home wine?

Hello to all. I have been browsing the threads here to try and learn some good tips for my S.A. cruise in November.

A few people have mentioned shopping for wine. How do you get wine home safely with the liquid restrictions on airlines now?

Hello to all. I have been browsing the threads here to try and learn some good tips for my S.A. cruise in November.

 

A few people have mentioned shopping for wine. How do you get wine home safely with the liquid restrictions on airlines now?

The only way is to check the wine with your checked baggage. Since you can no longer carry it on board this is no longer an option. If you really want to bring some home you can get a wine shipping case probably from a winery if you buy a case, and then use it as one of your checked luggage, but realistically the best bet is to enjoy the wine while you are in South America.

jc

Thanks for the reply. I like to collect a neat looking (aka, cool label)bottle of local wine when I visit new countries. I don't drink it, though. I have left this travel tradition of mine by the wayside since the liquid restrictions on flights. Didn't really think it was possible to safely check it, but maybe I'll give it a shot with lots of bubblewrap.

The better wine stores and even some of the gift shops have bags/boxes SPECIFICALLY made to carry wine home in checked luggage. They already have the bubble wrap inside. Take it out, wrap up the bottle, put it back in the bag/box and wrap it again with your dirty laundry. Should arrive safe and sound.

Thanks for the reply. I like to collect a neat looking (aka, cool label)bottle of local wine when I visit new countries. I don't drink it, though. I have left this travel tradition of mine by the wayside since the liquid restrictions on flights. Didn't really think it was possible to safely check it, but maybe I'll give it a shot with lots of bubblewrap.

Yes, with the shipping package greatam suggested that the wineries sell it will most likely get home safely. I belong to several higher end wineries in California, and I get regular club shipments via UPS and Fedex. In the last 5 years every case or small shipment except one arrived safely. However, a couple of years ago I ordered a case of Niebaum Coppola Rubicon at about $110 a bottle and UPS broke at least one because I refused the shipment. Ouch. The winery reshipped it and I have had one bottle of that wonderful wine, the rest are waiting for someday.

Now back on topic! I have found that carrying liquids in a suitcase even when well packed is a recipe to ruin your clothes or other people's clothes. So, I always travel with a waterproof float bag. These will contain all the liquids in case the packaging fails. It happens.

jc

Can wine be shipped home?

Can wine be shipped home?

Maybe, but it will definitely destroy any savings for buying it there, and then you have the issues of importing alcoholic beverages. In other words I imagine you can, but you won't benefit from doing so.

realistically the best bet is to enjoy the wine while you are in South America.

We're on a 38-nite HAL cruise Rio-Seattle. HAL has a fabulous wine policy so we'll be bringing aboard a few cases from our SA ports. :D

I know wine preferences are personal, but do you have any specific suggestions? We're red wine drinkers & have already begun sampling Argentinean Malbecs & Chilean Carmeneres from our local wine store. And we've got 6 months till sailing & many more bottles to try. But there's no guarantee that what we find over here will easily be found over there. Many thanks for any advice.

Maybe, but it will definitely destroy any savings for buying it there, and then you have the issues of importing alcoholic beverages. In other words I imagine you can, but you won't benefit from doing so.

The better wine stores and most of the vineyards will ship wine to the USA. But as xpcdoojk pointed out, you won't save much over buying the same wine in the USA. Shipping costs are ASTRONOMICAL except using the local post office (about 30 days delivery time). And the wineries and wine stores DO NOT use the local post office.

Here is a tip one of my wine drinking business associates uses every time he goes to SA: He takes an EXTRA suitcase (like a large roll up duffel-empty). He either carries it on or tucks it into his suitcase. When he gets all his wine purchased, he puts his clothes into he duffel (most are dirty anyhow), wraps, wraps and rewraps all his wine purchases and puts them in his "good" suitcase. Since there are no bag fees for 2 suitcases on international trips, he saves the shipping.

And he VERY carefully documents all his purchases. He writes out a document noting every purchase and attaches the receipts BEFORE he gets to USA Customs. He then hands over the document with his PROPERLY FILLED OUT Customs document so they can determine the duty that he owes. He tells me that often it is only a few dollars (less than $20.00). He says he drinks some of the best wines in the world for not much more that what he pays locally in South America. Just a suggestion.