I am not sure if this should post here or in Travel Technology, so here goes. I'm traveling to South Africa in May, and would love to bring back a case of wine. Should I invest in a wine case like this one (http://www.wineenthusiast.com/E/details.asp?Ep=An/166//A/20221&) , or should I just DHL stuff back to myself and risk breakage? Anyone else shipping wine in the post August 06 liquidless travel world? Thanks for the help!:)

Why not just pack it carefully in your suitcase and check it? I have done this many times without a single break.

$400 for 12 bottles of wine? That's $33 per bottle and if you have to fly any domestic routes with it perhaps huge excess luggage fees.

I too will be in South Africa in May spending several days in the wine country near Cape Town. I may have some shipped.

Look at http://www.ewine.co.za/shippingWorld.php?szone=6&imageField.x=32&imageField.y=8 to get a feel for shipping costs. It suggests around $303 for 12 bottles including packing and insurance.

I am sure most vineyards offer shipping. I have seen other pricing at about $13 per bottle.

Many South African wines are sold here now. We are buying several to taste so that we will know whether it is worth the effort and cost of importing. Suspect that the local US selections will grow rapidly as SA wines are growing in popularity here.

You might want to seek info in the African forum.

Is there any chance the wine will freeze while in transit?

...Many South African wines are sold here now. We are buying several to taste so that we will know whether it is worth the effort and cost of importing. Suspect that the local US selections will grow rapidly as SA wines are growing in popularity here.....There are already a lot of importers into the US of some low-volume South African wines, for example http://www.southernwines.com/

Prices have gone up a lot (but then so has the rand, though it is once again dropping which helps prices). Expect a lot of currency volatility over a year.

As for shipping wines in baggage, bubble wrap works well and is available everywhere. There are also bottle sleeves available (but no better than bubble wrap), and styrofoam inserts for suitcases. I've never had a bottle break, even with tire tracks on the suitcase indicating it was run over on the ramp.

Is there any chance the wine will freeze while in transit?

Not likely. Plane holds often carry live animals and even if not heated ought not freeze liquids. Imagine the mess if liquids in luggage would freeze.

$400 for 12 bottles of wine? That's $33 per bottle and if you have to fly any domestic routes with it perhaps huge excess luggage fees.

Assuming the OP expects to travel to other wine-producing areas, this safe could pay off. If you use it 6 times (~2 year's worth of wine-related travel for me), it's <$6 per bottle. That's not a bad deal.

When you consider that you cannot get many wines from small producers in the US, I want to get one of these safe things myself!

The only thing that would give me pause is dealing with customs. The safe would likely draw attention and they'd ask you what's in it, etc.

Thanks everyone for your tips/concerns.. I agree that the safe may tip "security" off, but it would be a handy thing to have...I think I am going to do a combination of packing some wine in luggage with styrofoam containers and egg crate padding, and also buy the smaller safe, then see what happens.
And yes, I 've been sampling lots of wines here stateside, so I am only going for wines that don't have a wide distribution network yet !

Thanks everyone for your tips/concerns.. I agree that the safe may tip "security" off, but it would be a handy thing to have...I think I am going to do a combination of packing some wine in luggage with styrofoam containers and egg crate padding, and also buy the smaller safe, then see what happens.
And yes, I 've been sampling lots of wines here stateside, so I am only going for wines that don't have a wide distribution network yet !

forget the wine safe. it's for anals that want to be special. I just went to the CA barrel tasting. 40 of the best cab wineries shipped from CA to wash dc. they used simple styrofoam supported boxes.

I buy wine from wines til sold out http://www.happyhourspro.com/store/wtso/html/store/index.htm

they ship in box with heavy cardboard separators.

I have posted this a number of times before:

get some paper mache separators from burgundy boxes.

line outside and center of a hardsided suitcase with bubble wrap. (available at salvation army for $2).

will hold up to 18 bottles in a 2 suiter. 12 bottles will weigh very close to 50 lbs. maybe a bit more. make certain the handle will not break.

get airline tape and wrap about 20 laps of tape around the suitcase.


the only way wine freezes en transit is if it sits on the tarmak in some very cold climate for a long time. the hold of plane is now heated with exhaust air from passenger compartment