<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by brucemcal:
Another time, when I didn't have the state permit, the Customs Officer kept asking me if I was returning household goods. It took a couple of trys before I caught on and answered "yes", and he waved me through. Apparently there is also some sort of exception for this.</font>
This exception applies not just to alcohol, but to anything you're carrying. If you took it with you when you left the country, you can bring it back without duty and without limitation (assuming it's legal to possess at all). For example, you take a $5000 laptop that you bought in the US, but was made in Taiwan, on a trip to Taiwan, and bring it back with you. Of course there's no duty. But, had you acquired the identical laptop while in Taiwan, duty would be owed upon your return. I suppose the Customs officer was coaching you to claim that you had taken the wine with you and brought it back.