checking in wine bottles
 

I'll be in Auckland next weekend and want to pick up some NZ wine to bring back with me (it's hard to find in the US). Paying duty isn't a concern, because it won't really be very expensive, but I am more concerned with how to pack them.

Is it acceptable to check in a case of wine bottles?

They have special boxes for bring home wine. I don't think you want to just buy a case and check it in just like that. Everytime we come back from Napa, we get a special box from a winery (they all have them) which has styroform insert and they have 3/6/9/12 bottle boxes. We usually get the 12 bottle version, a piece of styroform goes in first and there are 3 cutouts for wine bottles, then the next inserts goes in and so on, then we tape it up and check it as luggage.

[This message has been edited by gw14 (edited 07-01-2002).]

We just brought home about 12 bottles of wine from New Zealand as well. The wine shop sold us boxes (3-bottles each) and we put those inside our carry-ons. Wine is heavy - so do be sure you haven't overloaded your carry-ons. I can't imagine being able to bring a 12-bottle box as a carry-on - wouldn't it be too heavy and large for the overhead? Also, duty is not the only issue. You might do a search to see how much wine your state allows you to bring in.

My trick is to take one of those styrofoam boxes, put it inside another cardboard box, and take it to a mailing service to ship home.. I always label it "pottery" and "fragile" to avoid any of the legal hassles of shipping wine into some of the US States - my backward NC amongst them..

I've done this many times and never had a problem with breakage or spoilage..

I've not brought back full size bottles, but brought back several smaller (1/4?) sized from Croatia. Slid them up into (clean) socks for protection and kept them in my carry-on.

JP

I'm with j379pa -- cardboard takes up too much room in my luggage. I've done fine packing wine bottles wrapped in my dirty clothes inside the hotel's plastic laundry bag, and I travel only with soft-sided luggage. Pack it in the center of your bag, and even the most determined ramper is not likely to damage it.

das,

We were there a few months ago and brought back 2 cases as checked baggage. We were travelling on CX and had no problems. You shouldn't have a problem on any airline as long as you pay attention to their baggage policies. Note that the baggage rules to/from the US are more liberal than to other destinations from NZ. We're going back next year and will only take 1 suitcase so we can bring back 3 cases as baggage. This was the first time we had brought back wine from an international destination, but we have checked cases of wine as luggage on domestic flights on several occasions without problem (as long as they are properly packaged).

Once you get to AKL, check the yellow pages in the phone book for a air freight company by the name of TNT. They will sell you 12 bottle wine shippers for about $10US each. They will also ship the wine for about $85US per case, which is too high for me, but cheaper than some AKL wine stores (especally in the downtown area).

Personally, I felt like I was committing robbery at times buying NZ wine with $US. You can buy some very nice stuff for $12-15US. Just last night, we had a great Coopers Creek Swamp Reserve Chard that we bought for about $13US. When we were there last time we only visited the North Island and didn't make it to Marlborough (on our itinerary for next year). However, we were suprised at the quality of the non-SB varietals. The Chards were surprisingly nice and the top Merlots were as good as most in the US. Additionally, they are making some interesting Syrahs in the Rhone style (and some similar to the Australian shirazs). Other interesting reds include Bourdeaux style blends with a predominance of Merlot rather than CabS and Rhone style blends.

If you have any questions, just ask. Note that most of the wineries on Waiheke Island (near AKL) are small and only open during the local summer.

Unless you are bringing back cases, customs probably wont say much or ask you to pay a duty. I carry them as my second carry-on in a 3-bottle box, and never have had a question. One asked how much I had and just waved me on.

Please don't put wine bottles in checked luggage. I arrived at LAX recently and there was a dark gooey substance all over my hardside checked bag when it came off the bagbelt. I wiped it off with a paper towel and sniffed the towel to try to figure out what it was. Booze! Some poor fool had packed Tia Maria or similar in their bag, it broke, and ran everywhere. I'm sure THEIR clothing was ruined. Fortunately my Atlantic "travel vault" didn't leak and my possessions were none the worse for wear. A friend told me she once packed a bottle of champagne in her checked bag and it broke, ruining all the clothes she was taking to Las Vegas... If you buy wine, please hand carry it!

uline.com has sone very good boxes for shipping wine, from one to six bottles at a time. Do a search on wine and they will come up. The problem is you would have to bring the empty box and the insert with you (probably as checked baggage) to fill up with wine. But there is a chance the wine shops you are visiting will have something similiar they can sell you.

I fully understand what you are doing, there is a cardonnay we love that you can't get in the US from Australia, we always bring some back when we go to the UK, where it is available.

I bring an extra hardsided Samsonite for wine. Towels, dirty clothes & bubble wrap on the outside. I use the paper mache dividers from burgandy bottles for separators. Holds 9 on a side. Make sure the handle will survive the weight of 18 bottles. I wrap a belt strap around the suitcase.

I have never paid a duty, and I always declare the wine. Keep receipts anyway, as the law taxes the value as well as the alcohol for over the max, which is a bottle or two.

State's rights are also an issue, and it is illegal to bring wine into some states. The Customs agents are required to enforce these state laws.

As a professional bag thrower, I have seen many a broken bottle. But I have NEVER seen a bottle broken when packed in the type of special wine containers described above.

When a fellow traveler's luggage is contaminated, it is invariably from someone who threw a bottle in clueless about what happens to checked bags.

Just to add some "other" thoughts.

Australian and New Zealand wines are coming to the US in droves. If not in your neighborhood try the internet. 3 years ago, I had a case of Jacob Creek (Australian) sent to me from NY. Now it is available in most stores here in Los Angeles area.

Secondly, ALMOST NO ONE (dinner houses excluded) charges more for their wines that the winery. If you do not believe this then you just are not well informed. It seems backwards, but that is the way it is. A grocery store, liquor chain or importer buy 1000 cases, you buy one...go figure. Jacob Creek wine A$12 in Australia, A$8 at Coles in Western Australia!!!, Albertsons in Downey $6.99 us. Figure in the special packaging and I have lost money and "killed" myself carring it. I paid $98 us from NY for a case, including the special box for the Cab, which I still cannot find here.

We also buy a lot of San Ynez wines. The winery price is generally almost double the sale price at the grocery store. Even cheaper big time, at the local liquor store in the area of the winery.

Breaking the law does not make since in importing wines, a silly to commit a federal offense! The chances of getting caught are increasing with the extra security.

One bottle breaking can ruin a lifetime of "importing".

The last time we brought back a bottle on UA, it, along with some perfume, was stolen by baggage. We have sent letters, phoned 1k filled out the claim sheet and still have nothing to show for our loss. What are you to do if your case of wine does not show up?? Do you think you will be compensated?

Might consider doing a web search for wine vendors. My "wino" in NY is Pops.

ranles brings up some interesting points. That's why we only:

a) carry-on our wine
b) bring home what we know California will allow us to keep (some 12-24 cases a person)
d) do our homework
c) only buy wines that are either not available in the US (a lot of boutique wines are not exported) or are considerably cheaper abroad. We will not hassle with brining in wine that saves us $2 a bottle. If we're going to lug wine home they're going to be at least $50 bottles that we've saved a minimum of 25 percent on over the price at home.

[This message has been edited by letiole (edited 07-04-2002).]

I agree. It's not worth the aggrivation to lug something home and then find it at the grocery store for the same price (or less). For me part of it is the fun of finding overlooked wineries and then sharing the grape with friends.