I have read several versions of how much wine one can bring home from France. I think the customes rule is that you can only bring home 2 litres. I have also aread some people have said they have brought home 12 bottles. What is the answer?
You can ship as much as you want in luggage provided you want to schlep it with you. The "kicker" is that you pay duty on everything over 2 liters.
Personally, I haven't bothered with bringing liquor home in years. I can get plenty of decent wine in the US and don't want to be bothered with the schlepping and risk that bottles will break if they are shipped in luggage (as they would have to be these days).
The only exception to the "not messing with liquor" rule is if I go to Canada by car (from DC Niagra Falls is closer than it is to NYC!!)to attend the Shaw Drama Festival in Niagara on the Lake. Then I just throw the bottles in the car. When I cross the border, I always declare the wine. They have never charged me duty, but, then the maximum I have taken in by car has been 18 bottles.
Maybe I am just not overly fussy about what wine I drink.
Posts: 282 | Location: McLean, VA | Registered: 14 August 2006
At least one of these threads pre-dates the "liquids" restrictions for carryon luggage, but they all provide some insight on 1) how much people have brought back; 2) how to pack it safely in checked luggage; 3) whether people have had to pay customs duty; and 4) why some of us want to do this!
I for one will continue to bring some wine home each time I make a trip. The wine is cheap and good, and I like the memories it brings back when I'm drinking it back at home.
bringing wines home is good for the memories. You can bring as much as you can carry but if caught might have to pay duties tax;this is small amounts nothing that takes away drinking the wine. the limits are just for carry on and free but there is always more to bring home than the limits.
Originally posted by kaydee: I for one will continue to bring some wine home each time I make a trip. The wine is cheap and good, and I like the memories it brings back when I'm drinking it back at home.
Absolutely. My advice: Bring back as much as you can safely pack in your checked baggage. Report it on your immigration forms. Pay the duty if/when asked. Then savor for a few moments at a time the memories of your vacation.
À votre santé !
Posts: 168 | Location: Connecticut, USA | Registered: 08 March 2006
I think customs agents tend to bend the limits when wine is involved. Once at Newark International Airport when asked if I had anything to declare, I hoisted (with some difficulty and muffled clinking) a bag and said, "Yes, I'm bringing the wine for the Thanksgiving dinner." - dinner for 16!
Without skipping a beat the agent 'said, "Welcome home" and "Go ahead."
How about asking a vineyard to ship a case or more to your home - has anyone done this and if so what does it add to the cost per bottle in shipping and duty?
Our experience in southern France is that the smaller producers (the ones you can't always find in the US) are not really willing or organized to ship wines internationally. We just bring what we can carry, unfortunately not in carry ons at present.
And I agree with Dave. We have never been asked by US Customs about any wine we've declared on our forms.
Posts: 469 | Location: Chicago | Registered: 25 April 2006
a few years back i try in Florida but because of old prohibition era rules still in place; the wines needed to go to a distributor and then me. Not worth the wait hassle nor price. I found if need to i could find many many wines from France in Florida. However, i worked for SOPEXA (food and wines from France there) only 13% of France wines are exported as of around year 2000 so the solution has been written best to wait come over and get a load. The duties amounted to pennies a bottle;all worth it.
Well, I do agree that drinking wine is a great way to remember your trip, but I still belong to that section of the populace who regards schlepping it back on airlines as, well, too much schlepping.
Enjoy your wine--schlepped from Europe or not!
Posts: 282 | Location: McLean, VA | Registered: 14 August 2006
Originally posted by Paolo De Paolis: How about asking a vineyard to ship a case or more to your home - has anyone done this and if so what does it add to the cost per bottle in shipping and duty?
Some US states don't allow wine to be shipped directly to the consumer. As Pedmar noted, it needs to be shipped to a distributor, so you'd have to set that up in advance.
I know I've read somewhere on the Italy forum the estimated additional cost per bottle of shipping wine, but I don't recall the amount. If I get a chance I'll search for details.
There are a few threads on shipping wine in the Italy forum and the cost of a case ranges from US$50 to 150, that's if your US state allows you to ship wine direct.
During our first trip in Italy we collected A LOT of wine along the way. By the time we arrived in Venice, out last stop, and returned our car rental, we were at the mercy of the water taxi. We lugged not only our luggage, but many bottles of wine on and off the boat. It was almost impossible to manage everything and it was truly embarrassing. We ended up having to buy extra luggage with bungee cords just to keep it all in tact. Allen swore never again as we were making our way through the Piazza San Marco at 5am on the morning of our flight back home.
Last year we traveled to Italy once more, Allen made me promise the purchasing of wine was to be kept to a minimum. I agreed, relunctantly.
As I sit here tonight writing this, I'm reminded of the last three wonderful bottles of Chianti we brought back with us and each one of them has a very special significance.
Topic Closed
