For you, traveling with wine is a lifestyle and not just another vacation
We might be crazy, pushing another wine suitcase, but we feel this product has value, particularly to the serious wine loving crowd like you, the one who might be traveling with a single bottle of tremendous value, or a case of it.
While not collapsible like The Wine Check, VGV has the feature of a modular design that can be configured to carry from 2-12 bottles, and/or clothes. Simply remove some of the pre-formed foam inserts and it becomes multi-use luggage. (There are also magnum foam inserts available.) It’s extremely easy to move about with 4 (removable) spinner wheels, even when hopping trains in Europe or NY.
The Wine Check is selling VinGarde Valise for $269.99 (plus a special rate for ITB of $50 off - must prove you are ITB for this price) Note that VGV weighs ~12.5 lbs when considering weight of bottles and weight limits
Call or email to order today, as it’s not yet on our website…
I love this case. Had version 1 and upgraded to version 2. For an old guy like me, a 4 wheel spinner is much easier to manage. As far as fully loaded weight goes, I have never exceeded 50 lbs. on any of the dozen trips I have taken with it.
A great addition to your line Shawanda. Something for every one and every use.
Thanks for the feedback, Michael. We feel the same way. The Wine Check is a fabulous alternative to shipping for tourists. But we know there are folks who travel frequently with wine and need something more. Happy wine travels…
The original was offered at that price. The new one is a little more, but lots of improvements. A value either way.
From the owner:
"The suitcase has the following improvements: 1. Hard case is changed from ABS (a type of plastic) with a polycarbonate film to a 2.4mm thick 100% polycarbonate case which is more than three times stronger than the case we began with. 2. We are introducing removable wheels which the customer can remove prior to turning over the luggage to the airlines and then reattach when reclaiming the baggage from the luggage carousel. Both of these changes were instituted to decrease damage to the suitcase and mitigate as much as possible broken wheels which are endemic to all luggage handled by the airlines. We now offer and will continue to offer replacement wheels for $12usd, plus shipping. 3. With the fifth container we will be replacing the current outside strap which is sewn into the inside frame of the suitcase with a removable strap which the customer can remove when winery-hopping rather than have to unstrap it every time the case is opened to add new bottles. The strap can be replaced. The reason for this change is that some baggage handlers have grabbed anything they can when moving the baggage and have ripped off the outside straps. While they can still rip off the straps, at least they can be replaced for a modest sum. 4. As part of the move to 100% polycarbonate, we are increasing the depth of both sides of the suitcase by 1.5cm. This will facilitate the packing of more larger bottles, e.g., syrah, pinot noir and chardonnay. It will allow for more “head space” when packing the suitcase. "
Sam, I’m not Michael (though my middle name is Michael) but even I use both for various needs. I have one of the version 1.0 VinGarde Valise cases, so I’m missing out on the improvements listed above (and I was one who strongly encouraged the company founder to include two of those listed above, namely the increased depth) but I still find it quite useful when I can ONLY travel with one bag. Essentially, I use it when I travel with 3-6 bottles of wine, and remove the inserts from what’s leftover to pack clothes and toiletries. My experience is that you cannot pack 12 bottles and stay under the weight limit of 50 lb, as the bag weighs 12.5 lb and a case of wine is normally 40-45 lb, but apparently if you pack 12 bottles of white Bordeaux, you might be able to, I guess.
I travel far more with The Wine Check than I do VinGarde Valise (because I like to travel with a full case, of course!), and each has its advantages: The Wine Check can always, no matter what, hold 12 bottles and stay under the weight limit, and it’s foldable so I can take one without a shipper inside my suitcase, then get a shipper when I arrive at my destination and check it on the way back. VinGarde Valise is easier to roll, with 4 wheels on the bottom, and is more flexible in terms of packing a combination of wine and other items that are NOT bottle shaped since the inserts are removable.
[disclaimer for those who don’t know, I am Shawnda’s partner in The Wine Check, so take my experience with a grain of salt ]
Just thought I would throw in my experience with both items. I use my wine checks when I want to move multiple cases or transport a good amount of bottles with me, like a large family gathering where I’m bringing at least a case or two of wine. For VGV, Todd just illistrated one of its amazing uses:
…but I still find it quite useful when I can ONLY travel with one bag. Essentially, I use it when I travel with 3-6 bottles of wine, and remove the inserts from what’s leftover to pack clothes and toiletries.
It totally depends on the occassion, but a couple of weeks ago, it was my only suitcase and packed 4 bottles and 1 Mag on one side, and my clothes on the other side (it was a 3 day golf trip). I also actually use the wine glass insert when my wife and I travel as I very rarely get a decent wine glass in the hotels in which we stay and I’d much rather bring my own bottles than have to risk buying something to drink that is either not what I’m looking or overpriced, or both.
Late to the party I see but I agree with the use cases that everyone has provided. However, I have not yet had the weight problem experience by Todd. That is probably because most of the bottles I transport are fairly standard in size and weight. I have traveled with 2 Champagne bottles and two rather heavy syrah bottles along with 8 more standard bottles with no problems.
I would change inserts if I were using extra large format 750s like the old HSS bottles which of course would reduce the number of bottles of wine I can carry.
It is really a use case thing and for me mostly an “I’m an old man and I need 4 wheels on my case” thing. The case will get tested for weight when we return from Mendoza later this year.
I need to expand on my previous comment by saying I might have been lucky not to exceed the weight limit. Todd raised a good question so I weighed a random sample of my bottles.
My heaviest Champagne bottle weighs 4 lbs. They all weigh between 3.75 lbs and 4.0 lbs (maybe I’m not drinking the good stuff). The heaviest Rhone bottle (Les Quartz) weighs 3.75 lbs. My other bottles of this shape weight between 3.5 lbs and 3.75 lbs. Based on a sampling of New World and Old World bottles, the rest weigh between 2.75 lbs. and 3 lbs.
If I carried 2 of my heaviest Champagne bottles, 2 of my heaviest Rhone bottles, and 8 of my lightest (2.75 lbs.) standard bottles, my bag would weigh an even 50 lbs. If I carried any of my heavier Old World/New World bottles I would be overweight as much as 2 lbs. I guess I have been lucky because I rarely carry 2 of my heaviest Champagne or Rhone style bottles. That would be pretty random.
But I have learned a valuable lesson from this exercise. Always carry a neoprene single bottle carrier should I have to pull one from my case and put it in my other checked luggage.
On Delta, we are now allowed 32 kg. per bag for 2 bags (approx. 70.5 lbs.). In coach, the overweight charge is $75 for a bag weighing between 51 - 70 lbs. so you have a little fudge factor of 1 lb. before overweight charges occur.
I wouldn’t go broke over a $75 charge if I had to pay it. With Wine Check that isn’t a problem. There is a place for both cases in the market. Since I have gotten older and had to replace a few joints, the spinner is much easier for me to handle. It just gets down to personal choice. The good news is that Todd and Shawnda offer both options to suit whatever your needs might be.
That happened to me too SLim when we went to Burgundy. Later this year, it will be South Africa and Mendoza. I will be taking two of the VinGardeValise cases on that trip.
]