Its a pretty new thing for my wife and I to get the chance to head overseas, we will be taking our 2nd trip over the summer this year (to Italy). We were trying to think of something we could bring to surprise our hosts with, and since we will likely be drinking wine with them fairly often, we were thinking something from a stateside winery we enjoy might be an interesting gift if they are hard to find in Europe/Italy.
Was wondering what people thought of this idea? We don’t want it to seem like a presumptuous gift, or a “MERCA!” type thing, but thought there might be a large proportion of fun things we could bring that they wouldn’t see on shelves or have available there.
I was just in France/Switzerland and in looking at wine stores the selection of American wine in wine stores is certainly limited compared to what we see in the U.S.
Plus prices higher, and mainly bigger brands ($60 wine for $100, e.g.).
Certainly I think a wine like something from Bedrock would be a great choice.
And mainly I say if you have the inspiration, do it!
I second doing something like a Bedrock Heritage field blend because those same vineyards were planted and had wines made by Italian immigrants in California.
Matt – American wines are rarely found in shops in Europe, so it would definitely be a novelty. Perhaps an American zinfandel (or, better yet, one labeled primitivo), sangiovese, barbera or vermentino?
I’ve also taken maple syrup, which is easier to pack. If you do that, you can offer to make pancakes.
Styro shippers can be checked if you don’t want to fork out for a suitcase. I’ve taken them over and brought them back. I also learned where you can buy them in Barolo!
In addition to American wines, consider also that desirable bourbons (not the ones readily available in duty free stores) and craft beers are hard to come by overseas.
Do research what the limits are to bring in various liquids into a particular country without incurring duties, and what the duties would be if you are allowed to exceed the limits. Oftentimes, info posted online (both from official agencies of that country versus anecdotal info from travelers) will conflict or be confusing. To be as certain as possible, don’t hesitate to print out the official policy limits from a country’s customs agency website, and be ready to show it to the customs agent upon arrival.
Every year we visit with restaurant owner friends in San Sebastian, who have an extensive wine collection, and every year we try to figure out something special that we can bring to them, to which they might not have access in Spain. We’ve brought quite a few older CA Cabernets (Heitz Martha’s '91, Dunn Howell '81 etc.) which have always been well received, but the wines that has brought the most excitement have been Keller GGs! Seems they are even harder to get there than here, and more different from other things they drink.
Not trying to argue against your plan - I’m very supportive of the idea, and of course bringing something from your own country makes the most sense. Just an interesting data point from someone who has been in the same situation a number of times.
Be aware that they receive a lot of wine bottles as gifts…consider also beers or something food related (sweet) to bring along, which can share with their staf more easily.
Great ideas. As long as it’s something of good quality, why not?
And you’re right, by bringing a case box (better still, in The Wine Check, brought to you by our founder here, the Toddfather, who deserves our support), you’ll be all set to fill a case with special and rare wines you find there and bring it home.
We don’t want it to seem like a presumptuous gift, or a “MERCA!” type thing, but thought there might be a large proportion of fun things we could bring that they wouldn’t see on shelves or have available there.
If friends came from Italy and brought you some Italian wine, would you be offended?
Most assuredly bring some American wine, and if they’re wine people, bring something more interesting than a big Cab, just to show them there’s some diversity. When I would visit people in Spain, they were interested in Zin, but also in Garnacha and other things that they never hear about from the US, given that mostly they hear about Napa.
Maple syrup is a genius idea - I never thought of it but it’s hard to beat. Whiskey and bourbon can be interesting, but some people don’t care for hard liquor and a lot of times you can find those things at duty free shops, so select carefully.
I wrap in a sweatshirt and put it in a plastic bag and pack it in the suitcase if it’s only a few bottles. Otherwise, a styro shipper is useful.
Last time I was in France I actually brought bourbon BACK! That Blantons straight from the barrel is worth the fact that it takes up some of my allowable wine transport space. the single most delicious bourbon I own. But short of Maison du Whisky in Paris, yeah bourbon is a really great idea too! thanks!
I appreciate the insight! To be fair, I’d be excited if someone gave me Keller GGs too.
[quote="GregT]If friends came from Italy and brought you some Italian wine, would you be offended?
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That’s a really good way to look at it. I guess I’m just trying really hard not to be THAT American haha. considering English is the only language I’m fluent in though (and even that is arguable), I guess its probably hard to avoid lol.
If you’re giving these to winemakers, that is true. I’ve seen all sorts of empty foreign bottles lined up on walls. But I gather Matt will be staying with friends.
I found some organic Hudson Valley syrup to take to a friend in Piemonte who works for the Slow Food Movement. It turned out her husband loves to make pancakes, so it was the perfect gift – organic, locavore and impossible to find there.
I brought some small bottles as gifts for German cousins once, too.
Agreed that Blanton’s SFTB is great juice, and it’s almost exclusively available overseas (when you find it domestically, it was transported back to the States).
There are plenty of other bourbons you don’t find in the duty free stores that are expensive to get for folks overseas. Anything that is allocated and disappears quickly from shelves (if they even get put out) in the States is going to be that much more expensive overseas.
And don’t pooh-pooh the idea of craft beers, especially for beer aficionados. While doing some research on places to dine at a tropical destination we were heading to a number of years ago, I noticed one popular restaurant had a few offerings of American craft beers on their menu. Turned out the owners were a couple who were American expats. I reached out and asked if they’d be interested in a trade for dining credit if I brought them a case of fresh Pliny the Elder, and I would have been fine with a nominal return above my cost for transporting it there. The owners responded with an offer to order whatever we wanted from the dinner menu and drinks menu for myself, my wife and our two young sons.
When we arrived, the husband literally bearhugged me, and said he’d only had PtE once while in the States and dreamed about it ever since. We asked them to bring us 4 different entrees so we could all share, and no need for apps as my sons weren’t yet old enough to consume an entire entree on their own. We were brought some apps anyways. The owners offered some of the Plinys to us. We declined saying we’d rather they share with their staff or fave local customers, as we were more than content with a couple of cocktails and had easy access to Pliny at home. Of course, our sons got some great desserts to end the meal. Definitely one of the highlight moments of our trip.
I really like the suggestion of Bourbon - There are plenty of Italians with a taste for whisky, so this might have the chance of really hitting the mark.
Ditto craft beers, as the Italian brewing scene has become massively more vibrant, and they seem to have an open mind considering what I taste from there.
Wine runs a bit more risk of hitting Italian cultural pride, that foreign stuff can’t possibly be good as our own, and this attitude can easily run to ‘foreign’ being the adjacent region or even town!
I wouldn’t over think it. Bring anything you would give to a good friend here. I am in England for a few weeks and brought 4 bottles for friends. A Dirty and Rowdy Mourvèdre, a Princess and peasant Pinot, aFine Disregard Grenache, and an Under the Wire sparkling. These are fun and interesting bottles that won’t be found easily but are approachable and not too geeky.
