Definitely bring a shipper or two, they are not easy to find in Europe. You may want to make the small investment in a Wine Check (http://www.thewinecheck.com/), which is a great way to cart around a case. I haven’t tried it, but you might be able to strap a second case on top for wheeling around. There are a number of threads on the topic of bringing wine back. The short summary is that it’s not a problem at all to get it through customs (as long as it accompanies you on the plane). Some agents will know better than others, most will wave you through, a few will have you go to the declarations area, but in the end they’ll let you bring in almost any amount you have without paying any duty.
I’ve brought back a case in styrofoam shippers from overseas several times, and will be doing it again from Germany next month.
There’s usually no issue but there is a small chance of difficulty, depending upon the zealousness of the US Customs Agent you see and the regulations regarding alcohol importation into the state where you re-enter the US. If you are particularly risk averse, you might want to check those regs out.
I’m flying into Boston, and the best information I can find is:
“Any person may, but only for his own use and that of his family and guests, transport alcoholic beverages or alcohol, without any license or permit, but not exceeding in amount, at any one time, twenty gallons of malt beverages, three gallons of any other alcoholic beverage, or one gallon of alcohol, or their measured equivalent;”
1 case of wine is less than 3 gallons of alcohol. It is also more than 1 gallon of alcohol, but I interpret that to mean liquor. (I am obviously not a lawyer). I was hoping that both my wife and I could bring a case back.
I’ll take a look at the Wine Check, but this is pretty short notice; I need something by Thursday. I wish I had thought of this a few weeks ago!
Seriously, don’t worry about getting whatever wine you can bring back through customs. That won’t be a problem (I, and many others here, have done it numerous times). Your bigger problem may be what your airline will allow you to check, in terms of number of bags and weight. If you have status on the airline, shouldn’t be a problem otherwise you’ll likely have to pay. The wine is just an easier way to carry the case around, but if you can’t get that in time, just check an empty styro shipper. If you don’t end up with lots of bottles, you can always wrap them up in dirty clothes and pack them in your luggage, grab a cheap duffle bag to carry clothes that are displaced. Germany is one of the places where you can actually buy a lot of wines cheaper than you can here, but sometimes it’s just not worth the trouble for a few bucks, keep that in mind 
German wineries ship to customers in the country by mail, so I would guess that you can get good shipping boxes without a problem. (If I had to guess, the Germans would object to styrofoam on environmental grounds; I think you’ll see more cardboard.)
That’s the federal law but it also depends on the state in which you clear customs (or are headed to – I can’t remember). In a thread a few years back, someone said that it was not possible to bring wine into Texas because of the state laws. New York, New Jersey and California are not problems, I can testify.
Sorry to belabor this, but: Right. That’s my point.
The Customs Agents are supposed to enforce State Laws also. Some states, including the one that is often my entry point, by law prohibit the importation of even 12 bottles of wine.
I have yet to encounter a Customs Agent who both KNEW the law and ENFORCED the law.
I have, however, encountered an agent who told me, in Montreal’s airport (where US citizens clear customs if they are transiting through that airport), that if I were flying to his state instead of mine, he would have confiscated my entire case of Burgundy.
That experience, and the actual law in my entry point, scared me enough that I won’t bring back really expensive bottles from overseas based on the small risk of losing them!
Search the forum for transporting wine back from Europe. Lots of info. Bringing a case of wine or more is usually not a problem. Just declare it all. The customs fees on alcohol is minimal. They are more concerned with the total monetary value than the amount of alcohol.
That’s true about Styrofoam. In Germany, most cases for shipping wine are all cardboard.
I’ve got two styrofoam shippers I’m going to bring. I haven’t been able to find any concrete information on MA state laws and I searched these boards and others quite a bit. I’ve never been stopped in customs before, but I’ve also never brought in two cases of wine, either. (I’ve even walked through the ‘something to declare’ customs gate only to find there was no one there.)
I’m not concerned about the customs fees – I know those are minimal. I’m just concerned about weird Massachusetts regulations.
Well, it looks like it is technically illegal. First sentence here:
http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter138/Section2
If you want to be certain of the law, call the Mass ABC and I’m sure they will tell you the rules.
Now, I am very confident you will not have a problem, as everyone has mentioned.
I haven’t encountered a true problem, despite the fact the state where I fly into from overseas restricts personal importation of alcohol to 5 bottles of wine per person (ie, 1 gallon).
But, if it’s technically illegal, there is some (ie, NON-ZERO) risk that you encounter a jerk of a customs agent who knows the state law and chooses to enforce it. Low, but not zero.
In a thread a couple of years ago, someone said that the US Customs agents in Texas were quite strict about enforcing state law.
I’m glad to be from New York. I expect to buy on my visits but will probably not bring that much back with me - will consume, gift to friends there or entrust them with storage until my next trip back.
It seems like that would apply if I were intending to sell the wine, which I’m not. Given the wording here, on transportation for personal use, it seems like I might be in the clear:
http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter138/Section22
This article muddies the waters, though:
http://www.boston.com/cars/news/articles/2010/01/31/border_crossing_with_nh_booze_is_illegal_but_only_on_paper/
Other than the otherwise run-of-the-mill ridiculousness I’m encountering here, it is crazy that I’m perfectly willing to pay whatever I owe to avoid any potential headache and I can’t even figure out if I owe anything at all. Or if it would be within an agent’s right to confiscate my wine for the violation of some obscure law. Well, I’ll take my chances.
I’m sorry that I hijacked this thread, it was unintentional!
I think transporting is what you do when you are driving back home from Logan. Importing is what you do after you pick up the cases and while you are clearing customs.
Anyway, hopefully this is all academic - you should be fine!
Alan. Good idea to stay the night at Gut Hermannsberg! As far as sights in that part of the Nahe, I would say that there is really not anything super touristy to do in general. If your fellow travelers likes Spa treatments, Bad Kreuznach offers some really nice Spa options (massage and therapy) because of the natural springs. You could drop them off there for treatments (need to make reservations in advance though) and then you can go wine tasting in peace. Just an idea. Of course, Wiesbaden is also very good for this kind of stuff.
The real treat about being in the remote Nahe area is its simplicity and natural beauty (you will be driving by one of the largest vertical rock formations North of the Alps to get to Doennhoff, the Rotenfels).
If you play golf, I can also highly recommend playing at Golf Club Nahetal which is not even 10 minutes from Doennhoff in Bad Muenster-Ebernburg. I grew up on this course and greenfees are very fair and it is a really pretty track.
Let me know if you need anything at all. Definitely want to make sure you get all the info you need.
To reiterate what Lars said…it is my experience that German wineries do not have styro shippers. Only cardboard. Same has held true in France for me.
What I have done in one of these situations (last time visiting Vieux Telegraphe) was to rummage through cardboard boxes with Frederic Brunier and we picked out the sturdiest he had. Then wrapped each bottle in dirty clothes back at the hotel very thickly and placed the bottles in the card board box, which I then taped shut nice and tight. I did not have a single bottle of VT, Chateau Simone, Chateau Pradeaux or Pibarnon break. And I believe we flew into DFw and customs was no issue with two cases of wine…that said, this was 2007…
The best wine shop in Mosel is the Rieslinghaus Porn (I kid you not!) in Bernkastel.
Very good selection, and they ship (at least they used to).
Just beware of those cases marked Porn when they arrive…I wouldn’t want to leave them on the stairs for the neighbours to see. ![[wow.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/7/7d450e9830889c8943b674446a21b7254cad657e.gif "wow"){kind=small}
On my last trip to NYC and Central Texas, a Mosel grower packed a couple of bottles for me in a Styrofoam case. They’re just less common for shipping in Germany. I rarely carry wine in my suitcase, but most growers as well as visitors to wine country do have several bottles in their luggage. I’ve also checked in a six-bottle cardboard case, which a grower fitted with a rope handle.
Steffen, I’m glad your Vieux Télégraphe, Château Simone, and Bandols made it to Texas without breakage.
Reminds me of the story of my mother going to the post office in Vienna when we lived there to send some Christmas presents home and identified the contents on the customs form as “Gift.” Much consternation on the part of the clerk.
[Gift in German = poison in English]
So, I’m back from Germany, and I have lots to report. I had wonderful visits at Robert Weil, Donnhoff, Emrich-Schoenleber, Gut Hermannsberg, Karthauserhof and Steinmetz. I tasted mostly 2012s, and I am happy to report that 2012 is an excellent vintage for riesling in Germany, and in some cases, the wines are simply transcendent. When tasted alongside 2011s, the 2012s were a little leaner and crisper, and generally more harmonious, with excellent transparency.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be writing a blog post about each of my winery visits, including notes and impressions, photos, and in one case, a video interview with the winemaker. Stay tuned and thanks again to everyone for their helpful tips.