Buying Wine in Europe

[Meow-Mix]

We're planning on bringing back around 10 bottles of champagne next time we are in Paris, and not having done this before, wondering about any possible problems there might be with transporting them back (carry-on, of course). Does anyone here have experience doing this and have any caveats to offer? thanks

[balex]

Legal (duty) problems or just general packing problems?

[Meow-Mix]

Legal (duty) problems or just general packing problems?

Either or, whatever is noteworthy. I believe the duty is anything over 2 bottles, so whether this is adhered to would be interesting to know. I believe we have the aptitude to perform the packing/transporting successfully but it's always helpful to hear from someone who's done it before and has the program down

[docsconz]

For what it is worth, champagne bottles are a tad on the heavy side. Do you have anything in particular in mind? Given the exchange rate right now, there may not be too many great buys. I would suggest checking prices in Paris and comparing them to what you could find in the States.

As for not declaring them, you would most likely get away with it, but if you were caught, there would be penalties. Anyone know what they would be?

One suggestion for bringing things back is to bring along an empty suitcase or two with at least one being hard-shelle and then filling it with bubble-wrap or other packing materiels. I also find one and two gallon freezer bags useful.

[wineserver]

Great advice from docsconz. Unless you have a particular favorite that is not available stateside, there is no practical reason to lug around the bubbles. Terry Thiese imports and markets an incredible range of the finest recoltant-manipulants. Kermit Lynch imports and markets J. Lassalle and Paul Bara. Duval-Leroy is once again availabe nationally after an initial nightmare of an introduction to the US. Stacole Company in Boca Raton, FL also imports and markets Egly-Ouriet and Oudinot. Obviously, no every single producer or label is available stateside, but I am confident in stating if its worth having, its here.

[Bill Klapp]

Furthermore, I have seen some excellent champagne buys around (Premier Cru comes to mind) where the retailer locked in a better price/exchange rate some time ago and the juice is just now arriving.

[Echezeaux]

I would urge you to bring back only wines you've tasted and enjoyed. There are many top small estates and large Champagne firms represented in the U.S., so finding some wines you like from smaller houses and more obscure properties is more sensible.

I'd suggest scouting wines in various wine bars or large stores with a Champagne "bar"...I've carried back numerous bottles in my backpack as carry-on baggage...and packed some bottles in boxes in my luggage. No problem. Just pack them carefully.

And keep in mind, Paris is only a short drive from Champagne. You could even rent a car and go visit a few houses directly. A good NV Brut will set you back about fourteen to eighteen Euros. And, if you're going during the week, you could dine at Le Vigneron, a famous establishment in Reims (all the bigwigs with the large firms lunch there).

Bon chance!

[Winot]

I believe we have the aptitude to perform the packing/transporting successfully but it's always helpful to hear from someone who's done it before and has the program down

I use a hard wheelable case that is the maximum size allowed for carry on. I can fit in 12 bottles of red (prob. not champagne) using the cardboard packing found in wine boxes. This usually goes as carry-on but has also survived the hold. The only difficulty is lifting it into the overhead lockers whilst maintaining a cheery grin to suggest that it's not that heavy, no not at all, and certainly not over the 7kg weight limit, persih the thought.

[Schneier]

Don't worry about customs. I've flown home with 30 bottles of wine--and know others who do it regularly--and no one has been forced to pay customs. And if you are, I think it's just 10% of the purchase price.

Shipping is another issue. You can buy styrafoam shippers at post offices all over France. Use those to pack the bottles in. I bring a six-bottle caddy which I carry on.

It's a pain, but you can do it. I don't think I would try more than 30 bottles, though--two cases in checked luggage and six bottles with me.

Bruce

[curlywurlyfi]

if you have any kicking about, those cardboard tubes that (eg) bottles of malt whisky come in are useful for protecting bottles in suitcases if you don't have hard-shell cases.

[LOS]

Don't worry about customs.  I've flown home with 30 bottles of wine--and know others who do it regularly

I resemble that remark.

You can buy styrafoam shippers at post offices all over France. 

Not quite all over France. Certainly all over Burgundy. But many of the other post offices just have these cardboard fold-up wine shippers that I wouldn't trust to check on an airplane -- even the one in Vienne had these, right across the river from Ampuis/Cote Rotie.

I would expect that they would have the styrofoam version available in Paris, but it might be prudent to just bring some shippers with you.

Lee

[mikeycook]

I have only shipped wine from California, not Europe, but have friends who had their entire wine shipment disappear, so I am leery of sending wine through the mail from Europe (they had their problem in the Rhone).

I bought a 6 bottle wine carrier from wine enthusiast (soft body) that has been indispensable. I am not sure if they still sell them. In a pinch, the insert can be removed and it holds a large confit pot.

[Meow-Mix]

Thanks for the replies, lots of good info here from everybody. Bringing back more obscure items like Echezeaux said, would make it worth my effort of lugging the bubblies. Since we're over there anyways, bringing back at least a couple of bottles should be a minimum requirement. And since my carryon has wheels, I'm not too concerned about weight. We were hoping to make a trip to the Champagne region, so if we pull it off, Le Vigneron definitely sounds like a must.