Bringing wine...

[Lesley]

Okay, after my panic attack about the end of southeast airlines I'm finally getting around to asking the question I came to this board to ask.

Can you fly with a bottle of wine? If so...carry on or checked luggage? I'm talking about a corked bottle...not open or anything.

There's a specific wine I want from PA that I can't get here in SC and I wanted my mom to bring it to FL...but she was concerned about being able to bring it on the plane. Turns out she needs to be concerned that her airline just went out of business first...but I digress....

Wine...yes or no? Carry on or checked?

Thanks!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Love to know the answer myself. I'm bringing some local wine down to a friend for Christmas (maybe).

I do know USair is very strict on the 50 lb weight limit out of MCO so I weigh my luggage and have switched to two smaller bags. It is something to keep your eye on though.

 

[zurgswife]

I would suggest carry on...we did pack some beer one year and it was broken....my son smelled like a frat house for a few days....

we are planning on carrying on some beer....it would be the safest..

 

[CarolA]

I am with Zurgswife. Carry it on. (and it gets heavy) If it breaks your luggage will be a MESS!

 

[Brian Noble]

Happens all the time, particularly on international flights. I often bring back some Calvados (okay, a spirit, not a wine, but still) when I'm anywhere near France. I also see lots of people trucking home wines from the many Willamette area wineries on my flights home from Seattle.

 

[Bill From PA]

Why not check the outlets along the route to WDW to see if this wine is available in Fl.? The major stores have web sites or you could call. BTW, what's the name of the wine, I might give it a try myself, especially if it's a white.

Bill From PA

 

[Lesley]

We have a couple big outlets here and no one carries a spiced apple wine (I've had both Chaddsford and Clover Hill)...which is a sweet (but not gross sickening sweet) wine that is great for mulling...its sort of a holiday tradition for us. I've found that here in SC no one seems to get "apple" anything...no apple wine, no deep dish apple pie ice cream....I guess its just that we grow peaches here, not apples.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[bdcp]

Bring it carryon. We flew back from Georgia after a weekend at a winery/resort with a group and we all had bottles of wine. They were in a cardboard carrier supplied by the winery. I also packed a couple of bottles in my carryon bag wrapped in clothes. It takes a lot to break a wine bottle. The glass is very thick compared to a beer bottle.

 

[WDWorBUST]

Okay....what if it is 2 CASES of wine? My boss is wanting a particular wine that isn't available in Oklahoma but is in Florida - where I will be next week. Can I bring back two cases of wine? Or is it legal to fedex a wine from a state that it is available in already to a state that the wine is not available in yet?

Thanks!!
Amanda

 

[NotUrsula]

Oh, I wouldn't touch that one with a 20-ft. pole. Wine shipping laws are very strict, and mostly work in terms of where the wine is going TO; Oklahoma has some of the most draconian rules of all. There are a lot of VERY complicated laws about moving quantities of wine over state lines, in most places it counts as bootlegging.

It sounds to me like your boss is trying to get around the prohibition of direct shipment of wine into Oklahoma. Common carriers such as FedEx are prohibited from taking shipments, and so would an airline's cargo service: using an airline passenger allowance is skating awfully close to the line, IMO.
Carrying a couple of bottles in your hand luggage is one thing, but I really don't think it would be a good idea to try to sneak-check cases of wine. (If the airline knows what it is and you are going somewhere that bans direct shipment, they won't accept it as checked baggage.)

You could probably do it if you were driving, but I wouldn't unless you have a vehicle with a closed trunk. A friend of mine once got stopped for speeding and then got hit with a felony bootlegging charge when the cop saw two cases of wine in the back of his station wagon. He was bringing it in for a wedding.

This website explains the issues involved: http://www.wineinstitute.org/shipwine/

 

[WDWorBUST]

Thank you for that explanation. I really didn't - well and still don't - understand why this particular wine isn't available in Oklahoma. I'm told I can get it in 2-3 weeks but he is wanting it as a thank you to some people for helping get in the country club - go figure. I think he will be waiting though.

 

[manning]

Can you fly with a bottle of wine? If so...carry on or checked luggage? I'm talking about a corked bottle...not open or anything.

Thanks!

Date, time and flight number please.

Have glass, will travel!!

 

[MamaQuack]

I always take an unopened bottle of wine in my carry-on - and a winged corkscrew. YC does not stock what I like and if they did it would cost 5 times more. I have never, ever had a problem with security. I have also shipped a bottle or 2 down in the boxes I occasionally send ahead. I will wrap the wine 3 times in 3 garbage bags and then bubble wrap around that. That way if it did break the liquid would leak in to a bag and not on our stuff. I also make sure its in a box with lots of padding. Have done it a time or two but not with cases of wine - just a bottle or two.

 

[NotUrsula]

Shipping even a bottle or two to yourself (or to someone else) is illegal in Florida, a felony, in fact. They take their liquor revenue seriously. If you want to ship it, the only way is to lie to the carrier about what it is.

From Fedex' website: FedEx Ground will accept shipments of alcohol (beer, wine and spirits) when both the shipper and recipient are either licensed wholesalers, licensed dealers, licensed distributors, licensed manufacturers or licensed importers. Shipments from licensed entities to consumers are permitted in certain instances for wine shipments only. Shippers making direct shipments to consumers must complete a FedEx Supplemental Wine Shippers Agreement. Please call your FedEx account executive for more information on wine shipments to consumers, or go to fedex.com. Consumer-to-consumer wine shipments are prohibited. All U.S. alcohol shipments must be processed on a FedEx-approved automated shipping system such as FedEx Ship Manager.

... and UPS has a chart of places where it can ship alcohol: http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/service/terms/alcohol.html
(Notice that Florida is not on the chart.)

 

[Lesley]

I did notice on the website of the winery that they are not permitted to ship to FL (or several other states)....but I really didn't want to order the stuff anyway because the shipping cost is so high. I could, since I'm in SC though. Just seems best for a bottle or two to come with my parents though...

Next year I'll just buy the wine while I'm visiting PA over the summer!

 

[MamaQuack]

NotUrsula,

thanks so much for the info and websites - obviously, I had no idea and will definitely not make that blunder again

once again, you learn so much on these boards

thanks