Can I bring Alsace wine home, and how do I pack it?

United States: the one-liter allowance

According to CBP, one liter of alcoholic beverages can be included in your returning-resident personal exemption if you are at least 21, it is intended exclusively for your personal use and not for sale, and it does not violate the laws of the state where you arrive. A standard 750 ml bottle fits within the limit; two bottles (1.5 liters) do not. Beyond one liter, some states allow more, but customs duty and federal excise tax may apply. CBP states that it enforces the law of the arrival state even when it is stricter than federal rules. Before you fly, read the Customs Duty Information page on cbp.gov and check your state's alcohol control board.

European Union, United Kingdom, Switzerland

The three cases work differently, and each points to an official page.

• European Union: wine bought in France, tax included, moves freely for personal use and without resale. The European Commission publishes indicative guideline levels of 90 liters of wine, of which no more than 60 liters sparkling. Above that, customs may ask you to prove personal use. Each country can set its own levels.
• United Kingdom: for Great Britain, GOV.UK lists 18 liters of wine in the personal allowance, with a declaration required beyond it. Northern Ireland follows different rules. Check the page Bringing goods into the UK for personal use.
• Switzerland: customs (BAZG) grants 5 liters of drinks up to 18 percent alcohol and 1 liter above that, for people aged 17 or older, once per day. The 150 franc value limit applies on top. The details are in our page on returning to Switzerland.

How many bottles to buy

Think in standard 750 ml bottles. The allowance of your arrival country sets the ceiling that needs no formalities:

• United States: one bottle (0.75 liter of the one liter).
• Switzerland: six bottles make 4.5 liters, under the 5 liter limit; a seventh goes over it.
• United Kingdom (Great Britain): 18 liters, or 24 bottles.
• European Union: far more than a suitcase can hold; weight, over a kilogram per full bottle, becomes the real limit.

Packing: checked bag, never the cabin

A winery bottle is far above the 100 milliliter limit for containers in the cabin at security, so wine travels in checked luggage. Wrap each bottle in clothing, place it in the center of the suitcase surrounded by soft items rather than against the walls, and slip it into a leakproof bag in case a cork seeps. Padded bottle sleeves and foam shipping boxes are sold for this purpose; ask the winery whether it offers them. Check your airline's weight allowance, because six bottles alone weigh more than six kilograms.

When to buy, and shipping

Buy at the last winery of the day: your total is then known, bottles do not ride around all day, and you can keep tasting freely without carrying anything. Between stops, the chauffeur keeps your purchases in the trunk and then goes with you to the hotel. When you are booking a tasting at a winery, ask at the outset whether the winery packs for travel. Some wineries ship themselves or use a freight forwarder, so ask the winery, which knows its destinations. For a shipment to a private individual in the United States, federal rules, state rules and carrier policies vary and do not reduce to a simple yes or no: pay nothing until you have checked with your state's alcohol control board and your carrier. To choose wineries, see the best wineries on the Wine Route; on one of our wine route tours, put the winery where you plan to buy as the last stop.