One of our tour members suggested a travel tip:
We use a product called WineSkin. This is just one brand; there are several out there. They are available online and sometimes at large wine retailers (maybe even small shops). We like these because they seal very tightly.
They are also good for olive oil, honey, jams, lotions -- anything else you don't want sloshing around in the bottom of your suitcase.
I personally have used these and swear by them:
In fact, I just brought home a few bottles of wine from France this week in my Rick Steves' backpack and the bottles were totally unharmed (I've also brought mezcal back from Mexico using the same bags)
-- Mike Beebe
Yes, I've used them successfully too, for several years. I've used them in soft-sided bags. *
I've used a different brand that is essentially the same thing. No issues. However, I would say we didn't have issues prior to the bags. We used to wrap wine bottles in dirty clothes and slide them into a plastic bag, just in case. Wine bottles are actually pretty tough, though no one wants a suitcase with a broken bottle of red wine.
Wrap each bottle in a couple of t-shirts first. Clothing above, below and around the sides. Never more than two bottles.
We also have brought home many wine bottle's in our checked bags (using Gunderson’s method) using shirts wrapped around them. Layers under and over them in the luggage.
If you're not able to get the wine skins, use a regular disposable diaper. Works great!
I’ve reported this post to the webmaster. I could be wrong, but I find this a very odd post from a RS member of staff who hasn’t posted anything here since 2023. I’m worried that her account is compromised.
I protect my wine by standing next to it and keeping people away.
I too am a firm believer in the dirty clothes padding method. Used it lots of times, never a problem. First, buy better wine, it will be in heavier bottles, usually with a punt on the bottom, thicker glass. Protect each bottle, then pad the bottom sides, and top of the bag, bonus points if you have a hard case bag. Doing this, you can pack 6 bottles of wine in a typical carry-on size bag, which of course you have to check, but will be under the 50 lb limit some airlines have. Always declare that you have alcohol, I have never had to pay duty, though there is a limit on alcohol, this includes way back (when baggage limits were lax) when I would bring back a couple cases,
I always bring home bottles or olive oil and glass jars of things like jam and various spreads...
I've never purchased a special device for these, just do as others wrote, above--wrap in clothing.
When I pack at home, I put layers of bubble wrap in the bottom of my check-in bag. I also travel with a roll of strong tape and a pair of scissors. (scissors only in checked bags and never on trains).
I once brought home ten bottles of wine this way, from France.
If I've bought a lot of food items, I sometimes ship these from my last stop. I'v done this a couple of times recently, from Sicily....hotel found a carton for me and we packed up the oils, pistachio spreads, dried pastas, etc. Hotel called DHL and arranged shipping. It was worth it not to have to drag it all home. From Madrid the bellman actually came to my room to help me pack the carton and tape it up for shipping..they also used DHL.
I always received these cartons within a few days of shipment date...so far, no breakages. Never had to pay any import fees.
I use socks to protect small jars of jam or honey, etc. Slip two socks over the jar and it's good. My understanding is that protecting wine bottles from hitting a sharp edge (as in luggage handlers being rough) rather than hitting each other. The plastic sleeves like Wineskins are made to contain the liquid if it does break so you don't get everything in the luggage stained red and smelling like you had a good time.
Of course if your checked bag is hard-shelled, breakage is less likely to be a concern.
Mr E for the win!!!!
I too am a firm believer in the dirty clothes padding method. Used it lots of times, never a problem.. (Paul) But it is not fail safe. We have used that method to bring home, maybe a dozen bottles or more, over the years but our luck finally ran out. When we pick up the bag for US customs the bag was very sticky on the backside with a distinct smell of alcohol. I knew I had a problem.
We had packed two wines and one liqueur very carefully as we always did on top of a layer of mostly dirty, men's underwear. The bottles were in plastic bags, well wrapped, padded between and on top was mostly folded clothing -- pants, clean shirts, etc. I tried to analysis what happen. The liqueur was the middle bottle and totally crushed with a many small pieces of glass and not just broken. It was shattered and the plastic bag was cut in many places. The bag had to be laying on its back because all of the liquid had gone into the dirty underwear below the bottles and out the back of the bag. Nothing on the clothes that were on top of the bottles. I concluded that a sharp corner of a heavy, rigid bag must have hit the center of my bag just right to shattered the bottle. No big problems afterwards other than cleaning the bag and having to wear pink underwear for a few years.
