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Bringing wine INTO Italy

Hi! There are many discussions about bringing wine home from Italy. However, we are going to see our son and will be eating with his Italian family in their home. Because we are from a wine region in California, my son suggested bringing some of our best local wine as a gift. What are the regulations regarding bringing wine into Italy?
Thank you for your help!

Posted by
7453 posts

As the previous poster mentioned, it looks to be 4 liters, which is a bit over 5 bottles. It would have to be in your checked bags. Not sure how closely they scan incoming bags, but after you get your bags, when leaving, you choose either just to walk out the "no declarations" exit, or go find Customs to declare your items. If you believe yourself to be under the limit...then no reason to bother Customs.

Arriving in the US, you only are liable for duty on any amount exceeding the "limit", however, most anyone that has been through Customs has never paid duty on wine (I brought back 60 bottles once with no duty charged, and yes, I declared it).

I cannot say it is the same with Italy, but it appears bringing in a few bottles of wine is no issue, bring what you like.

Posted by
355 posts

Not sure about regulations for bringing wine into Italy although we traveled with a US winemaker 3 years ago and he brought in about 6 bottles for the Italian wineries we were visiting. They're a gift, right? As you are most likely flying from somewhere in California, I would check with a local winery as to airlines regulations for packing wine, as they should be up to date on what is required. The airlines will probably require a cardboard container with either pulp or foam inserts to be placed into your checked baggage. But check with your airline for specific requirements.

Flown with wine to NZ/Australia in a six bottle shipping cardboard container with pulp inserts as a piece of checked luggage a couple of times and it worked fine - no duty. Flew with an airline approved cardboard 12 bottle container to Florida. TSA opened it, looked at the contents, and retaped it. It made it but, they didn't put the inserts back in correctly nor did they retape it well. Fortunately, the wine was okay.

Save your cardboard box and bring it home with some great Italian wine!

Posted by
7453 posts

The 60 bottles was pre 9/11 (in 2000 I think) and for international travel the baggage allowance was much. much more generous. If I recall, we checked two trunk like items, a large duffel and one of our "carry on" bags (so 2 items each), then my wife had her Carry on and I had a case of wine as a carry on, plus my brief case. In the end...no extra cost. Those days are long gone.

Posted by
7981 posts

Back when two large suitcases was standard on international flights for checked luggage, bringing a couple of cases each would have been no problem. We did a trip where we carried 70 pounds of books and later sent them back with our daughter (who got a free trip to Paris in exchange for lugging them home) with no extra cost.

If the limit is 4 liters -- that is 5 bottles per person, so you could clearly bring a very nice hostess gift with no problems i.e. 3 or 4 bottles of great local wines. We have found friends in both Italy and France appreciate nice American wines -- it is fun to try out good vintages that are not easily locally available.