Shipping advice

Unless You are on a tight budget, avoid Poste Italiane and use a private company that works in both countries.

If you do a search on this forum, there are quite a few posts that discuss shipping wine in Italy. Here's one to start: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/shipping-wine-home-while-visiting-italy

Just plug in the terms "italy", "shipping", and "wine" into the search bar at the top.

I feel really stupid, as I’ve used this forum a lot in the past year, but I cannot see the search function. I’m using a phone. I feel blind, lol, but I’ve looked several times!

Jill, to get there on a phone, just click on the horizontal bars in the upper left hand corner and the search box will appear (it's to the left of the Rick Steves' Europe logo).

Got it! Thank you!

1. Don't do it. Bring it on the plane as a 2nd bag or whatever. Baggage fees are cheaper than shipping via the mail/FX/DHL.
2. If you can't do #1, then have the wine store or wherever you're purchasing it from ship it.
3. If you can't do that, then fine, ship, but it will take awhile. Prepare to pay duties, generally 19.5 cents/liter.

Make sure you understand the applicable duty that will be charged and your own state’s regulations on importing wine. You may be better off bringing it with you as checked baggage. The duty-free allowance of 2 liters per person does not apply to shipped wine, only to what you personally bring with you.

https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-212?language=en_US

Over the years, I've shipped too-heavy items back to the USA from Italy, Paris, and Spain. It can be quite helpful. I have not shipped wine.

My experience is that many vendors will offer to ship your purchases. I was put off by the e50 for this until I learned that is what they charge at the Post Office. Shipping is expensive but an easy, pleasant process.

Local post offices sell boxes (be sure to get the strong ones designed for international shipping).
Take a photo of your contents, and of the sealed box when you turn it over to the agent.
This helped me greatly when a box from Spain was a problem (see below).

You'll need your passport and local address (your hotel) for the paperwork.
Keep your paperwork!
It is legal - it is an important process. Take it seriously.
They have counters with someone who is fluent in English.

Do not try to ship ANY alcohol - perfume, hand sanitizer, or liquor. I learned this the hard way.
My small bottle of perfume from Spain cause a huge problem, which I had trouble solving from the US.
My box got labeled DANGEROUS GOODS and sat for over a month until I had someone remove the offending "alcohol" :(
Tell them everything that is in your box before it ships.

My experience with shipping from Italy was excellent. My box got home before I did! It was in excellent condition.
By the way, some of the Post offices are in beautiful buildings.

I hope you have the same good luck I did shipping from Italy.

I don't drink wine (but I've shipped other things from Europe in the past), so much of this is second-hand information:

• If you fall in love with a wine during a tasting at the winery, ask whether there's a local-to-you distributor from whom you can buy the wine after returning home. That probably will not be more expensive than buying it in Italy and paying for shipping, and you won't have to concern yourself with loss or breakage.

• Paying for an extra checked bag may well be less expensive than paying for shipping. If your current luggage is sturdy, you can use it for the wine and buy something cheaper in Europe (or even use a cardboard box) for indestructible things like clothes.

• The Italian post office had a dreadful reputation in the past (stuff got stolen or simply disappeared), so much so that folks in Rome with important items to mail sometimes used to take them to the Vatican Post Office instead. I have no knowledge about whether that situation has improved. I haven't heard about any particular issues with the (probably more expensive) private shipping companies.

• The cost of international shipping will probably curl your hair. Check the websites of the Italian postal service, DHL, UPS, FedEx, etc., for costs.

• If your interest is primarily in having an edible/drinkable souvenir of Italy to enjoy at home, consider instead something that won't be as heavy/bulky/expensive to handle as multiple bottles of wine--specialty olive oil, balsamic vinegar, commercially sealed hard cheese, etc. (I believe prosciutto is a no-no and personally would not attempt any meat product.)

we live in a world market, you can always find comparable wine once you're home

According to the Customs and Border Patrol website information I posted above, one cannot ship wine by mail in the US, so that means you cannot ship through the Italian postal system either. So it must be handled by a courier or shipper (DHL, etc.)

If you haven’t been convinced by all the advice to carry it home in your checked baggage, the best course is to have the winery or wine store where you buy it take care of the packing and shipping. They will pack it,properly, choose an appropriate shipper, and take care of the customs paperwork.

When the package arrives in the US, you may be contacted to pick it up from the shipper, so they can collect the duty owed. Or maybe you will have to pick it up from CBP. Not sure how that works. . . .

My advice is like much of the above. With dirty clothes and similar, in a carry-on size luggage, you can fit 6 bottles safely and be under 50 pounds, the typical limit before overweight bag charges kick in. Check it, so with a couple, you can get 12 bottles home. I take a second collapsible bag for any overflow, to carry-on or check as well.

Shipping is certainly a possibility, not cheap, many wineries will arrange it for you, will tell you that they know all the ins and outs. Problem is, with Federal laws, then 50+ State/Territorial laws, they do not know them all. Doing it all yourself with UPS, DHL, FedEx, or another carrier is a bit more work. Alcohol will need to go through Customs (as do all goods) and be subject to duty and specific import regulations, at both the Federal and State level.