Shipping wine home while visiting Italy

Personally I would stick with the shipping company because they know what they are doing. It is not like mailing a bar of soap home. There are all kinds of government and import regulations. These was a report here a couple of years ago (maybe more) of someone's shipment of wine sitting in a custom house in NJ because a fee or something had not be paid,, trying to deal with the Italian shipping company. Finally shipped back to Italy and the OP was trying to get a refund from someone. All very confusing. If the wine is worth shipping then use their shipping company. At least you have a single go to point if a problem arises.

Use a shipping company. It's doubtful that the average supermarket could crate the wine to withstand long distance shipping. Plus, as mentioned, there are the import legalities that must be satisfied. Shipping companies used by wineries know exactly what is required. Supermarkets would not. Would you even know where to go to get the necessary documents?

There are shipping services independent of wineries. You could assemble a mixed case and take it to the shipper to send on.

"There are shipping services independent of wineries. You could assemble a mixed case and take it to the shipper to send on."
Thanks Scudder,
I'll check that out as an option. Just trying to be as cost conscious as possible.

Small wineries we visited in Tuscany ( Chianti area) shipped with Mail Boxes etc. All arrived in perfect shape. You should try to locate one to ship your other wines too.

Ask them first if they have any distributors in the US, and in particular, yours or a neighboring state. We found a wine we liked and after a little detective work, bought a case from a local restaurant when we got home. Not quite the same story to tell, but . . . .

pgw55555 - An added thought: I have more experience in Spain, but imagine it's similar in Italy. There, supermarkets carry mass-market stuff that, to our pallets and wallets seems like really good value. But the wine shops blow them out of the water with their curated selection.

I'm perfectly happy but rarely wowed with whatever I pay 8 euros for in a Spanish supermarket. I recently did a tasting in one of Madrid's best wine shops and enthusiastically bought 3 of the five wines we sampled—for prices from 7-10euro/bottle.

Scudder,
That's a great suggestion. We're headed to the Le Marche region in July. Hoping to find tasty vino rosso at an affordable price.

Although I am certain it is entirely possible to use a separate shipping company successfully to send wine home from Italy, I would prefer to use one at a winery. I have done this several times in the past, always with good results. The time and effort it would take me to assemble a mixed case of wine, locate a local shipping company, tote it to the shipping company and make all the arrangements would not be a worthwhile use of my vacation time. .

Another consideration should be how the wine will be handled, especially if exposed to high heat via storage, etc. at Customs. The excellent wines you tasted in Italy, once shipped, could become spoiled.

do be sure to add prorated taxes, shipping, handling, and duty fees and charges to each bottle to be sure that your tasty vino rosso at an affordable price. still is....

When shipping from a winery, is there a typical range for the cost for shipping, or is it pretty varied?