Wine: you CAN take it with you when you go!

Wine: you CAN take it with you when you go!

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This link provides interesting info about how much wine you can bring back to the US duty-free, etc. and links you to the US Customs "Know Before You Go" pamphlet. Plus, I just really like Dr. Vino's wine blog for so many reasons! I'm picking up his "Wine Politics" for my January read.

I still vote for using the VinniBag instead of styrofoam for transporting wine. Styrofoam is not eco-friendly, is not leak-proof, and is not recyclable. Visit http://www.vinnibag.com/ or http://www.magellans.com/.

Magellan's Vinni Bag

The Vinni Bag from Magellan's (http://www.magellans.com/store/Packing_Organizers___Wine_CarriersFP104?Args=&refchan=Search) worked like a charm on my most recent trip in Italy. I used the Vinni Bag to transport a very special bottle, because once I inflated it, I could tell how well-made a product it was and how securely it protected the bottle inside. When fully-inflated (which is soooo easy to do!!), it is very plump and firm. I used it while in Italy to transport my favorite bottle from town to town and then placed it in my checked luggage for the trip home. My suitcase was international carry-on size, so there was not a lot of extra padding around the VinniBag, yet it still protected my purchase perfectly. Now I can enjoy my special Italian treasure! I highly recommend this product and look forward to using it again and again on future trips abroad! Thanks, Magellan's, for offering this unique, useful, and high-quality product.

Here I am holding my inflated Vinni Bag in my room in San Gimignano, Tuscany.

Magellan's new Vinni Bag for wine transport

Here is another product I'm taking with me to Italy to product-test - the Vinni Bag from Magellan's. According to the Magellan's website, the Vinni Bag is "an air cushioned ride for your prized vintage. More secure than bubble wrap, the inflatable (and reusable) Vinni Bag seals fine wine, spirits, or other fragile or large items in an air-filled chamber, protecting it from the rigors of travel. Made of PVC, it inflates with just a couple of breaths, safely securing the bottle inside, and has a clear panel on the front for easy inspection by airport security. " I look forward to trying out this made-in-the-USA product! Check back to see for my review of this product.

The Bottle Pocket - Better Than the Wineskin? Maybe!

Bottle Pocket: http://www.magellans.com/store/Health___Hygiene___Food___DrinkFP106?Args=

Check this out! Are you always afraid that your wine or olive oil is going to break in your luggage? I've managed to bring home all sorts of bottled goodies without having them break, but I'm always on the look-out for an easier way. Well, last year, I blogged about the "Wine Skin," (http://www.magellans.com/store/Health___Hygiene___Food___DrinkFP321?Args=),

. There is now another product on the market: the Bottle Pocket. It looks great for packing home that precious wine or olive oil ! I still might bring my paper wine tubes (similar to the one in this picture, http://www.papertube86.com/products/Paper-Wine-Tube-corrugated-tube-gift-tube-ball-tube--HG-0185.htm though I get mine at the local "Tuesday Morning" discount store.) I've found that the combination of bubble wrap and the strong paper tubes really works. The Bottle Pocket adds another layer of protection - if the bottle should break, the Bottle Pocket will contain the leak. Hope this helps. Happy Traveling!

I just learned about the WineSkin bag (http://www.ftscontent.com/index.html), which I'm going to order and try on my next trip for bringing home wine. In the past, I've brought bubble wrap, neoprene bags such as the ones by Built, NY, and cylindrical cardboard bottle holders. I've brought home many bottles of wine and olive oil, and I've yet to break one! I think these WineSkins look really cool, though. If anyone has experience with these, please let me know!