Advice Please: Buying overseas for private consumption in the USA

Matt K · Post by **Matt K** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 11:04 am

As I grow my Madeira collection it's become quite clear that prices are lower in Europe, and the UK, and there's much broader availability. Couple that with the Euro crashing so hard against the dollar and it seems like a great time to buy but I'm wondering on the mechanics of how to buy all over Europe (mainly Portugal and Germany it seems - the dollar isn't as strong against the GBP) and have it delivered legally and safely to me here in the USA. I've googled this pretty thoroughly and it seems like my options are as follows - does anyone have any advice or other options they might suggest?

1) I have friends in Europe that I could ship to and have them stockpile it until I visit them (I'm not sure it's fair to ask them to bring me 2-4 cases next time they visit) and hand carry it back - even over the limit it sounds like it's only a few bucks a bottle + baggage fees of ~$50/cs.
Cons: inconvenience to my friends, could be a while before I can go get it.

2) Some retailers can arrange shipment - but then I have to have a shipment from each retailer and I may only be buying a few bottles from each...
Cons: Will be very expensive if I'm just buying a few bottles here and there.

3) I can use the services of a company like Cellar Advisors to import for me - I guess I would have the wines shipped to a location they'll give me in Europe? I've read that I can expect costs to be ~$250-350 for an unmixed case and up to maybe $400 for a mixed case - via ocean freight. At 2-3 cases and I might as well fly over given that high cost.
Cons: Fairly expensive and quite slow - people seem to suggest 60-90 days is pretty normal.

Followup question: I'm thinking about simply buying some Euros (cash) and 'locking in' the current rate for a future buying trip abroad. Everything I've read the past few days suggests we might see one more dip, probably not to parity but that there's unlikely to be any further major drops. How do I get the best exchange rate here in the US?

Thanks in advance for any advice/input!

Andreas Platt · Post by **Andreas Platt** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:14 pm

Every of your mentioned scenarios has its drawbacks...

Having to deal with that every year or so myself...

Shipping is always a problem...temperature, loss, leaking bottles (even if they seem to be intact, if they CAN they WILL start weeping while in cargo).

Let alone importing those bottles...

Best I can offer as an advice is to bring them over in small batches of 6 bottles or so per person...that way you can properly pack them in a suitcase and maybe pay the extra 50 bucks if you're over your (to be more exact: your luggage's) weight limit...and they will only be in transit for a max of 10 hours (from the time you check them @ the airline till you have them again in your car). And from what I've experienced 6 bottles are no problem for customs.

Just my

Matt K · Post by **Matt K** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:18 pm

Thanks for the speedy reply Andreas.

On the hand carry option why only 6 bottles? I was figuring I could get styrofoam shippers in Europe and bring back a few cases; it's over the duty free allowance but the duties are cheap and frankly I've brought 12 bottle of tequila back from Mexico and the customs officers couldn't have cared less; they didn't even mention me owing duties and from what I've read it's only a few bucks a bottle so they don't want to do the paperwork for collecting $10-20.

Andreas Platt · Post by **Andreas Platt** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:36 pm

Hey Matt!

1) u can't hand carry that stuff...have to check it as luggage
2) the more bottles you bring
2a) the higher the weight of the "package" and the higher the risk that something you wouldn't like happenZ happenZ (risk will never increase to 100% but first derivation will be positive, couldn't say that the 2nd derivation is also positive, since this wouldn't make sense)
2b) the higher the risk the officers could assume that this is tax- and customsable since it is not for private use (again not 100% but as before, 1st derivation >0)

I am not taking any risks anymore when it comes to take Madeiras with me, but you're welcome to try any- and everything and report back.

Another option to just taking your suitcases are the custom-Pelican-Winecruzers...but they have their pricetag and I prefer to have each of my bottles packed seperately.

Eric Menchen · Post by **Eric Menchen** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 9:59 pm

I'm not a lawyer, but I don't think your #2 option is entirely legal. Adventures in Wine isn't cheap as an importer, but I thought their rates were better than what you've listed. Per bottle they do go down the more you import. If it were under 12 bottles, I'd just being them back as luggage, but more than that and I would explore the importer option further.

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Eric Ifune · Post by **Eric Ifune** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:38 am

The cheapest option is to have your friends hold the wine, then bring it back yourself. You're going to pay the luggage fees, but I can fit 15 bottles into those horizontal styrofoam shippers, put them into a canvas bag, and it would weight exactly 50 lbs. At $50 for 15 bottles, it's the least expensive way. I've done this multiple times without a bottle breaking. It's a hassel lugging 50 lbs. around an airport, but it can be done. When coming back into the states, declare everything. As you say, the duties are cheap and it's not usually worth the time for the customs guys to do the paperwork.

Moses Botbol · Post by **Moses Botbol** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 7:14 am

I would just bring them back with you and pay the additional luggage charge. Could be $30-50 per case on an airline. You should be able to pre-pay the additional luggage on your return ticket.

Do you know any wine importers? Could you ship the wine to them and have them add to their container...

David Spriggs · Post by **David Spriggs** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:49 pm

I've used Adventures in Wine for many years. Very reliable and always ship in temperature controlled containers. They ship from the UK and France.

Matt K · Post by **Matt K** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:46 pm

Andreas - Sorry, when I said hand carry I, of course meant check as luggage. I would either arrange to pick up or, if necessary would carry over, proper styrofoam shippers (though I can surely get them in Europe, particularly with some efforts to prearrange it), so I'd be able to have cases of 12 packed very well. I was thinking 2 cases, with my wife and I both traveling, should be easily believable for personal use and I'm willing to pay the $3/bottle in extra duties if they want to do the paperwork. So, checked as luggage I assumed $50/cs to transport them...plus the costs of a trip. :)

Eric M.- Those rates are admittedly secondhand from wine berserkers threads. The 'problem' as I understand it is that I'll have these totally mixed cases and it seems like typical rates are ~$250 but there's a $10 per line item surcharge if it's a mixed case which is how I got to ~$350.

Eric I. - It's looking more and more like that is the case, so long as I disregard the actual trip costs. :)
I'm a bit unclear on the horizontal shippers - do you mean those silver plastic covered foam trays or true white styrofoam shippers? like 98% of the ones I get in white are vertical...I'm also wondering how you hold the bags together in a canvas bag?
I was thinking I'd just bring or arrange 12 bottle styro shippers to be there waiting for me - if I'm buying from retailers in Portugal, Germany and Belgium they've got to ship the wine to one of my friends anyway, I assume some will use styro shippers.

Moses - that's where this seems to be heading. I deal with some US merchants that do some of their own import from Burgundy & Bordeaux but the 2 I've asked didn't sound enthused to get involved - I don't really blame them, it's probably a bunch of paperwork for little profit.

David - Thanks for the first hand report on them. Have you done mixed cases with them or just homogenous cases?

David Spriggs · Post by **David Spriggs** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 2:58 am

Mostly solid cases, but a few mixed cases. The $10 line item charge is new as of late last year.

Eric Ifune · Post by **Eric Ifune** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 4:45 am

Styro shippers. Some are vertical, some lay the bottles horizontally. The horizontal ones tend to be more space efficient. Keep them in the cardboard box, tape it up real good, and place the whole thing in a large canvas bag. I use a military "A" bag, similar to a duffel bag but broad and squat rather than tall and thin.

Bradley Bogdan · Post by **Bradley Bogdan** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 7:09 am

While not importing wine, just traveling domestically with it, I've found that the styro shipper in a duffel works very well. I've never lost a bottle, though you don't get many trips out of the shipper itself.

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Moses Botbol · Post by **Moses Botbol** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 7:39 am

I'd just use the shipper's as is and rent one of those carts at the airport to move them around. I have a traqvel bag the slips over shipper with wheels; forget the brand but someone here will chime in with the name... I've used it several times and has held up pretty well. That works nice, but if you bringing home multiple cases, that would be a costly option.

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 12:46 pm

The Wine Check, is the name of the aforementioned red coverall for wine shippers.

Matt K · Post by **Matt K** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 1:38 pm

I've seen the Wine Check for sale - the only advantage I can see vs: just being in cardboard is the wheels...or am I missing something else? AKA what does it do that a styro shipper in cardboard doesn't?
At $75/ea, $150 for 2 I can rent a lot of carts and tip lots of people...

David Spriggs · Post by **David Spriggs** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 1:44 pm

Wine check does have the advantage that the sides won't be easily punctured or ripped and if the tape is damaged the wines won't just spill out. I have had some cardboard cases that arrived in bad shape at the destination airport because of poor handling. So I think that the Wine Check does add some security to the cardboard box.

The wheels are nice, but the tow strap is a joke.

Moses Botbol · Post by **Moses Botbol** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 1:46 pm

Wine Check has additional padding, straps, and wheels. That's the only advantage over just a shipper.

For The Love Of Port