Rick Steves' Game-Changing Tips On How To Transport Your Wine Souvenirs Home In One Piece

You've wrapped up your vacation, and now, you have to deal with the weary, perhaps even laborious journey back home, along with the pile of new things you've accumulated. No doubt, those keepsakes are worth it — travel writer Rick Steves even argues cultural souvenirs are the best thing you can shop for in Europe — but they can be a hassle to squeeze into your stuffed luggage and stay within airline guidelines. Wine makes for a particularly special, albeit arduous, souvenir, considering that you might not be able to find a certain wine outside of the locale you tried it in. Getting it home, though, involves the logistics of fitting it in your luggage, liquid restrictions, and the risk of breakage. Some opt for buying specialized wine luggage, a clever way to fly home with a case of wine. But for those who didn't plan to bring a whole suitcase for their wine souvenirs, especially if it's just a bottle or two, Steves has some other advice.

In a blog post co-written with wine shop owner Ruth Arista, Steves suggested, "Pack softly and carry a hard suitcase." If you're bringing back wine that was purchased outside of the airport's duty-free shop, it will have to go in checked luggage, so it's a good idea for that luggage to be sturdy. Wine bought at the airport can be left in your carry-on (in a secure, tamper-evident bag). Otherwise, be sure to cushion the bottles in wine sleeves or at least in your clothing. Steves also notes: The bottles will "have to endure the extreme cold (or heat) of the cargo hold." Those temperature fluctuations can affect the wine's taste and quality, or cause the cork to breach, so try to insulate the bottles well.

Another piece of advice Rick Steves offered on his blog is aimed at travelers with a companion. "If you're traveling with a partner, divide the bottles among your bags (each bottle of wine weighs about three pounds, so five bottles means 15 extra pounds)," he and Ruth Arista penned. Splitting up the weight of those bottles is one savvy way to avoid never-ending airline baggage fees. If one person brings multiple bottles and tips their luggage weight over the limit, they could end up paying $100 for the overweight fee or more. If you're traveling solo and you know you're bringing enough wine to push your baggage into the overweight zone, consider paying for overweight baggage fee ahead of time, as it's often more expensive at the airport.

Steves and Arista had another tip for travel partners: "Couples can get away with three standard bottles, adding up to 2¼ liters [that are tax-free]." Solo travelers coming back into the U.S. can only bring up to one liter of alcohol through customs without paying a tax on it — anything over that amount incurs a duty. Some countries, as of this writing, fall under a 100% duty, including the popular wine destinations of France, Germany, Italy, and Portugal. So if you bring back more than the duty-free limit from these countries, you might pay as much in duty as you did for the items themselves. On a final note, though, Steves and Arista advised, "Be up front if you're over the limit." The customs agents might be more lenient (if the wine is just for personal use), and you may even get a faster customs line.