For oenophiles who love to travel, a bottle of wine can serve as the perfect vacation souvenir or gift. But as your luggage is handled by various people and jostled on planes and conveyor belts, the risk of having that expensive bottle of red break and spill all over your clothes increases. These handy tips will help you bring home your favorite pours and avoid any airport mishaps. Be Aware of Airport Restrictions You never want to be surprised at airport security, so it’s important to understand the ins and outs of TSA rules for transporting alcohol before purchasing a bottle. The best way to transport wine is through checked baggage. The only restrictions in this category relate to alcohol content. Travelers can’t transport bottles with more than 70 percent alcohol content and can only take five liters of alcohol between 24 and 70 percent. Fortunately, wine almost always falls below 24 percent alcohol content, meaning there is no limit to the amount of alcohol allowed in checked bags.

Carry-on liquid restrictions do apply to alcohol, meaning you can’t bring liquids in containers larger than 3.4 ounces in a carry-on. The only way to get around this rule is by purchasing alcohol after you’ve gotten through security at one of the duty-free stores. Duty-free allowances differ depending on country; the U.S. typically allows one duty-free liter of alcohol per person.food and wine best tea shops There are a couple of different strategies to use when packing wine in a checked bag. best rose wine usaOne method involves putting the wine bottle in a sock, wrapping a piece of clothing around the bottle’s neck until it’s as wide as the bottom of the bottle, and then wrapping the bottle with additional clothing pieces (like shirts). best of port wine

You can add a watertight plastic bag for some extra security. Travelers can also use bubble wrap, instead of clothing, to wrap the bottle, which adds some additional protection for the journey. Regardless of how you wrap the bottle, make sure to pack it in the middle of a full suitcase to minimize the amount that the bottle will move and vibrate during transport.beer and wine wedding reception If wrapping your expensive bottle of wine in clothing feels too risky, you can spend on gadgets to aid your traveling woes. where can i buy ginger wineReusable WineSkin transport bags are available for purchase online or through various retailers. best red wine for bloodOnly $15 for a pack of three, this wine-shaped bag incorporates bubble wrap to secure your bottle during travel. glass of wine from a bottle

While the skin does have an adhesive, you can add some extra insurance by also sealing it with duct tape. Alternatively, the VinniBag costs about $28 and inflates around each bottle of wine for added protection. And if you typically transport a large number of wine bottles on trips, it’s worth it to invest $70 in Wine Check. The easy-to-transport case, which features wheels and a handy strap, can carry up to 12 bottles of wine in its Styrofoam and padded container. best wine italy 2014With the bottles included, the case still meets the checked-bag weight limit. best wine tours of californiaIf you’re in a last-mintue airport jam, Southwest Airlines usually has $5 wine packaging for purchase at ticket counters. Backup Plan: Direct Shipping Wineries usually offer direct shipping deals that save you the hassle (and space) of packing a bottle of wine in your luggage.

Depending on where you purchase from, shipping charges are sometimes small or non-existent.Traveling can be stressful. Traveling with wine is potentially wardrobe ruining—just imagine all that beautiful Bordeaux soaking your Equipment silk shirt (shudder). But packing wine doesn't have to spell disaster. Whether you want to bring back a few bottles from your next trip to Napa or plan to travel home with your dad’s favorite Barolo for the holidays, these are just a few tips and tricks to ensure all that vino stays in the bottle where it belongs. First things first: Don’t—we repeat, don’t—make the mistake of packing wine in your carry-on. It's too much liquid to bring on the plane, which means, best case, you have to check your luggage. Worst case (and we’ve heard of this happening), you’ll have to ditch your booze at the airport. No one wants that, so plan to check when flying with wine. If you’re looking to seriously expand your wine store, you might want to consider a special wine suitcase.

It's a great option if you’re looking to travel with 10-12 bottles, but be warned: It’s also a lot of suitcase. You'll be dragging it around empty on your adventures until the wine is bought and loaded, which can get cumbersome.If you’re traveling relatively light, the best way to keep your precious cargo safe is to use what you already have—namely, a pair of long socks and an oversized scarf or a sweatshirt. To pack one bottle, simply stuff it in one of the socks (you want a pair long enough that the bottle fits completely, ideally with a bit of excess sock at the top), wrap the second sock around the neck of the bottle (which is the part that’s easiest to break in transit), and then roll the whole thing in your scarf. When you’re ready to pack, simply lay down a few pieces of clothing, place the wrapped wine in the center, and cover with more clothing. It’s best to fill your suitcase as much as possible, so the wine bundle stays exactly in place. We demonstrated in the video below so you can see just how easy it is.