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Bringing back wine from France

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Selena F

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Bringing back wine from France

by Selena F » Tue Apr 19, 2011 2:42 pm

I didn't find this exact topic in Search and after trying unsuccessfully to find the info on our State gov sites, I thought I would see if anyone here has the answer. I know I can bring back a certain amount of wine from France according to the US Customs limits, but apparently Customs has to abide by any state laws (if they differ).

Has anyone brought wine back into KY from abroad or are you aware of any restrictions that are different from Customs? I just don't want to get a nasty surprise when we arrive back at CVG!

Thanks!
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Brad Keeton

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Re: Bringing back wine from France

by Brad Keeton » Tue Apr 19, 2011 2:50 pm

I'm sure others may know better, but when I studied abroad in France oh, 8 or 9 years ago, the limit was pretty small, like 6 or 8 bottles max. It may have been more like 4 bottles.
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Robin Garr

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Re: Bringing back wine from France

by Robin Garr » Tue Apr 19, 2011 2:57 pm

Selena, the duty free limit is small - basically, only a bottle or two. But here is the good news: I have come back from overseas (Europe, Australia/New Zealand and South America) carrying wine many times, sometimes as much as a case, and I can tell you that it's not a problem. You need to be honest and declare it, but customs has never, ever bothered to collect the duty. It's very small - only a dollar or two per bottle at most - and they just don't fool with the paperwork. Even if they did, it wouldn't amount to much, but they don't.

Don't try to hide the wine and don't lie about having it. That approach WILL get you in trouble. But just fill out the form, hand it to the nice person at the end of the line and smile, and they'll wave you through. :)

The only problem I could imagine would be if someone came back with so much wine of very large value that they became suspicious you were bringing it back to sell rather than for your own use. Commercial imports require a LOT of paperwork. But as long as you're not bringing in more than you can carry, that's not going to be an issue.
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Re: Bringing back wine from France

by Robin Garr » Tue Apr 19, 2011 2:59 pm

Here's an article I wrote on this subject back in 2000. Obviously this was before 9/11, but the basic rules have not changed.

http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvis ... 1500.shtml
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Selena F

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Re: Bringing back wine from France

by Selena F » Tue Apr 19, 2011 3:05 pm

Thanks for the information, Robin! I was hoping that it would be routine (I do intend to declare it and all of that) and it probably won't be a huge amount. I was just foreseeing getting back to KY with my special bottles of Bordeaux or Sauternes and having it snatched because of some weird state law! Horrors!
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Re: Bringing back wine from France

by Leann C » Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:12 pm

It's been a couple of years. But I remember bringing about four bottles back from Italy. I had managed to get into an argument with my husband (probably just cranky from travel) and insisted on carrying all four bottles in a bag -- by myself...along with whatever carry-on's I had with me. I'm sure we were an interesting site. Cranky girl walking briskly through airports while lugging way too much stuff. Dropping things along the way. While confused husband runs along behind her begging to carry something... Now that I think about it, people were probably scared to question me.
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Re: Bringing back wine from France

by DanB » Thu Apr 28, 2011 10:51 am

I bring back way more than allowed every year. Sometimes even stuffed in the kids luggage. 19 years of smuggling wine back to Southern Indiana and never ever got questioned once on it. Now dog food...... they went ape-**** over that.
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Deb Hall

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Re: Bringing back wine from France

by Deb Hall » Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:44 am

Isn't there a problem with it as carry-on? Does buying from the duty-free resolve this? Since there are (almost) no direct flights- the second (domestic) flight it would be" liquids" and over the limit, or does this not apply for duty-free items?

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