Expert Tips on Traveling with Wine in 2024: Your Definitive Guide Chris Lehoux, February 13, 2024 Content is created by CNN Underscored’s team of editors who work independently from the CNN newsroom. When you buy through links on our site, CNN and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Learn more Traveling with wine bottles in your luggage can be a gamble. A gorgeous vino makes for a wonderful souvenir or gift, but the risk of breakage in transit is real. After a recent trip to Spain, I learned the hard way that wrapping wine bottles in T-shirts was not a foolproof technique. Not only did my beautiful Rioja Gran Reserva — a parting gift from the sumptuous Circulo Gran Via Hotel in Madrid — fail to survive the flight, but my white dress shirts looked like they had been tie-dyed in Barney’s favorite color. Packing wine correctly also protects against bottle shock, the flavor deterioration wines suffer from trauma and fluctuations in temperature and air pressure. “Fine wines, especially champagnes, have a tendency to go into shock after a turbulent journey – a phenomenon that often leads to disappointment when people try a wine that they’ve previously enjoyed abroad. This occurrence is something Jennifer Hugé, the beverage director at FYN, a distinguished restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa that has received a Relais & Chateaux award, has noticed. She notes that wine enables you to encapsulate and bring home the flavours of the places you have visited. But unfortunately, the phenomenon of ‘bottle shock’ can spoil the wine. Fortunately, there are various tips and tools that can help ensure that your beloved bottles reach home safely, their flavour and structure still intact. Here’s a curated collection of wisdom and tools for all travelling wine enthusiasts. Just like us humans, wines too require some downtime to recover after a strenuous journey. The unavoidable physical shocks of travel, combined with the changes in pressure and temperature during a flight, can have considerable effect on the taste and structure of wine. Hugé adds, “Wine is very sensitive to its surroundings. The wine you bring on a flight should always be allowed to lie down for a while before it’s opened and consumed.” So, if you can manage to overcome the urge to open your bottles as soon as you arrive home, let them rest for at least a day. On coming home with wine, I immediately move my bottles from my suitcase to my SASIDO countertop wine rack, where they are laid sideways for a day or two. Sasido Countertop Wine Rack This countertop wine rack can hold six bottles, two glasses and a number of accessories. Plus, it looks good with its stained wood finish and metal accents. $28 at Amazon Wine sleeves offer a cost-effective solution for travelers transporting wine. These sleeves provide a protective layer of plastic or silicone around bottles, minimizing the chances of breakage or bottle shock during transit. When empty, wine sleeves occupy minimal space in your luggage, making them a practical and convenient choice for travelers. WineHero Bottle Protector Bags, 6-Pack These are a must-have for wine, beer and spirit enthusiasts who travel. Each reusable bag protects your bottles from bumps and falls as your checked bag moves through the airport. Plus, each bag seals, keeping your clothes dry on the off chance a bottle breaks in transit. $25 at Amazon For the committed gourmet traveler, specialized suitcases for carrying wine are a worthy investment. With cushioned slots conforming to the shape of wine bottles, a wine suitcase is like a seat in first class for your precious vino. If you’re bringing home an expensive bottle and want to take every precaution against bottle shock and breakage, consider luggage fromVinGardeValise. The suitcase can accommodate up to 12 bottles, with its padding providing protection against both physical impacts and changes in temperature. Of particular note, VinGardeValise suitcases feature secure locks, offering peace of mind that your valuable bottled items will not be tampered with. For those not quite ready to invest hundreds of dollars on a suitcase specifically designed for wine, the Monos Hybrid Trunk offers a viable alternative. This conventional piece of luggage is highly suited for transporting bottles, thanks to the deep compartments that can provide bottles with safe cushioning, especially when combined with clothing or bubble wrap. VinGardeValise Grande Those travellers with a penchant for bringing home wine or spirits will find this particular checked suitcase indispensable. Specifically designed for transporting bottles and ensuring their protection, we found it extremely accommodating and reliable, keeping our bottles secure during a transatlantic journey. From $380 at Amazon Monos Hybrid Trunk This large, trunk-style suitcase can fit (properly packed) wine bottles or whatever else you need to bring with you. It has a sturdy aluminum frame and anodized corner guards that will protect your wine as you move about the world. $455 at Monos Bubble wrap is significantly superior to T-shirts for shielding bottles. It’s also useful for uniquely shaped bottles that can’t fit into wine sleeves. Hugé always has a minor roll of bubble wrap in her travel bag, but options for acquiring bubble wrap are not limited to that. Most airport duty-free shops will have it readily available. Styrofoam containers can be a good alternative, but they are not as space-efficient in your luggage. Scotch Cushion Wrap If your travel plans involve bringing back wine, consider this affordable bubble wrap. It might end up being a cost-effective choice rather than purchasing bubble wrap at your final location. $5 at Amazon $5 at Target Wine bottles come in a variety of shapes, with some better suited for traveling. Hugé recommends Rieslings, a varietal traditionally sold in tapering bottles with reinforced necks, as the most travel-hardy wine. Bottles with long, unreinforced necks — the bottle shape most typical of American wines — are the most delicate travelers. Smaller, more compact bottles also reduce breakage risk. “There’s something to be said about half or demi-bottles, which take up less space. These bottles are generally sturdier and, as a bonus, allow you to take home a greater variety,” says Hugé. Bottles with screwcaps, notes Hugé, are also better travelers than corked bottles, which are more temperamental with the pressure changes of air travel. Avoid the heartbreak of getting your bottles confiscated by customs officials, and make sure to read up on how many bottles the country you’re visiting permits you to take home. For instance, Japan is well-known for its rigorous restrictions on the number of bottles one can carry. “Based on personal experience, you certainly don’t want to be caught departing Japan with excess bottles of, for instance, sake or whiskey,” shares Hugé, speaking with a regretful tone that suggests encounters with custom officials. Allocating time to decant wine can alleviate some of the impact of bottle shock. Decanting facilitates oxygenation of the wine, enabling its flavors to expand maximally. Notably, older red wines should almost always be decanted an hour or two prior to consumption, even if they haven’t been transported recently. The Le Chateau, a decanter furnished with a bulbous reservoir made from thick glass, is a practical masterpiece. It’s an accessory that enhances the beauty of your countertop, even when not in use. Le Chateau Red Wine Decanter This handblown wine decanter is designed to maximize the aeration of your wine and is large enough to accommodate a standard 750-milliliter bottle. It significantly improves the wine-tasting experience, even if the wine is purchased from a local liquor store or brought from abroad. $54 at Amazon At times, there isn’t enough time to search for bubble wrap, so you may have to make do with what you have. If bubble wrap or styrofoam cases are not available, you can use the makeshift method of wrapping the wine bottles in clothes. When I was forced to use this alternative, I was keen to tightly wrap the clothes around the wine bottles and secure the wrapping with rubber bands. The wine bottles were then carefully placed in the center of suitcase to avoid any serious impacts from potential bumps and jostles. But again, you should only do this as an absolute last resort. A broken bottle could — as I’ve learned — break in your bag and destroy your travel wardrobe in the process. Looking for a travel credit card? Find out which cards CNN Underscored Money chose as the best travel credit cards currently available. Note: The prices above reflect the retailers’ listed price at the time of publication. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com About the Author: Chris Lehoux Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored! Wine