"Mike Tommasi" > wrote in message
...
> Hi
>
> anyone have experience with this? Does Fed Ex work, or the US mail? Do
> we get slapped with enormous duties on arrival, or some exotic tax on
> departure?

Hi, Mike -

Things have changed a lot over the past couple of years. In early 2002 I
shipped a half case of wine to Ian's by air carrier for ~$70. It was a lot
easier than carrying it with me on the plane, and not horribly expensive.

Nowadays, however, it has become not only prohibitively expensive to ship
wine; it is nearly *impossible*.

Just carry it with you. Hire bearers and pay the extra luggage fee if there
is one. Just don't waste your efforts on any plonk!

There are no export tariffs that I know of. Import is on your side, so
that's up to you to check out. :^)

> I wil be in CA in september and I need to ship about 18 zins and 6
> mourvedres back to France. I guess carrying these as baggage on the
> plane will set me back a few $$$ so not a good idea.

Au contraire. Read above.

If you simply can't stand to pay the excess baggage fee, I'll be glad to
<ahem> _store_ them for you. Know'msayin'? ;^D

Tom S

P.S. - An alternative idea just occurred to me: Arrange things so that the
_only_ luggage you have with you is the wine! Leave all the clothes and
toiletries in your San Diego office. Send the clothes out for cleaning and
get one of your minions to pick them up and leave them in your office. Then
you won't have to pack for your _next_ trip. You'll then have the space to
bring a couple of cases of European wine _this_ way.

Think bicoastal. Well... sort of.