The First Question Rick Steves Asks Before Buying A Bottle Of Wine To Bring Home From Europe

Travel writer and TV host Rick Steves knows how to do a European vacation — after all, he's written books on it. So it should be little surprise that he has a strategy when it comes to bringing home souvenirs like a fine bottle of wine.

Imagine you've had a memorable dinner in a cozy Parisian brasserie with an amazing yet unfamiliar wine, maybe from a lesser-known wine region like Touraine. You'd love to have it back home but you're unsure about whether you'll be able to find it.

Steves shares how to navigate the process on his website: First, ask the server if the wine is exported to your home state. While you may well get an "I don't know" answer (after all, most restaurant servers probably don't have encyclopedic knowledge of the export destinations for an entire wine list), maybe they'll at least know if the wine is exported to the United States, or if it's produced in small quantities and therefore doesn't leave France. If that doesn't get you the info you need, take a photo of the wine label (snap the rear label too, in case it has key information). You could then send it to your local wine shop and ask if they carry it or might be able to import it. If they've got it, problem solved: Drop in and stock up when you're back.

If that wine of your dreams isn't available back home, then you may have to go to the effort of bringing it home yourself. But you'll have to contend with protecting any wine from breakage in your bag, carrying the wine through any other destinations you're visiting before your return, and making sure you stick to duty-free rules.

This path can be tricky, so here are some tips. Firstly, if you're only traveling with carry-on luggage, forget about it: Liquids rules mean you'll only be able to carry a 3.4 ounce bottle of wine — if that even exists, it's probably not worth it. If you're checking a bag, you're good to go, but be sure to wrap that bottle well in bubble wrap or soft clothing to avoid catastrophic breakage in your suitcase.

Then, you'll have to think about duty-free rules. If you're traveling to the United States, you can bring in a liter of any alcohol (just under 34 ounces) without paying taxes. You can bring more if you pay tax on it; this isn't much (as little as a dollar or two per liter of wine) but you can't be in a rush to get out of the airport, as you'll have to stick around for the tax payment process. Plus, wine is heavy — multiple bottles will eat up your checked baggage weight allowance, so think about the risk of excess baggage fees. On top of that, some airlines also limit the number of bottles you can check in your bag, so research that before you stock up. Overall, it's probably easier to buy the wine back home, but if you have time and baggage space, importing it yourself can work.