Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
278
Tips
T aking Wine Home
Argentine wines are becoming more and more popular in Nor th America and
Europe, but y ou won't find man y of the best vintages at home y et. Here are
some tips f or bringing a f ew bottles home with y ou.
• Although Customs rules depend on your home country, in general you can
take as many bottles back as y ou can carr y, provided they are for personal
use. Legally, you are usually allo wed to bring thr ee bottles dut y-free, but
if you bring more (say, up to six), just declare them at Customs. If the charge
isn't waived completely, it's usually small , based either on the alc ohol-per-
liter ratio or on the pric e of the bottle . M ore than six bottles and y ou're
likely to be pa ying a visit t o Customs officers, who will tax y ou.
• Exporting mor e than a do zen bottles is mor e c omplicated. You should
discuss the log istics thor oughly with authorities in y our c ountry bef ore
your trip.
• Due to recent changes in airline securit y, you need t o limit the amount of
liquid y ou take with y ou as a carr y-on. Therefore, I r ecommend y ou put
the wine bottles in y our checked luggage , keeping w eight limits in mind .
Pack them w ell! You can buy wine bags and St yrofoam spacers from wine
stores in M endoza. Try
Pura Cepa,
Sarmiento 644 (
&
261/423-8282
), or
Marcelino,
at the corner of Zapata y Benegas (
&
261/429-3648
). They run
about $15 (£10) each. M any
bodegas
will also help y ou pack age special
bottles f or int ernational tra vel, and they can help arrange f or lar ger pur-
chases as w ell. The best option is t o buy special bo xes with f oam hollows
for 6 or 12 bottles . These boxes come with handles f or comfortable travel-
ing.
• Another option is t o send bottles dir ectly home via a c ourier ser vice. Ask
at the
bodega
or wine st ore for more information. It runs about $15 (£10)
a bottle.
• Know that y our home stat e or pr ovince det ermines the r egulations y ou
must f ollow. To be 100% c ertain y ou're not tr eading int o dark wat ers,
consult local authorities bef ore your trip.
10
They're available at most hotels and at the wine shops in Mendoza. The mapmaker's new
website, www.caminosdelvino.com, is an excellent place to get a head start on your plan-
ning.
HOW TO SEE THE VINEYARDS
The list of vineyar ds is enormous, the r oad maps unfamiliar , and the options endless.
How exactly should y ou plan to make the most of y our time in M endoza? You hav e
choices. First, you can sign up for a fully organiz ed multiday trip led b y a local guide,
who takes care of all the logistics and leads you into the heart of the wine land. (See below
for details on guides.) This is the easiest way to do it. You can also just join an organized
tour for a day or two. Going on your own is another option. You can hire a
remise
for the
day (see earlier in this chapter), call in adv ance to book your reservations, and head out.
