As a wine tour owner, I meet hundreds of wine lovers a year. Since I was planning on making the leap and finally investing in my own wine luggage, I paid specific attention to what my guests were using for wine suitcases this year. It also gave me the opportunity to get up close with each wine suitcase to test out how they felt; whether they felt durable or flimsy, bulky or sleek. The most important of factor, of course, is if the wine suitcases protected the wine during air travel. Here are the results! Read to the end to see what wine luggage I ended up buying.
What is a wine suitcase and do I need one?
A wine suitcase is a specific piece of luggage designed to transport wine for air travel. This means they are designed to protect wine during travel while maximizing the space within the suitcase. There are wine suitcases that just hold wine and others that have space for wine and your clothing. If you plan on buying wine while traveling, I highly suggest you consider buying a wine suitcase for air travel.
In 2019, I bought 13 bottles of wine in Lebanon. I came home with 11 of them. Two perished in my non-wine suitcase. I thought my clothes and my towels would be enough to protect them, I was wrong. Since then I’ve been pretty adamant about how I travel with wine. On my recent wine trips to Hungary, Barolo, Rome, and France, I was sure to be prepared with the proper wine luggage.
But first, what if you’re not ready to buy a wine suitcase but still want to protect your wine?
If you’re not the type of wine lover who is willing to commit an entire checked bag to wine, I highly recommend you AT LEAST invest in some wine sleeves. The brand I used before I bought my own wine suitcase is called Wine Skin. They’re relatively inexpensive and you can get them online. They’re basically bubble wrap that contours the shape of the wine bottle and double seals in the off chance that the wine breaks to protect your clothing.
I had one guest swear by the inflatable wine sleeves. I personally have never used them because I think they’d take up too much space in my luggage, but she was pretty convincing so I thought I’d include them. I think these would be great if you’re shipping a bottle of wine as a gift. Let me know in the comments if you’ve ever used these.
Okay, you’ve committed to buying a wine suitcase…
Alright wine lovers, let’s get it going. Wine suitcases come in all different shapes, sizes, and bottle capacities…and let’s be honest, budget is also really important. These wine luggage options are not in any particular order but I do save my personal favorite wine suitcase for last. With the purchase of one of these wine suitcases you can buy wine while traveling and be confident it’ll make it home safely.
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Vino-Voyage 2.0 by Wine Enthusiast TSA-Approved 6-Bottle Wine Suitcase
This wine suitcase is from Wine Enthusiast, one of the most trusted names in wine. A guest I did a tour with in June had this suitcase and I was first struck by the Bordeaux color. It’s relatively small and quite lightweight. Inside there is foam to protect the bottles. It can fit up to 6 bottles of any size. The wine suitcase itself is hard shell so there’s no fear of it getting bumped.
- Hard-shell with reinforced corners
- Lightweight
- Small and compact
- 4 castor wheels and retractable handle
- Dimensions: 8.5”W x 8.5”D x 18”H or 20cm x 20cm x 45cm
- Holds 6 bottles
- Can hold any standard sized shape bottle
- TSA-Approved
- Approximate cost $199
- Well made and sturdy
CasePro CP-WINE-12B 12 Bottle Wine Carrier with Wheels
When my guests from DC rolled up (literally) with this monster, I knew it was going to be a great tour. These wine suitcases are indestructible. I’m pretty sure it could fall from the plane and not a single bottle would break; I mean, it is a black box, after all. The entire design of the CasePro wine suitcase is based on functionality and durability. Yeah, it’s not pretty on the eyes but your wine will make it home safely. The only downfall here is that it’s heavy– 25 pounds/ 12 kilos without any wine in it. With each wine bottle weighing 2.2lbs or 1 kilo, you’re looking at being over 50lbs or 22 kilos, you may have to pay an extra-heavy luggage fee, or like these guests, they have elite status so they load it up.
- Heavy-duty construction
- Maintains proper temperature for up to 8 hours
- Withstands extreme temperatures
- Dimensions: L 25.63″ x W 19.5″ x H 15.63″ or 64cm x 49cm x 40cm
- Holds 12 bottles and has a spot for wine accessories
- Can hold any shape bottle
- Approximate cost $399
- For the serious wine collector
KARRIAGE-MATE Multiple Purpose Wine Travel Hardside Luggage 10 Bottles
There’s quite a few things to love about this particular wine suitcase. First, it holds 10 bottles which is almost exactly the right weight to be able to check it with overweight fees. Second, it comes in a bunch of fun patterns and colors like leopard print and zebra. Third, you can use all or some of the inserts to customize it to your needs. And lastly, it can be dropped from 6 feet up in the air and survive- let’s not test that.
- Lightweight but durable
- With 10 bottles of wine the weight is 40lbs or 18kg
- Maintains bottle temperature
- Dimensions: 17″ x 10″ x 26″ or 43cm x 25cm x 66cm
- Can hold any shape bottle
- 4 castor wheels for easy traveling
- Approximate cost $250
- The inserts can be used separately which is a major bonus
I Saved the Best Wine Suitcases for Last
VinGardeValise is my favorite brand of wine suitcases. They are a wine people doing suitcases, not suitcase people doing wine so they are very in tune to the wine traveller’s needs. The company is great, the product is of a very high quality, and not for nothing, their branding is excellent as well. I’ve always known that when it came time for me to invest in a proper wine suitcase that I would buy a VinGardeValise. Then it just came down to which size…so which did I pick, well, not this next one, but the last one.
VinGardeValise Grande – Up to 12 Bottles & All Purpose Wine Travel Suitcase
I really really really wanted the VinGardeValise Grande. Like, really bad. It’s the absolute best wine suitcase. The design is great, the features are great, everything is as I would have designed it myself BUT because I usually travel with budget airlines, it was just every so slightly too big for me. Fully packed it’s 22kg or 50lbs whereas the limit when I fly is 20kg. Now I know what you’re saying, get the big one and don’t fill it all the way, but I know myself and I’d be too tempted to stuff it.
Now if the airline you travel on always that much weight without overweight luggage fees, then absolutely buy this wine suitcase. You will not regret it.
- Specifically designed for wine lovers who travel
- Guaranteed to protect bottles
- With 12 bottles of wine the weight is 50lbs or 22kg
- Flexible design to allow for wine AND clothing
- Dimensions: 18” x 13.5” x 27” or 46cm x 36cm x 69cm
- Can hold both Burgundy and Bordeaux style bottles
- TSA compliant lock
- Extra security from seatbelt straps
- Approximate cost $399
- It’s also sexy AF
Drumroll please…and the wine suitcase I ended up buying is….
VinGardeValise “Petite” – Up to 8 Bottles & All Purpose Wine Travel Suitcase
Like I said above, I knew when it came time to start being serious about wine suitcases that I would buy a VinGardeValise. The 8 bottle “Petite” size is absolutely perfect for me. It can carry up to 8 bottles and still have some wiggle room for a pair of shoes or a few things that don’t fit in my carry on. When I travel to a wine region, I usually buy about 8 bottles anyway, I like to pretend I’m a baller buying cases but I’m just too broke for that, haha! I have travelled to a couple of wine regions with it now and I am so happy with my purchase. It was a bit of a splurge for my budget, but I’d buy it over and over again.
- Specifically designed for wine lovers who travel
- Guaranteed to protect bottles
- With 8 bottles of wine the weight is 40lbs or 18kg
- Flexible design to allow for wine AND clothing
- Dimensions: 18” x 13” x 22” or 46cm x 33cm x 56cm
- Can hold both Burgundy and Bordeaux style bottles
- TSA compliant lock
- Extra security from seatbelt straps
- Approximate cost $299
A Few FAQ About Traveling with Wine
How much does a bottle of wine weigh?
The average 750ml standard sized wine bottle weighs 2.65lbs or 1.2 kg. HOWEVER, some wine bottles weight more and can reach 3.2lbs or 1.5kg. Trust me, weigh your suitcase and don’t rely on an estimate- I learned this the hard weigh after traveling to Chateauneuf du Pape. Do yourself a favor and buy a luggage scale.
How much does a bottle of Champagne weigh?
Because Champagne must be made of a heavier glass, Champagne bottles weight approximately 3lbs or 1.4kg.
Will Champagne explode in checked luggage?
Thank Dionysus, no. Champagne will not explode in checked luggage. The luggage areas are pressurized like the rest of the plane.
Can you fly with wine in a carry on?
Nope, no, absolutely not. Unfortunately, because some a-hole brought liquid chemicals on a plane in hopes to take it down, liquids are restricted to 100ml or 3.3oz. Wine bottles are 750ml or 25.4oz. Now, has the airline world taken full advantage of the situation because they’re making a killing off of baggage fees, yes. It’s a racket for sure.
Thank you so much! I just traveled to California and didn’t realize there was such a difference in taste between the wineries here in the Midwest. I FELL IN LOVE with the Zinfandel and Syrah and Cab-Savs and…well you get my drift. Not only did I pay steep prices for the wine, I paid over $160 to ship 8 to Ohio. I didnt know such things existed until 24hr before my flight.
This review has narrowed the list down tremendously!