"I think that's your bag, honey!" she said.
"It's not the last one off the plane? Yay!" I said
"I'll get it" she said.
"Thanks" I said.
"I hope the wine's OK" she said.
"It always is" I said.
"(Grunting) Got it!" she said."
"Daddy it's all sticky" the little she said.
"Something must have leaked onto it in the hold" I said.
"I just hope it's not the honey we bought." one of the shes said
"No way." I said, knowing in my heart she was right.
Next to several bottles of wine, I'd packed two jars of honey. It was special honey, from bees who make their living pollinating plants in Spain's fertile Montsant region. (Actually, I doubt whether bees respect appellational boundaries, so some of their pollinating likely took place in the neighboring Priorat DOC/DOQ. Blessed little trespassers!)
During my years of travel to foreign wine lands, I've always brought samples safely home by wrapping them in excess clothing and then snugly tucking them inside my checked luggage (article here).
But not this time - the photo at right shows the honey-clad suitcase after unpacking the sticky mess. You should'a seen the clothes.
Up to now, I'd had a 100% success rate in bringing home wine samples unscathed. So, why were the odds Gods working against me this time? Before you abandon hope of using this (usually) reliable technique, you may want to consider two refinements to the basic technique:
I packed so lightly, saving room for my eagerly anticipated wine booty, there was insufficient clothing to adequately wrap the honey jars. Your goal is to prevent movement of the bottles, especially when your bag is mishandled. If need be, recruit partially empty rolls of toilet paper and stuff them into your empty spaces.
Three bottles of our wine were housed in a wooden box from Clos de L'Obac, and it was contact with the corner of this box that broke the honey pot. Despite the attractiveness of wooden wine boxes, I recommend mustering your restraint and leaving them at your hotel, IF you plan to transport other breakables in the same bag.
All in all, I am still a confident supporter of this (usually) reliable technique, and continue to recommend its use for safely returning with wine samples intact.
Cheers!
Dave the Wine Merchant
Dave@SidewaysWineClub.com
866-746-7293Quote of the Day""The only reason for being a bee is to make honey... and the only reason for making honey is so I can eat it."
~ Winnie the Pooh From 'House at Pooh Corner' by A.A. Milne
"I think that's your bag, honey!" she said.
"It's not the last one off the plane? Yay!" I said
"I'll get it" she said.
"Thanks" I said.
"I hope the wine's OK" she said.
"It always is" I said.
"(Grunting) Got it!" she said."
"Daddy it's all sticky" the little she said.
"Something must have leaked onto it in the hold" I said.
"I just hope it's not the honey we bought." one of the shes said
"No way." I said, knowing in my heart she was right.
Next to several bottles of wine, I'd packed two jars of honey. It was special honey, from bees who make their living pollinating plants in Spain's fertile Montsant region. (Actually, I doubt whether bees respect appellational boundaries, so some of their pollinating likely took place in the neighboring Priorat DOC/DOQ. Blessed little trespassers!)
During my years of travel to foreign wine lands, I've always brought samples safely home by wrapping them in excess clothing and then snugly tucking them inside my checked luggage (article here).
But not this time - the photo at right shows the honey-clad suitcase after unpacking the sticky mess. You should'a seen the clothes.
Up to now, I'd had a 100% success rate in bringing home wine samples unscathed. So, why were the odds Gods working against me this time? Before you abandon hope of using this (usually) reliable technique, you may want to consider two refinements to the basic technique:
