I often hear road warriors complain about traveling with their colleagues. But I’m lucky — wine is an interesting and spirited companion.
Every wine has a distinct — and sometimes delicate — personality. You need to get acquainted before you hit the road.
The young wines are easy. I can pack two cases into cardboard boxes and check them in as luggage. A Carneros Chardonnay or a Coastal Estates Sauvignon Blanc in a current vintage doesn’t mind spending a few hours in Styrofoam shippers. When I open the box, they’re still filled with tons of fruit and a lively finish. And they’re ready to party.
In a way, it’s a lot like traveling with a low-maintenance colleague who knows the ropes of business travel. The moment he’s in his seat, the laptop is out, the noise-canceling headset is on and he’s in his own world.
The real excitement is checking in at the airport. When you’ve got a box filled with wine, heads turn as if you are walking hand-in-hand with this year’s hottest supermodel.
“I hope I’m on your flight,” people say as I pass by them in the terminal.
Other wines are more particular. I just flew to New York with a reserve bottle of 1969 Georges de Latour Cabernet Sauvignon from the Beaulieu Vineyard library in Napa. It’s a bit of a sleeper, but it shows younger than you would expect. And it’s got a vibrant color, developing well in the glass after being poured.
When you bring a bottle that rare and valuable on the plane, you have to take certain precautions. I store it into my laptop computer carrying case. If there’s ever a question of dropping the PC or the wine, the laptop goes first. You can’t back up a vintage bottle of wine.
A ’69 Cab is also sensitive to temperature, so checking it in isn’t an option, and you shouldn’t jostle it around too much. My rule of thumb is that if I’m comfortable, it’s comfortable.
It isn’t only the older wines that ought to be handled with care. Some younger wines — like the 1987 Georges de Latour Private Reserve — can deposit a sediment at the bottom of the bottle, and should be transported upright, if possible. No tastings are scheduled within 24 hours of flying, otherwise the wines haven’t had a chance to adjust to their new environment and calm down. Like most travelers, I think that wines are at their best after a good night’s sleep.
The wine I take along is meant to be enjoyed at restaurants, trade shows or festivals. I often look forward to the return trip, when my load is considerably lighter, and I don’t have to accommodate any wines with special needs.
If it were not for the generosity of my hosts, it would be that simple. Alas, when I check into a hotel, people have a habit of welcoming me with bottles of my own wine. Earlier this year, for example, I stayed at the Peninsula New York. When I opened the door to my suite, there was 1999 Private Reserve Georges de Latour Cabernet Sauvignon greeting me on the desk. It was a nice gesture.
But then, just as I tried to get the thought of traveling back to Napa with a light suitcase out of my mind, I remembered: I have friends in New York. Friends who like wine.
Jeffrey Stambor is the winemaker for Beaulieu Vineyard in Rutherford, Calif.
Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.
Elliott is consumer advocate 
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