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Uncle Jack

Apr 24, 2004, 6:16 AM

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Booze.....any exceptions?

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A friend of mine who lives here in Ajijic and is planning a trip to California ask me about bringing back some wine. I believe the rules are that each adult can bring 3 liters of wine into the country. She/they would like to bring back a couple of cases and ask if they could pay duty on the excess amount. I told them that I didn't think that was possible, but not that I think about it, I'm not sure.

Has anyone ever crossed into Mexico with more that 3 liters and paid duty on the excess. Is it possible?

uj

Bubba

Apr 24, 2004, 10:31 AM

Post #2 of 8 (625 views)

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Re: [Uncle Jack] Booze.....any exceptions?

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UJ:

As my wife worked in the wine business and I was a banker to wineries in the California Wine Country, we had a rather extensive cellar of fine Bordeaux and California top vintages on hand when we decided to retire in Mexico. We are talking top vintages of such fantasy wines as Petrus, Dominus and Chateaux d'Yquem. Heady stuff, and unbelievably expensive, which we acquired for nothing as spoils of being in the wine trade. We would like to have kept it all. However, of necessity,we sold most of it but ended up with a case or so of very fine wine which today, three years later, sits in storage in a friend's winery in St. Helena. We would most assuredly have brought that stuff with us if we could.

Now, here is what will happen to you if you try to cross the border with even one case of wine unless I am mistaken:

You will indicate "nothing to claim" and push the green light, thereby avoiding baggage inspection and successfully smuggling your wine into Mexico.

You will indicate "nothing to claim" and push the red light. What happens next is anybody's guess but, with the appropriate bribe, you may convince them to let you keep the wine in your prison cell.

You can claim the wine and (a) have it confiscated or (b) pay a levy on the juice. Make sure you have lots and lots of money and then some.

Now, we did not move to Mexico for either the food or the wine. My wife is a French citizen so we could have retired there where we could have watched our dollars take a 22% hit against the Euro while freezing our butts off in the Loire Valley. This is one of life's trade offs. However, there is some pretty good vino tinto from Chile called "Rinconada" that is real cheap and now on sale at 3 for 2 at La Paz in San Antonio. I recommend your friends buy three bottles of that stuff, retire to their garden, listen to the songbirds and rainbirds and drink all three bottles with a nice pizza from Lucy's Deli.

Bubba The Redneck Sommelier

Uncle Jack

Apr 24, 2004, 11:03 AM

Post #3 of 8 (617 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Booze.....any exceptions?

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Bubba;

I couldn't care less about the Chateaux d'Yquem but I do indeed morn for your loss of the Petrus.

Hell, about now I be thrilled with a decent bottle of Zinfandel or Pinot Noir.

uj

(This post was edited by Uncle Jack on Apr 24, 2004, 12:32 PM)

gbatrucks

Apr 24, 2004, 11:56 AM

Post #4 of 8 (604 views)

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Re: [Uncle Jack] Booze.....any exceptions?

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If I could only bring in 3 bottles, I'd go with something that would last a long time...the V Sattui Madeira comes to mind.

Trucks
"The trouble with life is there's no background music."

PBGollaz

Apr 24, 2004, 7:52 PM

Post #5 of 8 (552 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Booze.....any exceptions?

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"You can claim the wine and (a) have it confiscated or (b) pay a levy on the juice. Make sure you have lots and lots of money and then some."

Yes, you're allowed to bring in three bottles of wine, liquor or beer free of import duties, as part of your personal luggage. Any additional "merchandise" (alcoholic beverages are not prohibited outright) may be paid for at the rate of 17 percent import duty. That's the law -- and in many places it's also the reality of the situation.

However, in spite of much recent progress México still faces the problem of the individual Customs Officer (or any other government employee) who makes his own rules on the spot. In that sense, Bubba's statement quoted above certainly might apply in some cases. It's a chance that some will take and others not.

Patrick
Zapopan, Jalisco, México

Bubba

Apr 25, 2004, 10:04 AM

Post #6 of 8 (526 views)

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Re: [pbgollaz] Booze.....any exceptions?

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Thanks, Patricio:

I am puzzled as to the 17% duty you discuss. One of our bottles of Petrus sitting in the winery in California is probably worth $1,800USD retail. We paid virtually nothing for it. It will probably be truly ready to drink long after Bubba has started servicing his 72 virgins. I presume that the 17% duty is assessed on the current retail value. So, allowing for the problems of the potential red light plus the mood of the Aduante, here is our plan:

Bring in six bottles at a time every time we cross the border. Designate the Petrus as our allocation and the cheaper stuff as that subject to duty.

I learn something every time I post here.

Gracias Patricio.

mepsi

Apr 25, 2004, 1:06 PM

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Re: [Bubba] Booze.....any exceptions?

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Isn't the limit actually three liters, which would allow you four 750 ml bottles rather than three bottles?

Monte

Carron

Apr 26, 2004, 6:44 AM

Post #8 of 8 (446 views)

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Re: [pbgollaz] Booze.....any exceptions?

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Several weeks ago my husband came home from working in the US. He bought a 12-pack of beer on the north side of the border because the store was having a sale and it was cheaper than what we usually buy here in Mexico. Driving his old 1983 Chevy pickup, he got the red light and the customs officer said he could only bring in 9 cans of beer. Thinking this was a request for a mordida, my husband--an old Mexico hand--immediately offered him the extra three beers. The officer just laughed and sent him on his way with all 12 beers.

Everything in Mexico is conducted at the personal level--mano a mano. Maybe plan on giving a bottle or two of wine to the officer who counts them????? He may not even be offended if you give him the cheaper stuff.