I remember when I Wine Carrying Suitcase was a wine wholesaler, lugging around bottles to show to prospective customers was sometimes a precarious exercise trying to make sure that nothing got broken. Additionally, airport security since the bombing scares, meant you couldn’t look after any precious bottles you wanted to transport by plane by having them in the cabin, but had to rely on the chance that the baggage handlers were not going to break them by rough handling, despite your best efforts to pack them with the most amount of protection you could think of.
So it was with some delight that I read about VinGardeValise®, a suitcase specially designed to protect your precious wine bottles when travelling, and that they were opening a distribution centre in England. I contacted Barry Wax, the inventor of this product and owner of the company distributing it in the USA, to see if we could work together on this, as I was sure that our readers would be delighted to have such a versatile product in their possession.
This product, as it says, offers an incredible level of protection for your precious bottles in a top quality 4-spinner roller wheel suitcase that is both sturdy and elegant. Check it out in this short video.
Product description
A virtually indestructible wine carrying case, consisting of a 100% polycarbonate shell and dense closed-cell foam, that allows you to transport all of your “…liquid poetry.” The VinGardeValise® can accommodate a full case (12) of regular size 750 ml bottles and weighs between 43 to 49 lbs. fully packed. The wine cavities are designed to hold a combination of almost any shape bottles from traditional Bordeaux and Burgundy, to Champagne and Riesling.
Here are the main features of the product
4 360° spinner wheels to facilitate easy movement and agile handling
100% Polycarbonate Shell
Heavy-Duty Corner Guards
Conforms to all applicable TSA, FAA, and airline luggage standards
Solidly built specifically to protect your wine
Holds up to twelve 750ml bottles of most any shape bottle, or ten 750ml bottles and two Champagne or Champagne-like bottles
Durable to withstand rugged handling by airlines and other baggage handlers
Flexible so that you can take from two to twelve bottles
Space not used for wine can be quickly re-purposed to accommodate clothes, books, or other travel goods
Weighs between 43 to 49 lbs. (approx. 19.5 to 22.25kg.) fully packed with twelve 750ml bottles of wine
Wheels
To lessen the possibility of airline induced damage to the wheels and wheel assemblies, we have installed easily removable and re-installable spinner wheels. The wheels remove by pulling back on a silver “button” on the wheel assembly and extracting the wheel. Re-installation is effected by pulling back on the same button and inserting the wheel pin into the wheel assembly and releasing the button
Inserts
To make it easier and more flexible for consumers to pack a myriad selection of bottle shapes and sizes, we have developed separate foam strips to create a level bottom (placed around the handle channels for the pull out handle) on both sides of the suitcase, thus allowing us to make all the bottle inserts totally interchangeable. Included is a second top for the left side of the suitcase to occupy additional volume should the consumer be packing smaller bottles. The second top may be removed and set aside if not needed. We have also included a Burgundy shaped cavity to better accommodate those style bottles. And, the Bordeaux shaped cavity has removable “shoulder” pads to better accept Bordeaux-shaped bottles with larger shoulders.
Cost
A search on Google reveals that this quality and type of luggage of the same dimensions costs between £90 and £700 depending on the supplier. This rather specialised piece of luggage comes surprisingly in the lower quartile of costs at £259 in the UK. We are pleased to announce that we have been appointed the UK online distributor for VinGardValise® and you can place your order at the top of this page. If you are in or connected with the wine trade, please email us and we will send you a discount code which will give you a £30 discount. (Net £190.83 plus VAT)
Once you receive your coupon, you will need to input the code at checkout.
Depth
The VGV02 is about 1.25cm deeper on each side to better accommodate heftier wine bottles, e.g., Syrah, Pinot and champagne. The additional depth will make it easier to pack and close the suitcase. In turn, it will also decrease stress on the suitcase frame, interior and exterior zippers and the polyester covers on each side of the suitcase.
Hard Case Shell
We have upgraded the hard case shell from ABS plastic with a polycarbonate skin to 100% polycarbonate, 2.4 mm thick. Polycarbonate has about twice as much impact strength as ABS. (http://www.ptsllc.com/intro/polycarb_intro.aspx, and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1LNzik_C6Q for data on the impact difference between the two plastics and an interesting and amusing comparison video). Polycarbonate, which is about twice as expensive as ABS, will provide still more protection for Stevenson’s …”bottled poetry.”
Care & Cleaning
The VinGardeValise® is constructed of polycarbonate and ABS plastics with high density foam and polyester lining. This shell can be easily cleaned and maintained by using a damp cleaning cloth. For ground-in dirt or mars please use a mild detergent. Similarly, the polyester lining located inside the shell may be cleaned with a damp cloth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqjvMBv5XRg
Packing 750 ml Bottle
These bottles should be inserted in the cavities neck first at about a 45 degree angle, then the bulk of the bottle should be pushed gently into the open cavity. Note: the suitcase can only accommodate one (1) Champagne or sparkling wine bottle per side without distorting the other foam cavities and making them unusable.
Packing Riesling and other Tall Bottles
Before packing tall bottles remove the foam plug at the top of the foam cavity. You can then place the plug in the punt at the bottom of the wine bottle for safekeeping. Next place the bottle in neck first at a 45 degree angle and then gently push the bulk of the bottle into the open cavity.
Packing Larger Bottles
These bottles should be inserted in the cavities neck first at about a 45 degree angle, then the bulk of the bottle should be pushed gently into the open cavity. Note: the suitcase can only accommodate one (1) Champagne or sparkling wine bottle per side without distorting the other foam cavities and making them unusable.
Care and Cleaning
The VinGardeValise® is constructed of Polycarbonate and ABS plastics with high density foam and polyester lining. This creates a hard shell around the contents, protecting it from impacts and makes the luggage durable and strong, as well as being lightweight. This shell can be easily cleaned and maintained by using a damp cleaning cloth. For ground-in dirt or mars please use a mild detergent. Similarly, the polyester lining located inside the shell may be cleaned with a damp cloth.
Removing and separating the foam modular inserts
The first time you remove the foam module(s) to allow for other uses of the suitcase, it may be necessary to cut apart the three 2-bottle modules.
This can be done(carefully!) with either a box cutter, Exacto-type knife or other similarly sharp instrument. Simply gently stretch apart the pre-cut modules at the seams and sever the remaining foam connections with the sharp implement. That should do it. Based on your travel needs, you can then place one, two or all three modules in each side. The foam modules with the rounded corners always must go on either the inside or outside “slots” to properly fit the contours of the suitcase; the one with no rounded corners goes in the middle.
Cost
A search on Google reveals that this quality and type of luggage of the same dimensions costs between £90 and £700 depending on the supplier. This rather specialised piece of luggage comes surprisingly in the lower quartile of costs at £259 in the UK. We are pleased to announce that we have been appointed the UK online distributor for VinGardValise® and you can place your order at the top of this page. If you are in or connected with the wine trade, please email us and we will send you a discount code which will give you a £30 discount. (Net £190.83 plus VAT)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqjvMBv5XRg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqjvMBv5XRg
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