My Favorite Wine Travel Tips (Part One)

My photo above is from Colmar, in Alsace, France. It’s about as European as a town can feel, with winding streets, wonderful buildings hundreds of years old, and a distinct culture and cuisine unlike anything else out there. It’s the kind of town that is easy to fall in love with, and easy to revisit.

We’ve been traveling to Europe quite a bit lately, trying to get in three trips per year, mostly for work (research and development … don’t laugh, it’s hard work!), and occasionally for a bit of pleasure.

During these trips we’ve compiled a list of tips and hacks that has greatly improved our enjoyment of European travel in particular and wine travel in general. Here are some of our favorites.

Note: there are no affiliate links in this post. These are simply items I love.

Pack a fork and spoon combo, and buy local yogurt

This is one of my favorite hacks.

In my backpack I always have this thing. Why? Because in Europe, local yogurt is essential to me.

When I first land in Europe, my first stop after checking into our accommodations will be the closest supermarket and in that store I stock up on local (and often insanely delicious) yogurt. And I eat a bunch right away. This gets the regional microbes and bio-organisms into my gut, and I’ve found it’s the best way to avoid problems of the stomach variety (along with avoiding fatty dishes the first few days).

Plus, by having this tool handy I can always buy a yogurt or two, or a salad, at the train station, airport, or while just walking around and save a ton of money. A couple good yogurts, for under 3 or 4 Euro, will keep me going for a couple of hours.

Search “packable spoon and fork” on Amazon to see tons of options.

(Sidebar: I mentioned “avoid problems of the stomach variety” which is a peaceful way of saying “avoid getting the shits.” ALWAYS pack a half dozen Imodium tablets. If you feel the bad feelings starting up you want to shut that shit down, literally, right away instead of trying to hold it in while searching for a pharmacy. I learned the hard way. Always pack those little embarrassment-saving tablets.)

Starbucks Via Instant Coffee

I’m a Minnesotan who loves his cup of coffee in the morning. Good, old-fashioned, no-frills cuppa joe. I’m not an espresso guy. I’m not a latte guy. And even if I was, I’m typing this at 6:00 in the morning and nothing is yet open here in Colmar. And it’s 42 degrees outside and I don’t feel yet like walking around.

Some hotels and Airbnbs have a coffee maker. The coffee maker here in our Airbnb is a complicated looking machine and by the time I figure the thing out, it will be lunchtime and winetime.

But there is always an electric teapot.

Starbucks to the rescue. When we travel to Europe, we bring a dozen or so of the Via Instant Coffee sleeves (often available at Costco, and always at Target, Amazon, and Starbucks in the US). This assures this particular coffee-addicted Minnesotan that he can have his first cup of coffee within minutes of waking up. #lifeisgood

Sidenote: Europe in general has quite good instant coffee available at local stores. So if/when you run out, have no fear and just head to the local store.

Speaking of which ….

Always visit a local supermarket

There is nothing better than getting a little cheese and cured meat for insanely low prices in Europe.

Every time I’m in Europe it astounds me how affordable food can be, even from the fanciest of stores. But especially when it comes to cheese and charcuterie, it’s a great way to save a few bucks by not eating out, yet get the local flavor of a place.

I also visit supermarkets to grab gifts for people back home. The gift of local mustard, some canned duck confit (in France “confit” does not mean chopped up, but rather a whole piece of duck, usually the thigh and leg), tea towels, table runners, etc.

A TSA compliant wine opener? It’s kinda possible …

Regular wine openers, with their little knife, are commonly scooped up by the TSA when they look at your carry-on bag. I’ve accidentally lost at least a dozen openers that way. Sidenote: you can buy HUGE BAGS of wine openers dirt cheap at the TSA auction site, or via Ebay.

But there is one you can buy and carry on (for the most part, see below): the TSA Compliant wine opener.

This little gem has a cutting wheel instead of a knife. But be warned: this usually goes through TSA in the US, but the European airline security officers will often grab it due to the sharp corkscrew. It’s always up to the individual agent. Just because it says “TSA Compliant” doesn’t mean it is (kinda like the “Service Dog” jackets people use to justify bringing Toto to the movies and fancy restaurants).

Another travel wine opener that seems to be popular with minimalist packers is this one:

However, some agents (especially in Europe) will see the pointy corkscrew and still confiscate it.

In the end, regarding wine openers coming to Europe, unless you’re checking in a bag, just plan on buying one when you arrive. If you’re like us and tend to carry on on the way out, but check in your bags on the way back, the corkscrew you purchase can be a memento from your trip!

Bring a couple Go Vino glasses

Why bring glasses when you know your hotel or Airbnb probably has some?

For one, theses are simply awesome. They’re BPA-free, pretty much indestructible, weigh next to nothing, help make wine more enjoyable, and when packed with socks or something inside them, they take up zero room.

And if you find yourself at an Airbnb, such as the one I’m typing this in from Alsace, France, with no good stemware to enjoy the decent bottle you just purchased, you’ll wish you had them.

The best part? Drinking in public parks is legal throughout France (including Paris). What could possibly be more fun than setting up a picnic in the Luxemborg Gardens, with local cheeses and meats, a good bottle of wine, and a fresh baguette? The answer is nothing, and you’ll have a memorable cultural experience while saving a ton of money.

Learn more about GoVino glasses.

The 20€ Interior Design Budget

The Airbnb we’re in at this moment had a janky (unusable) wine opener, no real wine glasses, no candles, no matches, and no air freshener.

Rather than being the person that complains on Airbnb and leaves petty reviews, I just went to the store and bought some stuff that I’ll leave it behind when we’re done. Total expense: 17€.

We call it the 20 Euro interior design budget. Every Airbnb we stay in (for more than just a night or two), we try to improve a bit by doing this, and we never spend more than 10 to 20 Euro. If the place is perfect and has everything, we’ll use the budget to buy flowers to enjoy for our stay. It’s a nice way to throw some good karma to the world and help out the owners, who often don’t know their wine opener is janky unless someone complains online.

That’s it for now. We’ll have more hints and tips coming soon!

What are some of your travel hacks? Put them below!