Before 9/11, it used to be convenient to purchase a few bottles of wine at whatever destination we were visiting to bring home. We could carry it through security, assuring delicate handling of this precious cargo, knowing that the investment (no matter how large or small) would be protected until time to enjoy.

Today, should we decide to purchase wine or other libations during our travels (or bring them with us to our destination), we now have to pack the bottles in our checked luggage – luggage that gets thrown around, stacked, dropped, and rummaged through by the TSA. Sometimes the bottles packed inside get damaged or broken. Nothing is worse that opening your luggage only to find that nice bottle of pinot noir leaked all over the pastel dress you packed to wear for your cousin’s wedding.

Personally, I’ve become a master at packing wine bottles in checked luggage and have been known to leave a few not-so-favorite clothing items at my destination so there would be more room for extra bottles. I once even managed to bring home nine bottles of French wine in a 22 inch upright bag. Yes, it was heavy, but that Chateau du Marres was so worth the extra effort.

Fortunately there is an answer to all of our wine packing problems. No longer will I need steal the plastic laundry bag hanging in a hotel room closet to place my wine in and arrange my laundry artfully around the bottles in my suitcase. I can now travel confidently knowing my wine is safe inside of a Bottlewise Bot’lPak, a wine tote made to protect not only the wine bottle, but also your clothing and other accessories inside your luggage from getting ruined, should the unthinkable happen. It is made with a durable padded outer shell. The interior is a thick sealable plastic case which keeps liquid from seeping onto your clothes, just in case.

Here are some travel tips for packing your wine or culinary item:

• Place your Bot’lPak near the center of your luggage
• Use even weight distribution
• Don’t place anything sharp, like a corkscrew, within your bag to prevent puncturing

The Bottlewise Bot’lPak is available online at Bottlewise.com and retail for $29.95. Be sure to check out the other wine travel accessories from this company. Readers of TravelingMamas.com can get 15% discount on Bottlewise by using Promo Code: TRVM15

This product was provided by the company for review purposes.