Exactly bws48! The only time I've checked my duffel was once when I overstuffed it too full for a LaGuardia USAir agent to allow it past boarding, and another time when my host dropped two bottles of very nice Rioja on me literally at the curb side, and I had to improvise padding and packaging to protect them from breaking several thousand miles getting home as checked baggage.

Another travel tip is when your collateral picked up overseas or out of town gets too heavy to truck halfway across the planet, FedEx or DHL does wonderful delivering it to me back in the US. Inexpensive and fast. And for delivery of wine, I've only had to come down to SeaTac customs once to fill out the declaration, otherwise import what's within your personal limit and you will often find the box of wine at destination within a day of your arrival. I know of travelers who do nothing but ship their checked bags to their hotel at destination, although I'm too cheap to do that.

Travel light, travel smart. Light is way more fun too.