Bringing Wine to a Restaurant

[audreyh1]

One thing I do know in TX is that you can take an unfinished bottle of wine with you. Just put it somewhere where it won’t appear like you’re drinking it in the way home.

 

[Drake3287]

Same thing here. Just can't be accessible to the passenger compartment.

 

[jebmke]

One thing I do know in TX is that you can take an unfinished bottle of wine with you. Just put it somewhere where it won’t appear like you’re drinking it in the way home.

Maryland now allows this. They realized people would be more likely to stop short of finishing a bottle if they were allowed to leave with it.

 

[Idnar7]

We have a family cabin that we use in the summer. We haul all trash home each weekend. With a big group there are usually many beer cans from the weekend. Most of us have SUV's which could be a problem. When I carry an open bottle of wine home I put it in a two bottle carrier that has a lock on it. Not sure if that would be legal or not. Luckily we've never been stopped.

 

[athena53]

In MO at least, the restaurant can seal the partly-used bottle of wine in a plastic bag with special seals on it. You can take that home and won't get in trouble unless you open it on the way. Very sensible solution.

One anecdote on BYOB: The NY Times reported years ago that one couple brought a very expensive bottle of wine to a fancy restaurant in NJ. The waiter opened it and the customers tasted it and said it had gone bad. With the customers' permission the waiter tasted it and said that was exactly how it was supposed to taste but the couple just asked him to take it away because they didn't like it. The story reported that quite a few waiters found a good excuse to visit the kitchen during the evening.

 

[COcheesehead]

Yes you can! We've done this many times. The open container laws apply if you are driving though, so keep it in the trunk. Here's the actual law permitting it:

23396.5.
Notwithstanding any other law, any on-sale licensee that maintains a bona fide eating place in conjunction with such license, any on-sale beer and wine public premises licensee, or any winegrower that is exercising a privilege pursuant to Section 23358 or 23390 may allow any person who has purchased and partially consumed a bottle of wine to remove the partially consumed bottle from the premises upon departure.
​

Law section

Yes, this is legal in Colorado too. The bottle must have the cork in it, taped shut and dated, but you can walk out with an unfinished bottle.

 

[Scuba]

I’m in CA and we frequently bring our own wine. If the restaurant has a reasonably priced wine list and/or good wines by the glass, we may not. But we almost always bring wine to high-end restaurants. They charge $25 for corkage but for that price we drink a really great bottle of wine, vs paying $60-$80 for a mediocre bottle from their list.

We usually do offer waiters a taste and they seem to appreciate and enjoy it. Typically nits a wine they haven’t had.

Many local restaurants offer no corkage on one weeknight, usually Monday or Tuesday.

 

[Winemaker]

DW and I travel to California wine country all the time, not only Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, Medicino and others. Some restaurants will charge no corking fees for any wine, or no corkage fees for local AVA only. I have 1) brought my own wine and no fees and 2) have brought my own wine, no fees but I had to buy at least 1 bottle off the wine list. Again, local custom.

I have never been asked to share by the sommelier, wine steward, or server, ever, in any eating establishment in the US. And nobody has ever refused my request for a "wine doggie bag" and have never made any special "secure" enclosures for the opened bottle other than their plastic zip lock bag.

Now I hope I haven't jinxed myself.

 

[audreyh1]

In TX - and this was in the 80s - they just put a cork in the unfinished bottle and suggested we put it in the back of the car.

I never heard of the giving the waiter a “taste” business.

 

[Kelor]

In TX - and this was in the 80s - they just put a cork in the unfinished bottle and suggested we put it in the back of the car.

I never heard of the giving the waiter a “taste” business.

I’m thinking whomever mentioned that sommelier taste thing must be a sommelier in retirement.

 

[TwoByFour]

This conversation makes me a glad that my palette is not discerning enough to make me want to BYOB, or to take it home with me. I am clueless about wine. But I am picky about beer.

 

[Fedup]

This is the way retired people share a meal without its being so expensive. I saw 6 retirees with one bottle. I was surprised because when my husband was still drinking wine, he could finish at least half a bottle to himself.

 

[Midpack]

I didn’t know before I did a search.

https://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/44507

 

[NW-Bound]

... when my husband was still drinking wine, he could finish at least half a bottle to himself.

I think the reason the standard bottle size is 750mL is that it's just right for two people for dinner.

My wife does not drink, so on the few occasions when I ordered a bottle, I drank all of it myself. So, I usually buy by the glass. Once dining out with a friend and his wife who also did not drink, we ordered one bottle, and it was not enough for two guys, and we got another. Well, that dinner was 2-hour long or something like that, so we drove home just fine.

But back on BYOB, I have never done that. I am not an oenophile, and what I bring would cause the sommelier to raise eyebrows.

 

[redshift]

Same in Mass. If they serve wine/beer/liquor already you cannot bring in your own bottle.

Both must have very effective restaurant industry lobbyists! I've never heard of that law in any state I've been.

 

[HFWR]

Both must have very effective restaurant industry lobbyists! I've never heard of that law in any state I've been.

Add Texas and Indiana to that list. If they’re licensed, no outside booze allowed, afaik...

 

[mtpisgah]

We do it all the time in SC and NC. Corkage is a deal vs paying their markup.

 

[audreyh1]

Add Texas and Indiana to that list. If they’re licensed, no outside booze allowed, afaik...

If a restaurant sells spirits “mixed beverage permit” the state law prohibits bringing your own wine, but if it sells only beer and wine it’s not illegal to bring your own. The restaurant may refuse you though.

 

[COcheesehead]

Colorado where pot is legal doesn’t allow it either. Go figure.

 

[Fedup]

They want bring pot to a restaurant.

 

[Sarpy]

Map outdated?

ID allows you to bring in your own bottle. At least, that's been our experience.
We don't do this, but dine with friends who do on occasion.