How do you handle this? I want to bring a wine, that could use a few hours of decanting, to a restaurant. Can I open it at home then put it back in the bottle and bring it. Is this even legal in California?
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I've done it. You need to put the bottle in the trunk; even if you ram the cork all the way in, it still counts as an open container. But beyond that there should not be any trouble. No decent restaurant would blame you.
Alternatively go to any home brew shop. You can buy capsules that you can put onto the wine so it looks like it was never opened. Most of them shrink to fit when you hold them over a steaming kettle. (Don't worry, the heat won't damage the wine).
Another alternative is to take the wine to the restaurant ahead of time and have them decant it, but you'd really have to trust them
IIRC Board-O has even been known to take the wine in a decanter to the restaurant. Guess the laws are different in NY.
Alternatively go to any home brew shop. You can buy capsules that you can put onto the wine so it looks like it was never opened. Most of them shrink to fit when you hold them over a steaming kettle. (Don't worry, the heat won't damage the wine).
Another alternative is to take the wine to the restaurant ahead of time and have them decant it, but you'd really have to trust them
IIRC Board-O has even been known to take the wine in a decanter to the restaurant. Guess the laws are different in NY.
quote:Another alternative is to take the wine to the restaurant ahead of time and have them decant it, but you'd really have to trust them
If I trust them to cook for me I guess I'd have to trust them to decant my wine. In all seriousness, I have done this and also have had restaurants decant their own wines off their lists in advance of my arrival. Never been burned so far. Charmed life, I guess...
PH
I have addressed same situation a few ways
I have shown up to restaurant earlier in day, popped bottle had them decant and then place decanter on high shelf out of the way and out if harms way. Show up later on and ask for decanter to be retrieved. Other times I have simply opened and or decanted hours prior to leaving the house, if its a close pace (under 15 miles) wife will hold on lap in one of our decanters, if its longer drive I will rebottle, recork and place in zip lock bag but NOT place in trunk, afraid of spillage and heat)
I have shown up to restaurant earlier in day, popped bottle had them decant and then place decanter on high shelf out of the way and out if harms way. Show up later on and ask for decanter to be retrieved. Other times I have simply opened and or decanted hours prior to leaving the house, if its a close pace (under 15 miles) wife will hold on lap in one of our decanters, if its longer drive I will rebottle, recork and place in zip lock bag but NOT place in trunk, afraid of spillage and heat)
1. Make dining reservations.
2. Decant as needed and recork.
3. Place bottle in a sealed, insulated container in your trunk. Using a styrofoam wine shipper and taping it shut should do.
Items no. 1 & 3 should help you with open container laws if you ever end up in court.
2. Decant as needed and recork.
3. Place bottle in a sealed, insulated container in your trunk. Using a styrofoam wine shipper and taping it shut should do.
Items no. 1 & 3 should help you with open container laws if you ever end up in court.
I do it often and never had a problem.
quote:Originally posted by Mr Cabernet:
How do you handle this? I want to bring a wine, that could use a few hours of decanting, to a restaurant. Can I open it at home then put it back in the bottle and bring it. Is this even legal in California?
The Las Vegas thread has me thinking...my wife and I plan on going to CUT while we are out there, and I want to bring a bottle or two with me.
Any advice on dropping the bottle off early at the restaurant for decanting? Anyone been burned? I would assume a restaurant of that caliber wouldn't risk their reputation messing with a bottle, but when you assume...
Any advice on dropping the bottle off early at the restaurant for decanting? Anyone been burned? I would assume a restaurant of that caliber wouldn't risk their reputation messing with a bottle, but when you assume...
Do it all the time in Carlsbad
quote:Originally posted by BOMBA503:
Do it all the time in Carlsbad
Perhaps, but I don't know any restaurants of Cut's caliber in Carlsbad. However I did do it one LV. My concern is having it at a good temperature. So I chill it way down and bring the bottle in a foam wine carrier. It sits open breathing on the table and warming to serving temperature.
The OP wasnt asking about Cut and I've done it at West which is as good as it gets here
quote:Originally posted by patespo1:
The Las Vegas thread has me thinking...my wife and I plan on going to CUT while we are out there, and I want to bring a bottle or two with me.
Any advice on dropping the bottle off early at the restaurant for decanting? Anyone been burned? I would assume a restaurant of that caliber wouldn't risk their reputation messing with a bottle, but when you assume...
just call before hand
and make sure you tip the guy for doing you the favor
quote:Originally posted by g-man:quote:Originally posted by patespo1:
The Las Vegas thread has me thinking...my wife and I plan on going to CUT while we are out there, and I want to bring a bottle or two with me.
Any advice on dropping the bottle off early at the restaurant for decanting? Anyone been burned? I would assume a restaurant of that caliber wouldn't risk their reputation messing with a bottle, but when you assume...
just call before hand
and make sure you tip the guy for doing you the favor
Excellent point
quote:Originally posted by patespo1:
The Las Vegas thread has me thinking...my wife and I plan on going to CUT while we are out there, and I want to bring a bottle or two with me.
Any advice on dropping the bottle off early at the restaurant for decanting? Anyone been burned? I would assume a restaurant of that caliber wouldn't risk their reputation messing with a bottle, but when you assume...
Did it here once!!! They lost the bottle!!
I have never had any issues with bringing an already opened bottle in California restaurant, to include places that meet & exceed the caliber of CUT.
Bring the wine in a case, ask for a decanter, then put the bottle on the table before they get back. Seriously, I have never had a wait staff even look twice. If a place ever gave you shit about that, they don't deserve your business anyways.
Bring the wine in a case, ask for a decanter, then put the bottle on the table before they get back. Seriously, I have never had a wait staff even look twice. If a place ever gave you shit about that, they don't deserve your business anyways.
quote:Originally posted by Shane T.:
I have never had any issues with bringing an already opened bottle in California restaurant, to include places that meet & exceed the caliber of CUT.
Bring the wine in a case, ask for a decanter, then put the bottle on the table before they get back. Seriously, I have never had a wait staff even look twice. If a place ever gave you shit about that, they don't deserve your business anyways.
Agreed!
That all said, have 2 commnents:
1) Total bummer about E A Bowers' experience at CUT. They lost the bottle?! Did they make any effort to reimburse you or offer a bottle of equal value (which may be difficult if you brought a special aged wine)
2) I've never had a restaurant turn down an already opened bottle
At two separate offlines late last year in Chicago, I believe we all brought bottles that we opened earlier in the day and it no one said anything
But, I think as Gman suggested, a quick call to the somm (or any specific person) could help avoid any issues. As long as one person in the restaurant is identified as the responsible person I would guess you are safe. If you really want to make sure all is well, you can name the bottle and vintage on an index card, have someone at the restaurant print their name and sign off on receiving the bottle. Then if there are any issues, at least you have documentation
Since we go to a smaller circle of restaurants, they are very relaxed with us. Depending our what the day looks like 2 options:
1) either open, decant at home and put back in bottle.
2) drop off earlier in the day and ask them to decant for us.
So far both options have worked flawlessly.
1) either open, decant at home and put back in bottle.
2) drop off earlier in the day and ask them to decant for us.
So far both options have worked flawlessly.
quote:Originally posted by mrpostcard:
Since we go to a smaller circle of restaurants, they are very relaxed with us. Depending our what the day looks like 2 options:
1) either open, decant at home and put back in bottle.
2) drop off earlier in the day and ask them to decant for us.
So far both options have worked flawlessly.
You forgot option three
3) go to Berns
quote:Originally posted by Parcival:
2) I've never had a restaurant turn down an already opened bottle
I have. One of the wait staff at a restaurant noticed as I was walking in that I had recorked my bottle, and she said that state law didn't allow an open bottle to be brought in. Didn't sound right to me, but I elected not to challenge her on it (just snuck it in more discretely after the full group arrived).
I checked with the ABC afterwards and found that, just like corkage in general, state law neither allows nor disallows an open bottle to be brought into a restaurant. It's entirely up to the owners. And from a liability standpoint, as an example, they may not want anyone consuming a beverage that their staff didn't open. So from then on I've always called to ask about a restaurant's policy on this if I'm thinking of bringing a bottle that needs advanced decanting.
Always best to call ahead. Something else to consider with a pre-opened bottle. Many states will consider an opened (even full) bottle to be an "open container" for legal purposes. I know in MD, which now allows "carry-out" for an unfinished bottle, that this is the case. Probably wise to transport open bottles, either to or from a restaurant in the trunk if possible to avoid or mitigate problems with law enforcement.
PH
PH
quote:Total bummer about E A Bowers' experience at CUT. They lost the bottle?! Did they make any effort to reimburse you or offer a bottle of equal value (which may be difficult if you brought a special aged wine)
they offered a replacement with a bottle of Plonk that they had on their wine list. This is PGA National, and they are noted for having quite poor wines on the list, especially at the Members Club. I fought and got $$$$ for the value.
quote:Originally posted by Mr Cabernet:
How do you handle this? I want to bring a wine, that could use a few hours of decanting, to a restaurant. Can I open it at home then put it back in the bottle and bring it. Is this even legal in California?
Yes, I've done this many times without a problem.
quote:Originally posted by E A Bowers [FlWino]:quote:Total bummer about E A Bowers' experience at CUT. They lost the bottle?! Did they make any effort to reimburse you or offer a bottle of equal value (which may be difficult if you brought a special aged wine)
they offered a replacement with a bottle of Plonk that they had on their wine list. This is PGA National, and they are noted for having quite poor wines on the list, especially at the Members Club. I fought and got $$$$ for the value.
So what do you think happened to the bottle of wine? Cooking staff enjoyed it; served to another party; someone snatched it and ran for home?
quote:Originally posted by Rothko:quote:Originally posted by E A Bowers [FlWino]:quote:Total bummer about E A Bowers' experience at CUT. They lost the bottle?! Did they make any effort to reimburse you or offer a bottle of equal value (which may be difficult if you brought a special aged wine)
they offered a replacement with a bottle of Plonk that they had on their wine list. This is PGA National, and they are noted for having quite poor wines on the list, especially at the Members Club. I fought and got $$$$ for the value.
So what do you think happened to the bottle of wine? Cooking staff enjoyed it; served to another party; someone snatched it and ran for home?
They admitted that when they placed it away for a bit, that it got mixed up with similar looking bottles. They poured this to many folks, and NOT me. If was during a mothers day brunch, and wine flowed freely.