Fermentations

Corkage fees are charges made by a restaurant for handling and serving a bottle of wine brought to their restaurant by a patron. It is increasingly customary in many parts of the country for restaurants to extend corkage policies for patrons whom wish to bring their own wine. Typically, such restaurants will offer no corkage fees on an off night like Tuesday or Thursday. However, this is not the case everywhere, (especially on the East Coast), and proper wine etiquette dictates that several things be kept in mind when bringing your own bottle of wine to a restaurant.

Always call the restaurant in advance to verify that corkage is allowed. Ask what the corkage fee is to avoid any surprises. In my experience, very few restaurants charge over $20 as a corkage fee – most charge $5 to $10 per bottle. Some restaurants will waive this fee if an additional bottle is purchased from the wine list, but do not assume that this is the case.

Wine brought to a restaurant should be relatively unique or rare in some way. Make certain that the particular bottle of wine you want to carry into the restaurant does not appear on the restaurant's wine list. It may be a special bottle made up with a custom label to commemorate a birthday, retirement, or anniversary. It could even be a special bottle from a friend who made the wine or purchased an exceptional bottle in a price range that you would not normally spend. After the waiter/sommelier opens and pours the contents, proper wine etiquette requires that you offer them a taste. Following these guidelines will ensure an enjoyable corkage experience.

Typically, whoever did the inviting for a particular meal is paying so that person is also expected to choose and taste the wine ordered from a wine list. If you are not comfortable in this role, simply delegate the responsibility to someone who is, perhaps one of the guests who may be more knowledgeable about wine. Feel free to ask the wine steward/sommelier for advice as well.

In spite of what most people think, the most expensive wine is not always the best wine. Choose a wine that fits your budget. Regardless of how fantastic a particular vintage may taste, you will not enjoy it if all you can think about is how much it cost. A good rule of thumb is to order a bottle that costs the same as a full course meal.

There are so many blends and varieties of wine available to us that the old adage of "white wine with white meat " and "red wine with red meat" does not necessarily apply. If you don't have a preference, ask the wine steward/sommelier to suggest a wine that compliments your meals or just go ahead and order whatever the majority prefers.

A good “plan B” is to order a good bottle of Pinot Noir. It is the lightest of all the red wines and goes well with most foods.

One last word on price: Remember that you will be shown the sealed bottle to verify that it is indeed what you ordered. Make sure that you check. It will save you an embarrassing moment at billing time when you may discover that you just drank two bottles of 1968 Cabernet Sauvignon at $350.00 a bottle when you actually wanted the 1986 Cabernet Sauvignon at $32.00 a bottle.

Next time: What to do when the bottle of wine arrives tableside.

- Chuck Blethen, Vigneron in Residence, Black Mountain Oasis Vineyard, Scottsdale, AZ

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