ONE afternoon after concluding one of our wine-tasting seminars, my wife and I took a few of the half-empty bottles of wine that were left after the wine-tasting to a restaurant where we regularly dined. After we sat and placed our order, I reached under the table and selected one of the bottles, which probably had only enough for two short drinks, and poured it.

Immediately the supervisor came over and started to protest the fact that we brought wine into her restaurant. I requested her to calm down and reassured her that I would pay the corkage, so she was not to worry. Well, that caused her to raise her voice even higher, as she said that since she sells wines, why did we bring wines into her restaurant. She huffed and puffed and disappeared into the busy dining room. When the bill came I nearly blew a fuse, as she charged me corkage for all four of the half-empty bottles of wine although I had poured wine from only one bottle which, as I reminded her, was almost empty. Luckily the owner was around and the matter was quickly rectified and all corkage charges were removed.

Definitions of Corkage

One source defines corkage as “A charge exacted at a restaurant for every bottle of liquor served that was not bought on the premises.” Most other definitions seem to be more specific towards wines: “A corkage fee is charged by a restaurant to patrons bringing their own wines to a meal.”

The corkage fee is usually minimal and is considered by some as a convenience charge to the restaurant for opening and serving wines from outside their cellar. Others refer to it as a service charge for use of the stemware, opening the wine, keeping it chilled if required and overall wine experience in the establishment. The use of a corkage fee is widespread in many parts of the United States, especially heavy wine producers such as Napa County in California. The corkage fee is not designed to be a penalty for the diner and should not be viewed that way. In the USA rates range from $10 all the way up to $85. Here in Jamaica I have seen rates from as low as J$200 up to the equivalent of US$15 or about J$1,400 per bottle. In some states in the USA it is illegal to take alcohol into restaurants. In other states there are BYOB (bring your own bottle) restaurants whose owners cannot be bothered to acquire a liquor licence and deal with wine storage and the related issues, so they allow you to bring your own and they will serve it for you.

Why bring a bottle?

All the reasons typically boil down to two: to avoid paying restaurant mark-ups (often in the 200 per cent to 300 per cent range) or to enjoy a very special bottle from your collection. The latter motive is certainly better received.

Guidelines:

(1) Always call the restaurant to find out their corkage policy, fee and to inform them of what you plan to bring with you. You don’t want to show up with 10 bottles of wine and overwhelm the poor restaurateurs.

(2) Don’t bring cheap wine, or at least not one that costs less than the least expensive bottle on their wine list list. A big No-No is to bring something that is on the restaurant’s list already, so always call and check. Remember, the main reason why this all started was that collectors wanted to bring out their best wines and have a fantastic dining experience.

(3) Always offer the Sommelier or wine steward a taste of your wine, they might not accept, but it’s a sign of respect. Remember, you are shunning their selections and bringing your own. In a number of cases, this might waive the fee — if your wine is special enough.

(4) Buy a bottle, in some establishments this will waive your corkage fee.

Here in Kingston, for a special occasion dinner I almost always carry my own wine with me because chances are I already know and have tasted everything on the restaurant’s list. If it’s a simple dinner I will definitely support the establishment and buy from their list. Travelling is where the adventure begins.

Chris Reckord is an independent wine consultant who operates DeVine Wine Services with his wife Kerri-Anne. Chris & Kerri are also part owners of Jamaica’s first and only wine-only bar – Bin 26 Wine Bar. Please send your questions and comments to creckord@gmail.com . Follow us on twitter.com/DeVineWines