What's the typical corkage fee these days? In the SF Bay Area it can vary from about $5 up to $20 -- which I take as an invitation to leave your wine at home.
And by the way -- if you bring a screw-cap wine, do they charge you a 'screwage fee'?
earle
Earle Jones asks,
In Napa-Sonoma wine country, corkage fees are typically the lowest in the restaurant business---usually around $5 bucks.
I won't get into the protocols more than this, because obviously to refuse a selection from a good restaurant wine list (where wines are priced fairly) demands an explanation.
But sometimes an occasion requires a special bottle the restaurant can't provide.
Local restauranteurs around here know this; and they also seek repeat business from the wine community.
Winery owners, winemakers, and local trade people who entertain their clients in Napa-Sonoma restaurants, with a special bottle, or a barrel sample, at lunch or dinner, often get off scot-free from corkage charges.
However, common courtesy suggests that one should also order an additional bottle off the list (or wine by the glass, at lunchtime).
Wine sales are a profit center for any restaurant, and if the wine list is comprehensive and fairly-priced, corkage issues should not interfere with a restaurant's justifiable desire to create an in-house wine/dining experience coordinated with the menu.
Again, courtesy is paramount. If the wine being poured is a rare bottling or a barrel sample, it's a good idea to offer a taste of the wine to the staff.
Above all--if you bring a special, rare bottle of your own, offer a taste to your server, if not the staff.
You'll be pleasantly surprised when you get the bill.
--Bob
Except for a gallic former cleaning business, where they charge USD50.00
M.
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