Another Wine Shocker?

[Stone]

The recent Petrus thread made me think twice about this experience.

Three friends and I recently had an amazing meal at a nice restaurant in NY. I brought a bottle of red (Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou, St.-Julien 1996) and asked the waiter to pair whites for the early fish courses of our tasting menu.

The first course was paired with a white Bordeaux -- excellent. A rose was served with the next. Before the meat was brought out, another friend of mine who was dining with her father nearby sent us each a taste of her '86 Haut Brion. The waiter announced that it was a mid-course tasting. Outstanding of course. We finished with my bottle.

When the bill came, we were charged for two glasses each of the white Bordeaux and the rose (although 4 glasses of each were poured), the expected $35 corkage on my bottle, and $40 for something I believe was called "mid-course".

I saw a total of 8 glasses poured, which was what we had -- 4 each of the white Bordeaux and the rose. It was late, I was a tad tipsy, and we had all had a great time, so I just paid the bill, with an ample tip. I didn't give it much thought until the next day, when I realized that they may have charged us $10 a glass to taste the wine that my friend sent over. Is it possible that the white Bordeaux and rose were poured for each course they poured us "half-glasses" (thus charging only for two each), and then charged for tasting my friend's wine?

[tommy]

was the 40 less than what the bordeaux and rose would have cost, thus giving you a break at the end of the day? i confess that i'm not sure i'm following, as i don't know how many were in your party and how many glasses were sent over, and how full they were.

[Stone]

There were 4 of us.

It's possible/probable that we received half-glasses of the White Bordeaux and Rose.

The Mid-Course Taste of '86 HB was from a bottle brought by my friend. She sent over the tastes (4 small glasses). I assumed they were free.

[tommy]

i can't believe that they charged twice for the same wine, assuming your friend paid for her bottle as well.

stupid question, but, you didn't notice if the bordeaux and the rose were half glasses?

[docsconz]

Maybe you paid your friend's corkage plus a little extra since they had to cart it to another table

[hollywood]

Maybe you paid your friend's corkage plus a little extra since they had to cart it to another table

Corkage and cartage?

[birder53]

Corkage and cartage?

Good one!