Doggie... bottle?

[albiston]

Somehow related to the Half-bottles thread.

I was recently reading an article on a German Wine magazine complaining about the scarcity of half bottles in restaurants. One of the solutions suggested was simply to order a full one, drink what you feel like and ask to take the bottle, remaining wine inclusive, with you. Since you paid for it there's nothing wrong with such a request, the journalist thought.

I have to admit I never seen anyone do this and wonder if this was a mere provocation or not. Has anyone seen someone ask, or asked yourself, for a "doggy bottle"?

Edited May 3, 2004 by albiston (log)

[futronic]

It's illegal to do that in Ontario, unfortunately. Restaurants can lose their liquor licence if they allow it and get caught.

[Craig Camp]

It's a shame that governments prevent you taking home unfinished wine. Certainly if they are worried about driving under the influence it makes absolute sense to send the customer home with the wine in a bag instead of in their bloodstream. Let's face it - at restaurant mark-ups who wants to leave the wine behind.

Let them take it home and drink it later. A much safer idea.

[Redwinger]

It's illegal to do that in Ontario, unfortunately. Restaurants can lose their liquor licence if they allow it and get caught.

It is illegal in many jurisdiction in the U.S. as well.

I have read that a few states, and perhaps France as well, are considering legislation to lift this ban in hopes of reducing DUI incidents. The rationale being that the current ban "encourages" patrons to slug the entire bottle and then climb into their auto for the drive home with a higher BAC.

Bill

[LOS]

Despite evidently being illegal in France, I have done this more than once at a specific restaurant in Beaune. So it was news to me when I found out that it was illegal.

[jsolomon]

Yes, unfortunately in most American locales, that would be considered "off-sale".

Hmm... that would be a good question for Randy Cohen, the New York Times' ethicist. I certainly fall under the proponent list.

Bring in a large hand bag and a clean stainless thermos. Then, nip off to the restroom with handbag and bottle in tow. Empty bottle into thermos. Stow thermos in handbag. Place handbag in trunk of car. Go home happy :)

Cost of dinner: $30

Cost of wine: $25

Cost of being civilly disobedient: priceless

For some things there are reasonable laws, for everything else, there's blockheaded FUD.

[dlc]

In Tennessee which has the usual archaic wine laws you may leave a restaurant with an unfinished bottle. Then you have to contend with the open container law if you are stopped while driving home. I keep an old wine box in the trunk to put the bottle in to avoid this.

[LEdlund]

I didn't realize it wasn't common practice in other parts of the country. In Washington, restaurants are required to offer this so people won't feel like they have to finish the wine that they paid for. The restaurant recorks the wine and puts it in a paper bag. Obviously you transport it in the trunk to avoid the open container laws.

[tommy]

it's legal in NJ, as far as i know, and i've done it. usually when alone and when i'm not able to finish a whole bottle. i rarely bother bringing home less than half a bottle, though.

it should be noted that most restaurant managers have no idea that it's legal, and most will fight you on it for some reason.

Edited May 3, 2004 by tommy (log)

[GG Mora]

Legal in Vermont.

[WineMiles]

Legal in California too. Once I learned that, I quit buying splits and went to 750ml bottles.

[DCMark]

While this may be technically illegal in France (I am not sure of this) there is a wine industry push to promote taking home unfinished wine. There is great fear in the French wine industry that the recently strengthened DUI laws will cut into restaurant wine sales.

[TJHarris]

Not certain of the legality in Michgan or Ohio but have met with resistence from the restaurant management.

[JudyB]

While this may be technically illegal in France (I am not sure of this) there is a wine industry push to promote taking home unfinished wine.

I've certainly seen this encouraged in a French restaurant at which the wine list said something to the effect that they didn't sell half bottles but that they would re-seal a bottle that you hadn't finished. I think it also said something about doing this so you could drive home safely, but I'm not quite certain.

When we asked them to re-seal the bottle they provided a plastic cap which certainly worked for a short drive back to where we were staying.

The other thing we have found in Provence is that there are a reasonable number of local wines in 50cl bottles which is also a more manageable quantity for two people.

[GotChianti?]

Legal in NJ, not legal to have an open container in the car. A friend of mine owns a BYO Itlalian restaurant in the suburbs. As a courtesy to his guests, he had stickers printed with his logo on them. When a customer takes home a partial bottle, the servers recork as fully as possible, then place the sticker over the top of the bottle(much like a tax sticker on a liquor bottle, or Italian wine bottle). Legally the bottle is not considered sealed, but it lets the police know that it is not being drunk in the vehicle.