Doggie Bottles for Wine in French Restos

[John Talbott]

It seemed fitting on August 25th, the day of the 60th anniversary of the Liberation of Paris, with French citizens dancing to 40’s big band music dressed in US Army kit in the pouring rain, that I eat on the avenue named for the best known leader of the resistance – Jean Moulin, in fact at # 49, home of La Régalade. Aside from a most excellent meal, which I’ll report in greater detail next week, I had the first confirmation of the trend, reported by François Simon that I quoted in the Digest of the week of June 21st, that restaurants now offer to cork your unfinished wine so you can take it home. I had a nice Vin de Pays d’Orange which cost less per full bottle than a glass of stuff I didn’t want and on getting up to leave was offered the remainder comme doggie-bag. A nice trend.

[pierre45]

Vin de pays d'orange is excellent value as you say.Most people don't order it.I wonder as to why you ordered it.Its also offered at l'ourcine

[raisab]

That is wonderful Mr. Talbott! I love Vin de Pays d'Orange!It was my first introduction to rhone style wines. Unfortunately this trend may not help me much as I always manage to finish off wines!

Please write your report soon on Regalade!

[VivreManger]

I have read that French law and practice has been changed to allow the recorking and take away of unfinished wine after a meal. Am I mistaken? If not, how prevalent has the practice become?

I was wondering if an unfinished burgundy at Le Villarette could be a candidate for the doggie bottle?

[John Talbott]

I have read that French law and practice has been changed to allow the recorking and take away of unfinished wine after a meal.  Am I mistaken?  If not, how prevalent has the practice become? 

I was wondering if an unfinished burgundy at Le Villarette could be a candidate for the doggie bottle?

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Well, buried in the threads for La Regalade, is a post from me, that says that a year plus ago, when I ordered but did not finish a bottle, they offered to cork it. I eat alone often in Paris and I'd say in the last year (since the new alcohol limits have been enforced and radar cameras have been installed on the highways) that it is possible but not automatic. Francois Simon, crack (no pun intended) food critic for Figaro/Figaroscope noted in an article how pleasant it was to be offered an unfinished bottle in a "doggie-bag" and how much he enjoyed it on reaching his destination.

[VivreManger]

Mr problem is my wife will drink no red, my habitual preference to white. Corking two bottles is a good solution.

[John Talbott]

Mr problem is my wife will drink no red, my habitual preference to white.  Corking two bottles is a good solution.

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There's no middle ground here - say a red Loire or a white St Joseph? It's not like you can take the two unfinished bottles to the next place.

[VivreManger]

Mr problem is my wife will drink no red, my habitual preference to white.  Corking two bottles is a good solution.

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There's no middle ground here - say a red Loire or a white St Joseph? It's not like you can take the two unfinished bottles to the next place.

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We can take the two back to our apartement!

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I think we have discussed this before. Wine bars, particularly, will, I believe, always cork up your unfinished bottle. Whether you have the nerve or presence to ask a bistrot to do the same depends on you. Where you take these unfinished bottles is also up to you; my husband and I always have several bottles working in our hotel room: a doux for him, a red for me.

I haven't a clue 'whether or not it is done', but we have never had anyone give us anything that approaches either the "shrug" or the "raised eyebrow". Nor have the desk people at our hotel shown anything more than a keen interest in what we have selected. But, then, occasionally they have shared from our excesses!