6 Etiquette Tips For Bringing Your Own Wine To A Restaurant

If you've ever brought your own bottle of wine to a restaurant, you've likely gone through the various phases of wondering if it's okay or not. You walk in the door and wonder, "Should I have called ahead first?" The somm comes over and opens the bottle, and you're wondering, "Are they offended I'm not ordering from their list?" The bill comes, and you're doing the quick math in your head: How much will the corkage fee be? We've all been there. 

With every restaurant being slightly different, the etiquette for bringing your own wine is a bit wishy-washy at times. But there are some simple tips that will make the process stress-free and enjoyable for you, your dining party, and the restaurant staff. We caught up with Paresh Patel, co-owner and beverage director at Besharam in San Francisco, to get the inside scoop on how to go about bringing your own bottle of wine to a restaurant. So, if you really want to drink that orange wine you got for your birthday at the new fried chicken sando place? We are here for it. Just make sure to tune into these tips to make sure it's all peachy.

While this may seem like the most intimidating part about bringing your own wine to a restaurant, it's arguably the most important. Even if you scan the wine list online and see a little asterisk at the bottom of the page with the corkage fee listed, it's still a good idea to call ahead before you make a reservation and confirm that it's all good to bring that pinot from your fall winery weekend.

Not only is this a good restaurant-goer courtesy, but it also allows you to touch base with the staff directly before dining so they can guide you. Paresh Patel says, "Guests don't need to call the restaurant in advance, but it's highly recommended." A little communication before dining will go a long way for both you and the restaurant staff. It allows you to connect with the restaurant staff to make sure you bring a bottle that suits the menu offerings, and it gives the staff a heads up to prepare anything in advance — like a decanter, flutes, or an ice bucket.

Most likely, you're only going to bring one bottle along with you to the restaurant. But, in the case that you really want to delve into that collection for a larger reservation, you may be thinking about numerous bottles that would fit the menu well. So, how many bottles are actually okay to bring without turning heads? Paresh Patel notes, "You can bring more than one bottle, but we wouldn't recommend bringing magnums or entire cases of wine." Part of the reasoning here is that, legally, restaurants can only serve so many drinks per person. So, if you showed up with a case of wine and you aren't a large group, they won't be opening them all.

Using your judgment here on what seems reasonable for your reservation size is best. This could mean that you plan to bring all the wine for the evening or that you have a mix of yours and some that the restaurant offers. The latter is something I would recommend if you plan to drink more than one bottle.

If you aren't familiar with the concept of corkage fees and bring a bottle to a restaurant expecting to drink it at no additional cost, think again. Corkage fees are something you'll find at nearly all restaurants. It ensures that while you aren't ordering wine off their menu, they will still make a bit of money on the bottle that you bring in. 

While you can almost always expect a restaurant to have a corkage fee, you may not know exactly what it is until you inquire. Corkage fees can vary quite a bit from restaurant to restaurant and city to city. Typically, a corkage fee will range between $10-$40. We asked Paresh Patel why there is so much variation. He said that it really depended on the caliber of wine the restaurant serves, explaining that restaurants that offer a wide variety of expensive wines will also generally have higher corkage fees. That being said, if there is a special wine you want to have with your meal, don't let the fee discourage you. Just be prepared for that little extra cost when your bill arrives.

When you BYOB, it's always a nice gesture to offer the sommelier or server a taste. This is particularly true if you're at a higher-end restaurant and spending more face time with your server. Explaining that you've brought a special bottle in, giving a little synopsis about the wine, and offering your server a taste when they open it for you is kinda like a somm's love language. Who doesn't want to connect over a sip of something special?

Not only is this a nice gesture, but it's also a good way for your somm to help guide you in what to order. Even if you have your heart set on a specific dish, a little insight from someone versed in the menu who has now just tasted your wine can be really helpful. They'll be able to direct you to anything on the menu that would vibe particularly well with the wine. They'll also now have a better idea of your wine preferences and can help you select an additional wine from their wine list if needed later in the evening. After all, having a sommelier help you select a wine is one of the best ways to order wine in a restaurant.

Generally, when you tip at a restaurant, you tip on the full amount of the meal, which includes both food and drinks that you've ordered. The corkage fee is wrapped up in that overall cost. Paresh Patel notes that at Besharam, they don't expect guests to tip additionally on the corkage fee, but the normal service charge is applied at the end of the meal.

So, when bringing your own wine, you can figure out just how much the restaurant will charge by calling ahead, asking what the corkage fee is, and then doing a little math to know what the final cost will be after a normal service charge. It's helpful to take this full cost into mind before bringing your bottle of choice along. If you are planning to bring a $20 bottle and the cork fee is $25 with an applied 20% tip, you'll be spending $30 to drink the wine there, so your $20 bottle is more like a $50 bottle now. In some cases, you may be better off ordering a similarly priced wine off the restaurant list instead. Drinker's choice.

It's always a good idea to look up the list in advance or touch base with someone at the restaurant before opting to bring your bottle. Beyond BYOB etiquette, this gives you the opportunity to see if bringing your own bottle is the best choice or if the restaurant actually has a fire list with a handful of bottles that would be of interest to you. In this case, it may be worth saving your bottle for a different time so you can dabble in some of what the restaurant is pouring.

Paresh Patel notes that a good sommelier understands that everyone has different tastes when it comes to wine, so they should understand if you bring something in that differs from what's on their list. He also emphasized that, overall, the goal is to enjoy the wine you love and pair it with a memorable meal. Whether that means bringing your own wine, ordering from the list, or some combination of the two, keeping open communication with the sommelier will help to make sure everyone is happily drinking what they want.