Talk about strange logic..................

[Jason]

I think that corkage is illegal in many states, but gets overlooked as a method of accomodating customers. The only thing I've ever heard as an explanation is the state is afraid it will lose money if everyone starts bringing their own stuff. In most places, if a house has a license, than everything in the house must be tracable back to an invoice from a licensed distrib.
In little crappy bars, it is not unheard of for the owner to buy all of his stuff at retail.
Liquor is a major revenue maker, and formally bankrolled the mob, so the lawmakers go to extremes in regulating it.
As always, the single vineyards Zins get lumped in with Jack Daniels in the eyes of the law.