bringing wine to restaurants

[hotwine]

Welcome to the board, dfried. Strongly recommend you speak with the maitre 'd or sommelier and describe what you want to do. Many restaurants allow corkage (payment of a fee for serving a bottle that they didn't sell the patron), but many don't, under any circumstances. But if you tell them you want to bring in a decanted wine, ask what they recommend, as to whether you should re-cork it, or bring it in a decanter.

Your local law enforcement could pose a problem.... in many locales, an open container of an alcoholic beverage in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle can constitute a DUI violation. Know the law before you take off to the restaurant with that prized bottle, and expect to pay corkage of $10-$25.