Never feel nervous about going to a BYOB restaurant ever again. For some people, BYOB experiences mean that they’ll have their meal without wine entirely. For others, the wine they choose to bring causes anxiety as the world seems to silently judge the wine choice. We’re going to ease your worries today with some things to consider before making your next dinner reservation.
1. BYOBs aren’t the only places you can bring your own bottle.
Many restaurants that offer wine will allow people to bring their own bottles as long as the table pays a ‘corkage fee’, which can usually range anywhere from $10 to $40, or more. To find out if a location requires a corkage fee, contact the restaurant before you go. Also, most establishments will not allow you to bring a bottle that is on their wine list.
2. Adjust your expectations for your restaurant location
Sure, a fine dining setting may have wine glasses for you to use, but many BYOBs don’t carry items used in a wine service since they don’t carry wine at all. Be prepared by asking the restaurant beforehand or bringing your own glasses and wine key
3. Pair like a sommelier
Most establishments have a menu online these days, so if you’re looking to pair your wine to dinner, make sure you do a small amount of research. We like to use the wine pairings offered by the Weekly Tasting Sommeliers that come with each pack to find a dish on the menu we’d want to have.
4. Double it up
When people think of bringing wine to dinner, they usually just bring one bottle. We like to bring 2 of the same wine just in case dinner goes on longer than expected and we want to drink both. A second bottle also helps in case something happens to the first bottle, like a patron accidentally knocking it over or if the wine is corked.
5. Don’t fight the law, the law will win
Each state has their own wine and alcohol laws, and if you are wanting to have a BYOB experience, you should check that you can legally do so. Some states don’t allow for BYOBs, while others don’t allow opened bottles to be removed from the restaurant, even if it’s mostly full. You can look up your state laws online and even double check with the establishment before your meal.
Now, the only thing left is the last “B” in “BYOB.” Find the perfect wine for your next BYOB outting by shopping the crowd-pleasing selection at WTSO. Our variety guarantees you’ll find wonderful bottles for meal pairings and group gatherings.
Have a great time experiencing your wines with fantastic culinary creations, and don’t ever worry about going to a BYOB again.