开瓶费: Corkage Fee

http://www.forkandbottle.com/wine/corkage.htm

 

All About Wine Corkage & Corkage Fees

The ABC's and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Corkage

What is Corkage?
Corkage is a per bottle fee that a restaurant charges a customer who brings their own wine to be consumed at that restaurant. This isn't allowed in the majority of restaurants in the country, but it's very common/normal in Northern California.

Why do restaurants charge Corkage fees?
The corkage fee covers service (but not tips/service charge), wine glass breakage/rental and some of the lost revenue from not selling a wine off the restaurant's list. Keep in mind that restaurants are in the business to make money and wine is perhaps their biggest profit center; in most circumstances, a $20 corkage fee is not at all unreasonable.

Typical Corkage Fee
Many restaurants charge $10-$20 but the actual range is everywhere from free (sometimes called BYOW restaurants) to $75 (very high end places, like The French Laundry). A high corkage fee is in place to discourage you from bringing wine and/or to make sure the restaurant profits when you do so.

Corkage Fees are Sometimes Waived
Some restaurants have a policy of buy one bottle, get one corkage fee waived. Sometimes there are $0 corkage nights. It is also possible that they're waived completely, often depending on how friendly you are with the owner/wait staff of the restaurant, or if you really brought a special bottle. That 1962 Haut-Brion is less likely to get a corkage fee than a 1997 Silver Oak. Sharing the wine with one or more members of the restaurant may lead to having the fee waived, too.

Bottle Limits
Some restaurants limit you to bringing two bottles.

Three general rules apply!
  •  Never bring a wine already on the restaurant's wine list. Most won't open a bottle on their list. Many restaurants offer a copy of their wine list online.
  •  Don’t bring a cheap/grocery store wine. The idea is to bringing a special wine.
  •  Tip as if you purchased the wine at the restaurant (so you will have to make your best guess), adjusting for corkage cost.

My own, fourth rule would be
  •  Do not bring wine to a restaurant with a very good wine list unless it's a very special wine. It’s important to reward the restaurants that make the effort to have a strong wine list, especially those which price them fairly.

Bringing Wine to a Casual Restaurant (rather than a Fine Dining Restaurant)
Your wine doesn't need to be so special. Many casual restaurants have miserable wine lists (i.e., 100% industrial wine, sometimes with ridiculous markups) and why should you drink overpriced plonk to go with the restaurant's good food? Even in Wine Country, I often bring a non-oaked French or Italian white to go with seafood, as most California whites (which dominate local wine lists) lack sufficient acidity.

Table Etiquette
Although you can wait a bit, I think it's best to place the wine your brought on your table so that the wait-staff can't miss seeing it. You should always ask for the wine list and double-check to make sure the wine(s) you've brought are not on their list.

Otherwise, treat your bottles just as if they came from the restaurant. Ask to have them decanted if you wish. You should receive decent stemware, if not ask for it. Some restaurants maintain two sets of glassware.

If you've brought a special wine, it's considered very nice to share a taste with a person at the restaurant, such as an enthusiastic sommelier, manager or even your waiter. It is not at all required, and certainly you do not have to offer.

What is a "Special Wine"?
While there are no definitive parameters, a special wine should be an older wine not easily available, a bottle purchased under special circumstances or received as a gift, or an unusual wine.

Uncertain?
Ask the restaurant. All restaurants should gladly answer such questions over the phone

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2 楼 elmar 2008-10-24  

调酒师？Sommelier
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-sommelier.htm
A sommelier is a wine expert who specializes in the restaurant side of the wine industry. A sommelier is trained in wine tasting, pairing wine with foods, wine purchasing, wine storage, and the creation of wine lists. Most of the finest restaurants employ at least one sommelier, and for the most prestigious resorts and restaurants, having a master sommelier is something of a necessity.

The core purpose of a sommelier is to ensure that dining patrons are able to find a wine within their budget that fits their tastes and complements their food. At the basic level, this means that a sommelier works with the kitchen to find suitable wines to pair with each entrée dish on the menu, and sometimes with other courses as well. At a higher level, a sommelier is often out on the floor of the restaurant, helping customers to decide the exact wine that best meets their needs.

Becoming a sommelier can be a daunting task, as it involves many hours of study and often a great deal of expense to procure both classes and fine wines for tasting. Most sommeliers come to the job through one of two routes: either through extensive work in fine dining and studying wines “in the field” or through formal training in wine studies. Of course, neither of these paths are entirely independent of the other, as most restaurant employees on their way to being a sommelier take at least a few formal classes, and many formal students get a job in a fine restaurant both to earn money and to have ready access to wines to taste.

The most well-known certification for a sommelier is the Master Sommelier certification offered by the Court of Master Sommeliers. In order to become a Master Sommelier, the potential sommelier must first take an introductory course, take an exam to become certified as a sommelier, continue his or her education with an advanced course, and finally pass the Master Sommelier exam. There are currently 124 Master Sommeliers worldwide, with 79 of these in North America.

The exam to become a Master Sommelier consists of three main portions. The first is an active portion that asks the candidate to recommend drinks, intelligently discuss the menu and wines, select glasses, make pairing recommendations, and prepare and present wine, brandies, cigars, and liqueurs. The second tests knowledge by asking the candidate to discuss various varietals and regions, answer questions about international wine laws, explain the process of making liqueurs and beers, discuss cigars with authority, and give a run-down of proper storage procedures. The final section is a practical tasting examination, in which the candidate must identify and discuss six wines, referencing the varietal, place of origin, and vintage.

1 楼 elmar 2008-10-24  

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-corkage-fee.htm
A corkage fee is charged by a restaurant to patrons bringing their own wines to a meal. The corkage fee is usually minimal and is considered a convenience charge to the restaurant for opening and serving wines from outside their cellar. The use of a corkage fee is widespread in many parts of the United States, especially heavy wine producers such as Napa County in California. The corkage fee is not designed to be a penalty for the diner and should not be viewed that way.

Depending on location and sometimes wine, the corkage fee can vary widely, and it is a good idea to call ahead if you intend to bring your own wine to a restaurant. Some establishments do not allow outside wines, while others are happy to allow them. In some states, it may not be legal for patrons to bring their own wines to a restaurant.

When calling to make reservations, inquire about the corkage fee so that you are prepared upon your arrival. Many establishments offer scaled corkage fees depending on the type of wine brought in and how many bottles there are. Others may waive the corkage fee if customers order a bottle or two from the restaurant's wine list as well. If the wine needs special care, such as chilling or extra breathing time, make appropriate arrangements.

Wine is a major source of markup for restaurants, and loss of wine sales can depress earnings. For this reason, most restaurants charge a corkage fee equivalent to their cheapest bottle, to recoup at least some of the potential lost revenue. As a general rule, bring in a wine that is at least as expensive as the restaurant's cheapest offering. Restaurants that invest a great deal of time, energy, and money in developing a wine list may be offended by patrons who eschew their wines, especially as many chefs keep the wine list in mind when developing new dishes. Exploring a restaurant's wine list and talking with the staff about their wines is sometimes a wonderful way to make new discoveries.

When bringing in outside wines, it is considered common courtesy to offer the waiter, and sommelier, if the restaurant has one, a taste. Usually, the wines that diners bring in are special and unlikely to be on the wine list. Perhaps the dinner is a special event, or the diner has an extensive cellar at home to choose from. Bickering about the corkage fee is considered poor form – accept it with grace and enjoy your meal.