Bringing your own wine to restaurants in SBH

This is something that I normally wouldn't do, but my wife and I will be returning to SBH in late June to celebrate our 20th anniversaire. I have collected wine from our wedding year, 1994, and we usually enjoy a bottle at a special dinner to celebrate.

Would I be able to bring wine to a restaurant in SBH? Any restaurants that one would suggest - I have a nice Barolo that I was thinking of drinking this year? Do they usually charge a corkage fee?

I guess the other option is to hire a private chef and dine at the villa.

I can't help you on the corkage question, but my wife and I are 1994'ers too. Congrats!

Currently in negotiations (with the wallet) for a 20th anniversary return trip.

waynek said:

This is something that I normally wouldn't do, but my wife and I will be returning to SBH in late June to celebrate our 20th anniversaire. I have collected wine from our wedding year, 1994, and we usually enjoy a bottle at a special dinner to celebrate.

Would I be able to bring wine to a restaurant in SBH? Any restaurants that one would suggest - I have a nice Barolo that I was thinking of drinking this year? Do they usually charge a corkage fee?

I guess the other option is to hire a private chef and dine at the villa.

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You could always ask first. Save a lot of lugging.

waynek said:

I guess the other option is to hire a private chef and dine at the villa.

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.

That sounds like the perfect evening to me....I'd go with that one. Why not schedule a chef and surprise your wife???

We have never asked the question when visiting the island. We often make reservations via email and find most restaurants respond quite quickly. Why not ask one or two of them their policy, explaining the special occasion? Our guess is they would be fine with it, with a corkage fee as you suggested.

This is not exactly a French custom, I'm not even sure that they would understand the term "corkage fee" as this is completely unusual in French restaurants.

But, hey, what not give it a try! As we say in French: "Qui n'essaye rien n'a rien".

However, I think that NHDiane got it right, if that night is so special for you both, why not get a private chef instead? Same result and perhaps an even better surprise...

islander said:

Same result and perhaps an even better surprise...

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:devillaugh::wink2:

I have some experience with this from a few years ago. We were given a magnum of VC Grande Dame for our 25th anniversary which I saved to drink on my 50th birthday. We went through the hassle of checking luggage (which we never do, especially on the way down) and called the restaurant in advance to establish that they would allow us to bring the bottle to dinner. The person answering the phone checked with the manager and said they would charge us 25 euros as a corkage fee. No problem there so we arrived at the restaurant (it was BBQ night at Nikki Beach, when they used to have grilled lobsters and rotisserie chicken, etc) with our magnum in tow. The server said "non, c'est pas possible!". I explained that I had called ahead and asked for the manager. The server came back and said, "ok, 50 €". To which I said, "au revoir". As we got up to leave the manager came running over and I reminded him of my phone call and he relented under pressure (it was a slow night) and agreed to honor the 25 € he had quoted me. But it put a damper on the night and actually we've never been back to NB for dinner since that night.

Long story to illustrate a short piece of advice: email the restaurant in advance and bring the written response with you to the restaurant to avoid any aggravation or confusion.

Sage advice, lmj!

Paying a corkage fee of $32 to bring a Magnum of VC Grand Dame is one thing, paying $32 to bring a bottle of wine is something else. I aready said to call first.

Personally, I would get a baguette, some cheese and bring my bottle to Grand Fond and drink it where I don't have to deal with anyone else.

There was couple sitting next to us a few weeks ago at Sante Fe that had brought their own bottle of wine for dinner. The waitress uncorked and served it for them just she might have for one purchsed there. You obviously don't see things like that often so it stood out to me.

Eve said:

Personally, I would get a baguette, some cheese and bring my bottle to Grand Fond and drink it where I don't have to deal with anyone else.

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Best advice of the day!

Eric G said:

Best advice of the day!

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...Or a quiet evening at La Baleine....

PIRATE40 said:

...Or a quiet evening at La Baleine....

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But, of course....

...Which reminds me.......get a stonger set of binoculars....Hi Eric...

PIRATE40 said:

...Which reminds me.......get a stonger set of binoculars....Hi Eric...

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Leave your telescope and hedge clippers in Florida

I recently took a bottle of wine to La Gloriette for a pizza supper. The corkage fee was 20 euros, which I found rather high for a casual restaurant. The wine cost me less than that.

~ Jean d'Arme ~

Although a common practice in some places (Montreal, QC is one and without corkage fee!), this is almost unheard of in French restaurants. Most restaurateurs would tell you that this is where they make the money (typically a bottle of wine is sold between 2.5 and 3 times its cost price).