Corkage fees, dining tips, wine markups: a guide

A beleaguered reader writes: "Have you ever written a piece on exactly why restaurants in the United States jack the prices up so much on wine?

"As you know, in most countries besides the U.S. wine is considered an important part of the meal and is much more affordable.

"I bet Italians wouldn't stand for the way restaurants in this country gouge customers — they would be run out of town. I believe it really keeps people from enjoying wine; that it is this luxury only for the educated and affluent. Your work is such a service in educating people, and I often recommend your articles to folks wanting to learn more about wine."

This topic is a bit of a minefield, to be sure. I do my share of dining out, and I have wrestled with the problem more times than I can recall. On the one hand, I understand how difficult the restaurant business is. How competitive and costly it is to run a restaurant.

The sale of wine, beer and liquor — in fact, of any liquid, alcoholic or otherwise — is one place that most restaurateurs look to squeeze out a little profit; often they are not making much on the food.

Figured into the pricing of a bottle of wine are the costs of stemware, including breakage; of service, storage and inventory management. A good wine list requires constant attention, and the cost of those hours of tasting, evaluating, purchasing, cataloguing and maintaining a cellar are all part of the tab.

But ... that said, I do agree that some restaurants continue to price cheap and cheesy wines at ridiculous levels. For many years it was common practice to recoup the cost of the bottle with the sale of one glass.

A restaurant will usually offer a 5- or 6-ounce pour; so they will get four or five glasses per bottle. If the wine costs them $7 (purchased at wholesale), meaning that it would cost you about $10 to buy it at retail, the restaurant will likely charge you $8 to $10 for a glass.

This can add up. Beyond that, it is discouraging to pay triple or even quadruple retail for common wines that you see every day in the grocery store. So bringing your own wine to the table may seem like a good strategy. It can be, but it must be done properly, with respect for the restaurant and its wine offerings.

The fact is, more and more places have enlightened wine policies. Well-priced tasting flights, special winemaker dinners and half-price bottle nights are not hard to find. For those restaurants that are doing their share to make wine accessible and interesting, it seems to me it is up to customers to participate. Reward their efforts. Buy your wine off the list, unless it is truly special.

Most restaurants will allow you to bring your own bottle, but you should be knowledgeable about their wine list and pricing before you do so. Check them out online; many post their wine list there.

Speak to the wine manager when you make your reservation and inquire about their corkage policies. If you are going to bring wine in and pay a corkage fee, make certain it is worthy of the effort. A special-occasion wine, an older wine that can no longer be purchased, is usually what I will bring to the table.

There are no hard and fast rules for corkage. The restaurant will gladly discuss their fee with you if you ask, and to some degree it's negotiable. If you are a regular customer, of course, they are more likely to accommodate you.

If you are booking a table for a large party and plan to buy at least some of the wine there, let them know; corkage will often be waived. You can also get a friendly sommelier to reduce or even waive the fee if you offer him or her a taste of a particularly good bottle; that makes their evening special, too.

Paul Gregutt: wine@seattletimes.com