Question for the masses: how often do you double decant your bottles before bringing the bottle out to a restaurant? I ask because I like to do this fairly often, but my wife thinks it’s tacky and embarrassing to walk in with an already opened bottle of wine. I see her point… but I do it anyways
I chose sometimes because some wines I bring dont really need it or dont have the time. However, if the bottle is $$$$$ then I will put extra effort into experiencing the wine.
WE are often told in our state of Washington by restaurants that it’s not legal to do this (to bring an opened bottle to a restaurant). I still often try to do it with older reds. I check with the restaurant first. Or I do it and remove the capsule and ram the cork all the way back in flush–then it’s less obvious that it has been opened.
I almost always drop my bottles off at least a few days in advance, especially older reds.
When I bring an older red on the same day, I try to keep the bottle(s) as steady as possible on the way to the restaurant. Don’t recall ever double decanting a BYO bottle.
We have restaurants now that reject allowing bottles that have been opened. They site some unknown ordinance.
It is getting to be a little harder to double decant prior to going to a restaurant here in ATL.
I’ve called a local couple of restaurants who allow BYOB and they don’t allow it. I don’t have any bottles that really need it (some might be better with it) but not worth the risk/hassle . And I’m not adept enough to be able to hide it.
If I am going to a place that I frequent, I will always double decant a wine that I know needs the time to breathe or will throw sediment; if I am going someplace new, I just bring my aerator with built in screen (and hope for the best).
When we last discussed this I expressed concern about driving with an open container. The consensus was that I was paranoid but I remain concerned. I don’t see the benefit outweighing (the admittedly slight) risk. I’ll drink wines that need decanting at home or drop them off in advance.
I don’t often double decant, but I always open the bottle at home first to see if the wine is corked or otherwise tainted. I also don’t trust most restaurants to get old corks out. They use waiter’s friends and destroy corks quite frequently (of course, they do then decant through a filter). So I have no problem with bringing a previously opened bottle and I’ve never had a restaurant that allows BYOB look askance.
Put it in the trunk, problem solved. I do this all the time, either taking wine, or bringing wine (and used glasses that have wine residue, for that matter) home.