Vinotrip » the long arm of the law http://www.vinotrip.com A Maryland Wine Blog Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:01:02 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Corkage: The Next Big MD Wine Issue http://www.vinotrip.com/2010/12/04/corkage-the-next-big-md-wine-issue/ http://www.vinotrip.com/2010/12/04/corkage-the-next-big-md-wine-issue/#comments Sun, 05 Dec 2010 03:30:21 +0000 Matt http://www.vinotrip.com/?p=1099

12/06 Update: The Baltimore Sun published an op-ed today about the “flawed” laws banning corkage in Maryland.

Did you know that it’s illegal in Maryland to bring your own wine to dinner at a restaurant, a practice known as “corkage”, if that restaurant is already licensed to sell beer, wine or spirits? It’s true (although corkage IS legal for restaurants without a liquor license – go figure). Even if the wine you would bring isn’t featured on the wine list, say a 200-year-old Champagne recovered from a shipwreck near Finland, Maryland law does not allow liquor-licensed restaurants to set a policy allowing you to consume it on their premises.

Friends of all Maryland wine fans and consumer advocacy group Marylanders for Better Beer and Wine Laws are at it again, pushing to change laws and give those choices to restauranteurs and their patrons (with a little star power help from Frederick-area chef Bryan Voltaggio, he of Top Chef fame). The front lines in this battle are Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, where state delegates introduced bills in response to concerns from restaurant owners that they lose the BYOB crowd to DC, where corkage is legal. Both counties are looking to pass their own respective bills allowing the practice of corkage at restaurants.

Do you feel that restaurants should be allowed to set their own corkage policies to serve the needs of their patrons? If so, here are some opportunities to testify and make your voice heard:

Montgomery County – YOU MUST REGISTER BY 12PM ON MONDAY
7PM on Monday, December 6
3rd Floor Hearing Room, Stella Werner Council Office Bldg.
100 Maryland Ave.
Rockville, MD 20850
http://www.montgomerycountydelegation.com/testify.html
Bill #MC 13-11
Map to location


Prince George’s County – Register by emailing Del. Jolene Ivey (jolene.ivey@house.state.md.us)
7PM on Thursday, December 9
Rennie Forum (in the Largo Student Center)
Prince George’s Community College
301 Largo Rd
Largo, MD 20774

Bill #PG 305-11
Map to location

I’m attending the Prince George’s County hearing on Thursday to see what the people have to say – look for a post later this week!

]]> http://www.vinotrip.com/2010/12/04/corkage-the-next-big-md-wine-issue/feed/ 3 Maryland BYOB Laws http://www.vinotrip.com/2009/07/16/maryland-byob-laws/ http://www.vinotrip.com/2009/07/16/maryland-byob-laws/#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:46:48 +0000 Gary http://www.vinotrip.com/?p=452 Went to eat at Amicci’s in Baltimore’s Little Italy last week. The cause was celebratory, so I called ahead to see what their corkage policy was. I was told their liquor license wouldn’t allow BYOB. I’ve heard of restaurants now allowing BYOB, but wasn’t aware that Maryland came down decisively on either side of the issue.

So like any good blogger I dove right into the search and come up with this summary of Maryland liquor laws from gobyo.com

BYO is apparently permitted in licensed restaurants, provided the wine brought in is covered by the restaurant’s license.

Further, BYOB is explicitly allowed in Baltimore City even if the restaurant in question does not have a liquor license.

Read more of gobyo.com’s research here.

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