Wine Rule BUZZ or BUST? Restaurants Weigh Pros, Cons of Letting Customers Bring Own Bottle

Grab a bottle and come on down: Soon, Manitoba diners will be able to bring their own bubbly to some of their favourite restaurants.The proposed bring-your-own-wine program is part of a sweeping package of liquor-law amendments that the province announced on May 19 -- and it's the change that's snapped up much of the buzz. "Wine is (the change) that resonates the most," said Scott Jocelyn, director of the Manitoba Restaurant and Foodservices Association. "We've gotten the most calls about it."

No surprise there: Going to a restaurant and plonking down a bottle from one's personal collection is brand new for Manitoba. But it's far from an experiment: Five provinces, including Ontario, Quebec and Alberta, have allowed restaurants to uncork customers' own wines for years, with varying restrictions.

If the bill gets a thumbs-up from the legislature, which is expected to happen before the current session ends on June 16, the regulation will become law immediately.

But customers may not see BYOW signs crop up in restaurant windows quite so quickly. The MLCC expects to spend much of the summer and fall educating diners and dining-room owners about the new regulations: Expect to see a bigger BYOW roll-out near November, an MLCC spokeswoman said.

For now, there are mixed emotions among restaurateurs. They don't have to participate in a BYOW scheme -- it's strictly voluntary -- and restaurants that do pop the store-bought bubbly will be able to set a corkage fee.

Still, owners wonder, will wine sales slump and profit plummet? "It's a very competitive industry. People are very concerned about giving up a potential revenue stream," said Jocelyn. "I think there'll be people that will be in the wait-and-see mode."

In the heart of Osborne Village, Segovia Tapas Bar and Restaurant co-owner Karolina Conrad falls into that category. "We haven't really decided what we're going to do," Conrad said.

After all, the hip eatery's selection of about 25 Spanish vinos is chosen in consultation with experts at Banville and Jones -- and those tastes are part of the restaurant's dining experience. "We've designed a wine list to go with our food," Conrad said. "So we're not super wild about a customer going down to the LC and buying an $8 bottle of proprietor's reserve. That said, if someone wanted to bring a special bottle, something they had been aging... we could probably work with that."

Meanwhile, some restaurateurs are ready to welcome wine-bringers with open arms. At the cosy 54-seat Deseo Bistro on Albert Street, chef-owner Scott Bagshaw is pumped about the option -- one he's already familiar with.

"I lived in Australia for three years, and it was all BYOB there," he said. "It works very well."

Though the new regulation may be a worry for bigger restaurants with big wine contracts, Bagshaw said, it could suit smaller operators well. "Our wine list is quite small," he said. "Nor do we have the size to support a massive wine list. If someone wants to bring a bottle of wine they really like -- we don't have to worry about it going off. We don't have to worry about storage. It's a nice option."

At the end of the day, MRFA director Jocelyn said that while it may take owners some time to sort out their favoured options, the industry will find its balance. "We're in the people-pleasing business. That's what we do," he said. "We want to keep our customers happy, and if there's a demand, (owners) will do it."