NORFOLK -- Wine connoisseurs will be able to bring a favored or hard-to-find vintage to a Virginia restaurant, according to a new state law.
The new legislation called Corkage Law allows restaurants to levy a 'corkage fee' for wines patrons bring in with them.
'Ithink it's now time for restaurants to get creative and find different ways to get a customer base,' said restaurateur Chris Hill. He has worked in other states like Georgia that have a similar law and says that only a handful of customers, a night, would bring their own bottles.
Not all restaurant owners are embracing the idea. Eric Stevens of Bardo says their corkage fee will be $25. Todd Jurich's will charge $15.
'It's to cover our cost, the restaurant cost to make it worth the server's while. They're opening the wine. They're serving the wine. They're using our fine crystal,' noted Jurich.
The new law goes into effect at midnight Thursday night.
