Wine & Beverage
Napa is wine country, so bringing a bottle is normal. It is still a negotiation with the restaurant's own program, and the rules are worth knowing before you arrive with a case in the boot.
By The Reservation Desk Editorial Team · Published May 2, 2025 · Last updated · 5 min read
Most fine-dining rooms allow one or two bottles per table with a per-bottle fee, and require that the wine is not already on their list. Some waive a fee if you also buy a bottle from the cellar.
Tasting-menu restaurants with prepaid tickets frequently apply stricter limits, and a few do not offer corkage at all. Ask when you book rather than at the door.
Bring something the restaurant would not stock — an old bottle, a personal vintage, something with a story — not a cheaper version of what is on the list.
Offer the sommelier a taste. It is a small gesture and it is genuinely appreciated by people who spend their evenings opening other people's wine.
The Reservation Desk Editorial Team — Independent research and editorial team
Our editorial team researches fine-dining access, booking windows and menu formats across the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group. Every guide is compiled from restaurant-published information, official reservation platforms and first-hand dining notes, then re-checked before each update.
This guide is compiled and checked against our verification process and editorial policy.
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