"Merlot to Go" - Open Bottle Take Home Laws by State
In the interest of public safety, many state governments have modified their wine laws since around the year 2000. The intent is to encourage responsible drinking, by allowing patrons to take home unfinished bottles of wine, provided they follow some requirements that vary by state. These laws are often referred to as "Merlot to Go" laws or "Wine Doggy Bag" laws. Whatever your want to call them, here's a guide to help you understand what is required by each state.
VineyardFresh is a strong advocate for these efforts, which are intended to give consumers the opportunity to comfortably enjoy an appropriate amount of wine, while being encouraged to stop drinking at the proper time and taking the rest home. Everyone benefits.
In addition to having tamper proof wine bags available that adhere to state laws that require or recommend bags, using VineyardFresh can preserve the wine and assure the customer that their take home bottle will remain fresh whenever they decide to drink it.
To learn what your state requires in order to take home an open bottle of wine, simply view the easy to read table below.
For more detail or to read your state's open bottle take home law, simply open the pdf for your state.
As laws/rules are subject to change. We encourage that you to consult your personal expert if/when there are any questions.
= Required by law.
= Recommended, but not required by law.
= Not required by law.
| State | Take Wine Home | Bag with Seal | Need Meal | Need Receipt | View Law Text |
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| IN | |
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| State | Take Wine Home | Bag with Seal | Need Meal | Need Receipt | View Law Text |
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| NH | |
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| NJ | |
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| State | Take Wine Home | Bag with Seal | Need Meal | Need Receipt | View Law Text |
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Click here to see laws for taking wine home for all 50 states plus District of Columbia.
