The Auswine Forum

Hello all,

Long time lurker first time poster.
I was just wondering what are the laws concerning removal of unconsumed wines after a meal from restaurants.
I am under the impression (in SA) if you have purchased or BYO'ed wine into a restaurant you are entitled to take if off the premises if you cannot finish the bottle with the intention to finish it later.

Any thoughts on this would be much appreicated

Cheers
Kean

PS. I've enjoyed reading the material, keep up the good work!

A couple of years ago one of the provinces of Canada adopted the radical step of introducing BYO. They created a separate licence for restaurants who wanted to take away their leftovers. As I recall the take the rest home licence applied to both BYO wine and wines purchased at the restaurant.

Mid vintage, tired, a little crabby as a result of a couple of 30+ hour "days" but even so, are we not letting plonkers rule our lives here?

Providing I am in compliance with the age restrictions (and I have done now, for more than 40 years), on the purchase of alcohol what right does some civil servant have in dictating where I shall consume that?

Once purchased (and all the taxes duly paid), does it REALLY matter that I consume that wine in part or in whole, in the restaurant? What if I consume a wine bought in a café (where I purchased the food), on a picnic in the open? It is a public place, I am over age and under the limit. Get out of my life!

If you Crow Eaters allow this sort of bovine manure enacted, time to move to NSW. You're getting as bad as the bloody Sepppos!

Yes, however these laws are in relation to the SALE of liquor. On the other hand, once purchased, I can consume that liquor anywhere I please - in any public or private place.

Certain bye-laws, in certain places have been enacted to limit the public consumption of alcohol - most particularly by the young. These impinge on my freedoms as well. I have to abide by the laws of course, but I am on record as strenuously opposing them.

In the main however, NZ is a "free-state" with alcohol being (now) seen as a part of normal lfe and not demonised as it is in the US.

I can travel in a motor vehicle with open bottles (can't in the US); even as a driver I can consume alcohol in the vehicle - provided I do not do so beyond a defined limit (can't in the US and in some Australian States).

I can openly carry bottles in the street (can't in the US) from one place to another - indeed can sit on a public bench and can consume that liquor quite openly without being interferred with by some officious busy-body (except as described above).

I can do all these things, governed only by the over-arching consideration that I do not interfere with other people and their enjoyment of their freedoms.

GG