To make it easier for wine collectors to enjoy their favorites, chef Charlie Palmer’s acclaimed New York restaurant Aureole in February launched a new corkage policy. Aureole and head sommelier Morgan Harris now allow guests to bring in their favorite bottles—corkage-free—every night of the week after 8 p.m. and all evening on Mondays.
Previously, the Michelin-starred restaurant’s policy included a corkage fee of $50 per bottle. What’s more, the wine brought in could not be something that was on the Aureole list or the guest would have to pay the list price.
Aureole, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this November, has long been a haven for wine collectors and trade, enthusiasts and novices. Chef Palmer, a winemaker himself, revised the corkage policy to encourage the sharing, opening and conversation surrounding wine. The aim is to make Aureole an open and comfortable space for all sorts of wine collectors to enjoy favorites from their personal collections with the restaurant’s seasonal cuisine.