Lawmakers pass wine-to-go bill

PROVIDENCE, R.I. --Wine drinkers could soon take their leftovers home from restaurants.

The General Assembly passed a "merlot-to-go" bill Tuesday that supporters say improves public safety because diners won't feel that they need to finish the bottle of wine in the restaurant.

The House approved the bill 62-1 without debate. It previously passed the Senate and now goes to Gov. Don Carcieri for his signature.

The governor's spokesman had no immediate comment on the legislation.

Gabrielle Abbate, executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Rhode Island, said her group did not take a position on the bill because there's no statistical evidence that it reduces drunken driving.

"I'm not convinced people will say 'I'm going to drink less in a restaurant,'" Abbate said. But, she continued, "If that happens, that's a good thing."

Rhode Island has an open container law that requires drivers to lock opened bottles of wine or other alcoholic beverages in their trunks. The merlot-to-go bill requires opened bottles to be recorked, sealed in a bag and labeled with a receipt before diners bring them home.

Thirty states already have recorking laws, and two others have legislation pending, according to the National Restaurant Association.

Dale Venturini, president of the Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Association, described the law as "smart business practice" and said it could encourage people to order wine at restaurants that don't offer many labels by the glass.

"I can see myself doing it," Venturini said. "I think it's going to be the couple going out to dinner, and they want to have some wine with it, and they don't want to over-indulge."

But it probably won't result in a huge growth in sales, she said: "I don't think restaurants are going to be packing up 50 bottles."