In the Bag

Corks popped this winter to celebrate the “doggy bag law,” which allows diners to take home their unfinished bottles of wine from restaurants. But an odd silence followed when the ruling, which is meant to curtail drunk driving and promote sales, went mostly unnoticed. “It was a nonevent,” says Tom Prince, co-owner of Tomasso Trattoria in Southborough.

So this summer, local restaurants focused on promoting wine-to-go. Tomasso’s staff mentions it at the start of the meal, and a note on the wine list serves as a reminder. At West Roxbury’s Vintage, co-owner Michael Halpern has created a revolving menu of 20 bottles under $20, to encourage diners to buy a second. On average, he says, about 20 tables per week now take home unfinished bottles.

Deborah de Haro, of Brookline’s Taberna de Haro, adds that the law makes buying a bottle versus a glass a lot easier: “Knowing you don’t have to finish it helps you relax.” Tomasso Trattoria, 154 Turnpike Rd., Southborough, 508-481-8484; Vintage, 1430 VFW Pkwy., West Roxbury, 617-469-2600; Taberna de Haro, 999 Beacon St., Brookline, 617-277-8272.