A Frugal Wine Lover's Guide To Dining Out

Four out of five consumers would rather eat in a restaurant than spend their leisure time cooking and cleaning up, according to the National Restaurant Association. But eating out comes at a juicy price — particularly for wine lovers.

The markups are so steep that it's not unusual for restaurateurs to charge for a single glass what they paid for the entire bottle, says writer Lettie Teague. In the latest issue of Food & Wine, Teague offers four tips for reducing your wine bill:

Don't drink the bubbly:
Champagne is typically marked up more than any other wine — as much as five times the wholesale cost! Hint: Memorize the retail prices of popular brands (think: Krug and Taittinger) and compare them with prices charged by the restaurants you frequent. If your favorite champagne is overpriced, there's a good chance the other wines on the menu are as well.

Get a half-bottle instead of a glass:
Wines by the glass are the second-most expensive category after champagne, writes Teague. If you order a half bottle, you'll get more for your money.

Pay attention to the regions:
Some excellent regional wines are currently undervalued, says Teague. For deals on white wine, she recommends trying a bottle from Sardinia or Le Marche in Italy, Galicia or Rueda in Spain, or Loire and Gascogne in France. With reds, look for wines from underpriced areas like Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Croz-Hermitage and Madiran (France), Campania and Sicily (Italy), Mendoza (Argentina), Anderson Valley (California).

BYOW (Bring Your Own Wine):
If you're on a really tight budget, sidestep the wine list and bring a bottle or two from home, though you may be charged a "corkage" fee, generally $15-$45. However, not every eating establishment allows you to do so, so call ahead.

By Marshall Loeb