I'm going to be "That Guy" for 10 minutes

There's a new restaurant with a Utica theme opening this week in Albany. Personally, I've enjoyed my visits to Utica. Like the food there. Like the people too. I wish the restaurant the best of luck. Seriously. I know the restaurant business is tough. I hope this one succeeds.

That being said, I'm going to be an internet asshole for a minute. I wasn't going to, but here I am typing so I guess I am "That Guy."

The menu for the restaurant has been posted at Table Hopping and All Over Albany. Some things look better than others to me, as with any menu. The wine list is what is turning me into the aforementioned internet troll who is complaining about a restaurant that hasn't even opened yet. The wines of choice are Carlo Rossi jug wines. No problems with the wine. My issue is with the cost - $4 a glass. I'm not sure how big a serving will be (I did say I was being an asshole), but those jugs Carlo Rossi Paisano wine in the pictures retail for $12. Retail, not wholesale. I imagine the restaurant will get it cheaper.

I get markup. I get you can go into a restaurant an buy a $9 bottle of wine for close to $30. A 300% ballpark markup seems pretty standard. I few weeks ago I was in Mingle and had a glass of Concannon Petite Syrah that our waiter recommended. The glass of wine cost $6. A bottle at Empire Wines is $7. With a little over four 6-ounce pours to a bottle they are charging $24 for the bottle (which is Mingle's price if you want to buy the whole bottle too). That's a 343% markup.

Let's compare. These are 4 liter jugs of wine. That's about 135 ounces, or just over 22 six-ounce pours. At a price of $4 a glass, that $12 jug will cost customers $88. That's a 733% markup.

Maybe a serving of wine fills a pint glass, or a small carafe. Or maybe I'm completely off base with restaurant wine pricing. I don't know. I'm currently being an asshole so I don't care. Should I visit this restaurant to eat someday, the cheap bastard in me will have glass of water. With lemon, please. At least until I see a really big glass of wine go by.