This is a tricky question for a number of reasons. If you are asking whether or not you can return a bottle back to the person who gave it to you, I mean, I guess? So long as you are OK with looking a gift horse in the mouth.
But I am certain that’s not what you’re asking. Instead, you want to know whether you can take the bottle back to the store it was purchased from and return it for a different bottle or cash — as you would the sweater you were gifted from your Aunt Clara. Unfortunately, that’s a hard question to answer in this column, as I’d have to outline the alcohol laws in every single state.
Most states have very strict laws on alcohol returns, with returns only allowed if a flaw was found with the bottle, such as a wine being corked or oxidized. Generally, you’re only allowed to exchange that bottle for a replacement of the same one, not a different bottle or cash. In some states, the exchange may be possible, so it’s best for you to look up the law in your state if you’re truly gung-ho about returning the gift.
To be on the safe side, though, your best bet is to simply regift the bottle to another person, or use the wine in cooking, baking, or making cocktails.
