Wine Shots

January 10 2011

I have mentioned in the past my frustration with ever increasing glass sizes in licensed premises. Smaller measures are rarely on offer.

This has changed from October 2010 with an amendment to the Licensing Act 2003.

I quote -

“The responsible person shall ensure that–

(a)where any of the following alcoholic drinks is sold or supplied for consumption on the premises (other than alcoholic drinks sold or supplied having been made up in advance ready for sale or supply in a securely closed container) it is available to customers in the following measures–

(i)beer or cider: ½ pint;

(ii)gin, rum, vodka or whisky: 25 ml or 35 ml; and

(iii)still wine in a glass: 125 ml; and

(b)customers are made aware of the availability of these measures.”

That is great news. The much more civilised 125 ml wine measure is back and has to be offered to customers. Don’t be fobbed off with the ‘we only sell wine in 175 and 250 ml measures’ excuse. There is now a legal obligation to accommodate your modest 125 ml request.

But wait, there is more...government is now looking at allowing 75 ml of wine to be sold as the minimum measure (and beer in schooners which is two-thirds of a pint). I am however unsure if these future measures will be obligatory to offer as well as allowed in the Licensing Act.

To some hardened 250 ml 15.5% ABV New World wine drinkers 75 ml will feel like a shot (well in actual fact a double shot, as in the UK it can legally be up to 70 ml). In a supermarket 75 ml is usually the familiar size of personal grooming (toothpaste, deodorant and hair gel). Please do not let that confuse as you splash some wine under each arm. Yes they mostly both contain alcohol, but that is where the similarities stop. I confess that I have never swallowed a tube of toothpaste in one sitting so cannot easily work out if this size of measure is worth while or not. I think it very much depends on the wine (and the toothpaste).

A tasting menu that would ideally demand a variety of wine to match the food would certainly benefit from the smaller 75 ml measure.

Tom said...

I agree that this is good news. One thought does occur to me, though does expensive wines at 75ml measures add up to the potential for a single bottle to remain open yet unfinished for several days (oxidising all the while)? When I buy wine by the glass, I often wonder how recently the bottle was opened. The one saving grace of huge bytheglass measures is that they make it less likely that a bottle of less popular wine gets to sit around opened for days on end. Still, on balance I think its good news.

The Taster said...

Yes, good news. Apart from anything, it means you can try 3 or 4 different wines without being completely hammered! However, I hope it doesnt encourage any pubs or bars to revert to the minuscule glasses of yesteryear. I prefer a bit of air in the glass and room for swirling.

Andy said...

I have noticed in my local Bars in Brighton, not only do they try to make it a more cost effective option to go for the larger measure, which is a shame as some of the bars down here, especially el vino veritas serve some great wines and by convincing people to buy into the larger measures we are losing our connoisseurs by the shed load. Great article and Im glad other wine lovers shares my feelings.

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