This month’s silly rule: English wine bars not allowed to serve exclusive wines in small glasses

The Scandinavian monopoly markets don’t have a, ehrr, monopoly on silly rules…: Some English wine shops (e.g. The Sampler and Selfridges) have opened wine bars in connection with the shops to give the customers the possibility to taste some of the wines before buying. They have also sold some very exclusive wines by the glass to make it possible to taste otherwise prohibitively expensive wines by the glass. As an examples, curious wine drinkers could buy a tasting portion (25 ml) of Chateau Pétrus 1996 of £32, and thus did not have to fork out £950 for a full bottle. This has led to action by the British authority that controls serving of alcohol. In England there is a rule that “a wine glass” must contain either 125 ml or 175 ml. To serve smaller portions are illegal… So good bye to tasting exclusive wines in small portions. www.thesampler.co.uk and telegraph.co.uk

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