I totally get it that times are tough for those in hospitality today. However, I’m becoming less convinced that the solution is to charge a mountain for wines and brands whose labels mean absolutely nothing. In my experience, when people head out for a meal they enjoy being able to choose something they know they like, or else have always wanted to try. Most diners are aware that it’s going to cost more for the same bottle if it’s served to the table in a licenced establishment. But these people are becoming more jaundiced of seeing wine lists being overpopulated by the current plethora of wannabe or distributor-owned ‘on-premise brands’. Yes, we know that some customers do price-check their wines before ordering them to the table, but there’s a large cohort becoming unhappier by the day at having to pay more than $100 for a bottle of anonymous rubbish. There has to be a middle ground. If it’s not found soon, I predict more and more people will conclude the only place they can enjoy good wine is at home.