On-Topic Comic

That reminds me of the fact that the concept of a "house wine" is rather unknown in many parts of Europe (at keast in the countries I have travelled).

M.

Michael, Wouldn't you say that the concept of Heurigen in Vienna and the ubiquitous Weingartens of the Rheingau vilages come close to the idea of a "house wine"? I understand that you were talking about restaurants, but it seems to me that a place that serves wine out of carafes without mention of producer qualifies, too.

Mark Lipton

That's a completely different pair of shoes. Going to a Heurigen*) means going to a wine producer who serves wine made by himself. Fare used to be a kind of fringe benefit (although it has switched more or less to the essential in the last 50 years).