A JD Wetherspoon outlet is not a pub I tend to frequent ever since it was demanded I buy a meal when ordering an alcoholic drink with my family. Apparently “it’s the law” to only serve adults alcohol when a child is in a group, unless that group is eating. Yes, I kid you not! Poor quality food and arrogant staff experiences are other reasons I avoid this branded chain, unless someone else suggests a meeting point for a social gathering.
Recently I attended such an establishment with a group of friends. We were staying overnight in a nearby hotel and it was suggested we meet for a drink. As the group started to gather, drinks were ordered with a small number of the said group wanting wine over beer or spirits.
As two of the group had recently visited Mendoza, renowned for it’s Malbec wine production, a bottle of advertised Malbec was selected alongside the Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc that had previously been enjoyed elsewhere by another drinker. Both bottles on the menu being advertised as 13%.
The screw tops were untwisted, which from visiting Mendoza, we knew that corks would have been used. Looking at the rear of the bottle we found that the wine was bottled in the UK. Tasting the wines, both were quite awful and very acidic with no body and no “legs”. The latter legs issue possibly caused by the glass washer cleaning agent leaving a film on the glass. That’s why you’ll spot etchings on the bottom of your pint glass, to break out the CO2, giving the fizzy look you expect from a lager. But that’s another story.
Are JD Wetherspoon Pub Wine Menus Fraudulent?
Anyhow, the more interesting fact was the both bottles of wine had the ABV content listed at 12.5% ABV, less than the 13% advertised on the wine list. Not wishing to make issue for the group, we drank up and left.
What do you think? Are JD Wetherspoon Pub Wine Menus Fraudulent?
Villa Maria Sauvignon Blank at 13%
Advertised on the wine menu at 13% ABV and 525 calories a bottle, but the label citing just 12.5%.
Trivento Malbec at 13% ABV
Advertised on the wine menu as “velvety smooth” and at 593 calories a bottle at 13% ABV, as you can read on the bottle label, the ABV is only 12.5%.
