Ordering wine in a pub
 

I'm just not a beer drinker. I like a chardonnay. How should you order white wine in pubs in Scotland and London? Just ask for a white wine? A dry white wine?

"Glass o white wine mate, cheers"

"I would like a glass of white wine please."

Most pubs won't just have white or red - they will have a selection (at differing prices so ask first!). Don't expect to find too many American wines on the list though - most will be European, Australian or New Zealand wines.

Britain is quite a nation of wine drinkers these days.

You should ask for a glass of Chardonay, Sauvignon, or what you fancy. If the barman is your mate you should address him as such. If you want to get serious you can go to the Borough Market by London Bridge station, and try the English wines, some of them not bad at all.

Ben Haines, London
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Most of the pubs I go into have restaurants or serve bar meals. They will have a list posted of the popular wines that are available, and frequently offer different size glasses as well as bottles. South American (especially Chile) and South African wines are also widely available. If you are with a friend or two, buying a bottle would be more economical than buying glasses.

I would ask for a glass of Chardonnay (please ;-). Don't be shy to ask what white wines etc they have. They should be happy to advise.

ABC = Anything But Chardonnay

(repeated with a British cook while visiting the US)

Blackduff

they don't have the carafe or pitcher of house wine (by size) like you see in italy, switzerland, france???

No they don't sell carafes etc. Just by the glass (often two sizes) and bottle.

.. and occaisionally in restaurants by the half bottle.

Many pubs in London will have a very full wine list, with a major focus on New World wines, as others have pointed out. You could choose a couple of "gastropubs" but even many of the chains will have a good selection. I personally love Chilean chardonnay and would drink it every day if my waistline allowed it!! To give you an idea, here is the wine list from my local:

http://tinyurl.com/2ggze6

You may still get the odd comment like "Chardonnay is that a red wine luv?" or "no but will Chablis do"