"Why is this wine £35?" How to answer that at the table

Guests are going out less and choosing more carefully, Harriet Dawson of drinks supplier Unity Wines & Spirits told The Morning Advertiser. If someone can buy a bottle for £7 in the supermarket, the pub has to show why a similar one costs £35. Pub wine has had a tough run, with still wine and Champagne sales down 8% in 2025 (NIQ data, reported by The Morning Advertiser).

A lot of that "why" happens at the table, which means it's down to you.

Try this on your next shift - Learn one line per wine. Where it's from, who makes it, or what it goes with. Dawson says the story behind a bottle is what builds its value - Offer a taste. A small sample takes the risk out of trying something new - Suggest a glass first. Wines sold by the glass let guests try a few without a big spend - Know the lighter options. Wines of around 6% to 8% ABV (alcohol by volume, the strength on the label) are growing, but guests still expect them to taste good - Serve it properly. Show the label, pour at the table, use the right glass

What it means on your shift: you don't need to be a sommelier (a trained wine expert). Knowing two or three wines well, and offering a taste, can turn "just the house white" into a better night for the guest and a bigger bill.