On The Grapevine:

My March broadside against overpriced restaurant wines has generated a heavy postbag - a mixture of supportive letters from aggrieved…

My March broadside against overpriced restaurant wines has generated a heavy postbag - a mixture of supportive letters from aggrieved customers and wine lists from restaurateurs who feel they offer a good service. Brian Cox of Beaufield Mews, Stillorgan, Co Dublin writes sternly: "What irks me is, why does your article only report on restaurants which, in your opinion, overcharge on their wines, whilst you make no mention of others who take much smaller margins?" Twice in the past two years, I have done precisely that - each time mentioning half a dozen restaurants with interesting, well-priced wine lists. This time I simply took a different approach. Obviously, alongside the disappointments, there are plenty of praiseworthy lists sprinkled all over the country - including that of the Beaufield Mews. Cox's policy of taking a fixed cash margin, rather than a percentage gross margin, on his more expensive wines, makes for some exceptionally well-priced treats, and he also deserves full credit for offering 14 house wines at £10.