On the grapevine

Barbara Forde writes from Clontarf to complain that too few of the outlets given for recommended wines are on the north side …

Barbara Forde writes from Clontarf to complain that too few of the outlets given for recommended wines are on the north side of the city. I think she's right. Other readers regularly complain that not enough outlets outside Dublin are listed. They, too, are right. But here's how the system works. Every time I decide to mention a particular wine, I contact the importer to ask where it can be bought - so the outlets listed are based on his knowledge of what customers have in stock, not mine. However, I do find it strange that the same outlets are mentioned time and again, while hundreds of others are ignored. If you're one of the many retailers who rarely gets a mention, moan loudly to your suppliers and let's see whether the net can't be more widely spread.

In last week's wine column, the email address for Terry Greene of Winebriefs appeared incorrectly: the correct address is terrygreene@tinet.ie