Table Wine

One thing that I miss about European wine is the fact that most restaurants have their own “table wine.”  This house wine frequently comes in both red and white and is generally the varietal that is most common to the area.  The reason it bears the name table wine (or vin de pays, vino da tavola, etc) is that for whatever reason, it does not meet the government standards to be called anything more distinguished.  This does not mean that it is bad wine, it is just made in such a way that isn’t up to the high standards that the government has set for wine production in that particular country.  Frequently, table wines are of pretty high quality and are cheap.  Another good thing about table wine is the fact that you can order it in almost any quantity, ranging from just a glass to a liter or more.  This gives you more flexibility when ordering because you don’t have to buy a whole bottle for just one or two people, and you don’t have to buy multiple bottles to satisfy a large crowd.

Anytime good, local wine comes cheap at restaurants, I’m a fan.  I just wish that the states had some sort of equivalent to this European class of wine.  Next time you are travelling abroad and come across a place that has table wine, don’t overlook it.  Frequently, it is the wine the locals drink, of high quality, cheap, and just part of the experience of travelling abroad.