Is there a choice of white wine I ask?

Sheila writes...

Those of you who know me know I like a glass of wine, ideally a white wine. We’ve been lucky enough to find a house in Ballyferriter that is within walking distance of 3 pubs plus a hotel. Although if a longer walk is required, we can walk right by these pubs and head out the road for 2kms and find another pub. What joy.

These are my stories of trying to have a glass of nice white wine in our local pubs.

Feile na Bailtaine is the May bank holiday festival and the area is hopping with events showcasing all things cultural. We have scheduled a weekend visit to the house to go to as many events as we could, being the cultural vultures that we are. 

One of the events was taking place in the pub that’s 2km away from our house. We thought grand, we can walk there and back, have a couple of glasses of wine, listen to some music and enjoy ourselves.

We walk in and himself says to me “what would you like to drink?” I know you are saying why ask but sure there’s always the chance I might say bitter lemon. I reply saying a white wine, a phrase met with a reply from behind the bar “oh we’ve no wine”. Talk about stopping us in our tracks, oh he continues, "we’ve not had our delivery and since it’s now 9pm we are unlikely to get it". But it is a Friday of a bank holiday, there’s a festival on and you are holding one of the key events, why leave your delivery until the last minute… But I don't say all that, I say a vodka & tonic please.

Roll forward to the summer and we decide to pull ourselves away from our favourite pub in the village and check out the other two.

Pub A

In we go, up to the bar behind which are the two owners plus a young guy. And the conversation with the young guy goes like this…

Him “What can I get you”?
Me: “Do you have white wine”?
Him “Yes”
Me after a second or two “Is there a choice?”
Him “Yes”
Me after a further second or two “...and the choice is…”?
Him “Oh right, umm, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay”
Me “Grand, where’s the SB from”?
Him “No idea”
Me: “Any chance you could find out”?
Him “Oh right, sure… (a moment later) France”
Me “Ok I’ll have a glass of that then, thanks”

And I can tell you now that wine was never from France.

Pub B

Furthest pub away from us by about 10yds and one that advertised food. We thought we better try the food before we take anyone there for a meal. In we pop and they’d have just announced a new menu along the lines of:

Ø  Soup of the day

Ø  Burger of the day

Ø  Fish of the day

Ø  Salad of the day

On the specials board there is an option of fish cakes, which there always is and that's our choice. We asked to see the wine list. "Oh" says he, "there’s no wine list, we only have the one." "Right" says us, "what’s that? "A Sauvignon Blanc from Chile." Sigh, but after some deliberation we decide to go for it.
Fishcakes passable

Wine drinkable 

Overall = 5/10

and we're fairly sure that none of you will be going there for food or wine, maybe a pint and music.

Pub C

This is the place that’s making an effort in all senses of the word to provide good food and good service. Someone says hello to you when you walk in, they even make conversation with you.  

There are specials of the day that change and there is a decent choice on the main menu. They have a children’s menu and music most days. But most of all they have a wine list with a CHOICE OF WINES.

This unsurprisingly has become our favourite spot although we've not yet tried the hotel bar.  How hard can it be to have a small selection of wines on offer and print a wine list, clearly for some of the pubs in West Kerry that’s a little step too far.