The provision of house wine has been compulsory at many categories of bars, eating houses and restaurants since 1984.
The law had become unenforceable, in fact it always had been unenforceable despite the food inspection authority ASAE prosecuting outlets from time to time.
The law has ceased to be law as the definitions of the various categories of outlet which had to provide house wine had never been made clear enough to understand.
“Restaurants and drinking establishments of types 2 and 3, establishments not for tourists must offer house wine and the price must be listed on the wine list or on meal menus" rambled the 1984 legislation.
The classification of establishments was tidied up as part of the Simplex programme in 2011 into just two types: catering establishments (food and drinks) and pubs (with drinks and a cafeteria) but even this was not enough to enable the 1984 law to be applied, in fact it made it even harder to classify those that had to have house wine, and those that did not.
"As the various definitions are not alike it is impossible to match the establishments listed" explains ASAE on its website, adding that it really is impossible to identify those breaking the law.
In a rare departure from Portuguese normality, this law has been scrapped, or ‘tacitly revoked’ in ASAE-speak.
Consequently, the obligation for any type of food and drink establishment to offer house wine has ceased to exist.
Whether this will go down well with consumers remains to be seen as part of the prato do dia service involves a jug of good house wine rather than going to the expense of a bottle.
