The Wine & Whisky Thread

[Barry]

Whilst shopping today in Tesco for the 'essentials':

2005 Castello San Lorenzo, Rioja Reserva, £4.99, half price offer ending 5.10.10. Tempranillo, mazuelo and graciano grape. At this price worth buying a few bottles to lay down. Thanks to Alex for spotting this - good one.

Plus a few bottles of Ogio Pinot Grigot, £4.49, half price offer also ending 5.10.10, when I spotted this:



Tesco's 'Finest*' vintage 2000 Barolo Reserva. £19.99. Seems to be a 'limited edition' of 12,000 bottles. 14% ABV. It was not clear if it was on special offer or not.

I have no idea if this is a particularly good find, so Marco, I'll run it past you and quote the blurb:

"A robust and rich red with notes of dark chocolate, damson, liquorice and fresh herbs.
...The best parcels of Nebbiolo grapes grown around the town of Barolo were selected to make the Finest* Reserva-style wine. 'Nebbia' is the Italian word for fog, and the Nebbiolo is so-named because it reaches perfect ripeness late into the Autumn, when morning mists creep across Barolo's manicured, picturesque vineyards."

(The advertising copy is almost up to that of your description of the Ortofon SPU )

So, any good - I bought two bottles?

Regards

[Marco]

Hi Barry,

I've no idea if it's good or not, as I haven't tried it. It should be good, though, although personally I'm not a fan of buying wines that supermarkets market as "Finest", or whatever. No offence, but I find it a somewhat lazy way of buying wine.

One often wonders if they are simply a 'job lot' supermarkets have bought in at a special price and then mark them up as "Finest" to entice customers into thinking they've got something really good, when at best it's merely 'ok'....

Would you buy a hi-fi system marked as 'The Bestest of the Best'?

I understand that it's useful for people who don't really know much about the wine concerned, and enables them to identify a decent wine at a price often much less than a 'named' variety, but I prefer to use my knowledge of areas, vintages and producers to select the wine I'm buying, be it French Italian or whatever.

Anyway, having suitably trashed your purchase, I hope it's a real stonker!



Marco.

[aquapiranha]

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/ar...5&in_page_id=2

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/lif...cle3177658.ece

http://wineeconomist.com/2010/06/21/...of-wine-fraud/

[Barry]

Hi Barry,

I've no idea if it's good or not, as I haven't tried it. It should be good, though, although personally I'm not a fan of buying wines that supermarkets market as "Finest", or whatever. No offence, but I find it a somewhat lazy way of buying wine.

One often wonders if they are simply a 'job lot' supermarkets have got in at a special price and mark them up as "Finest" to entice customers into thinking they've got something really good, when at best it's merely 'ok'....

Would you buy a hi-fi system marked as 'The Bestest of the Best'?

I understand that it's useful for people who don't really know much about the wine concerned, and enables them to identify a decent wine at a price often much less than a 'named' variety, but I prefer to use my knowledge of areas, vintages and producers to select the wine I'm buying, be it French Italian or whatever.

Anyway, having suitably trashed your purchase, I hope it's a real stonker!



Marco.

More or less what I thought: any supermarket label puts me on my guard. However having said that, I have found that with the exception of profiteroles, the Tesco 'Finest' range are worthy of the title and justify their higher price.

I would expect to pay at least £20 for a bottle of Barolo, so maybe my purchase will be up to scratch.

The links to 'half price' bargains, reminds me of the perennial carpet sales: carpets are sold at a supposed 'sale' price which is actually their true market price. When it comes to cheap wine, the 'half price offers' that I have bought have usually been highly palatable. For the odd duff purchase that I may have bought and mentioned on AoS, I have quickly posted comments to the contrary.

Fear not, I'm unlikely to be taken in and to recommend a Petrus at a mere £6.99, or £16.99 for that matter!

Regards

[campbell mac]

Hi Campbell,

Thanks for the info. I like the sound of the Wheatsheaf in Raby, but where in the Wirral is Raby?

I have friends in Neston and Heswell. Is it anywhere near there?

Marco.

Raby is a small village about 2 miles from Neston heading roughly in the direction of Willaston. Just ask for directions from the locals. Had a couple of pints of Scarecrow from the Brimstage Brewery up at the Travellers Rest last night. It's a little bit stronger than Trappers Hat but very tasty, balanced, fruity with a good hop finish.

[Marco]

Cheers, mate - I'll definitely be checking it out!

Marco.

[aquapiranha]

Cheers, mate - I'll definitely be checking it out!

Marco.

Nice little pub Marco, 5 minutes from me. Ian will know it too.

[Marco]

Seems like it, dude... Looking forward to Wednesday - arrive hungry!

Marco.

[aquapiranha]

Seems like it, dude... Looking forward to Wednesday - arrive hungry!

Marco.

I will indeed, thanks!

[Barry]

Castello San Lorenzo Rioja Reserva 2005.



Tesco, on offfer at £4.99 a bottle. Excellent, I bought a dozen bottles - nice one Alex!

Just enjoyed with some bangers 'n' mash - pork and caramelised red onion sausages, red cabbage, seared red pepper, carrots and broccoli. Home made mash; I like lumps and potato skin in my mash. Couth? Oui, je sais!