Ever since I started to do a bit of work for a local wine merchant, and a friend of mine set up her own wine sales business, I've felt kind of dirty whenever I've bought wine in the supermarket.
While it's true that the best wines are going to be found elsewhere, most people now seem to get their wine from a supermarket at least some of the time. Aside from the convenience of not having to buy a certain number of bottles, there is a lot of choice. And, I did start this blog to help you drink better wine, wherever you buy it from.
So, today, I admit, I feel dirty. But in a good way. I have vowed never to buy supermarket wine at the normal price again. If they're going to lure us with offers, they've shown me that they're overcharging most of the time. So here's my pick of the Waitrose Fine Wine sale. 25% off until the 7th of April.
Today's dirt is brought to you by The Hedonist.
There's nothing quite like a hug from an old friend, and while I first became addicted with the £8.99 vintage 2008, we're now looking at a regular price of £13.99, so it's no longer drunk quite as often as it was when first discovered. Back at £10.49 with the discount, it's well worth chucking a few bottles in the trolley. In fact, I even wrote to The Hedonist about becoming brand ambassador. After all, my i-phone cover is the Shiraz label. I'd love to taste more of the range, so I hope, as they promised, it will be arriving soon.
In Waitrose today, I helped another customer find it, and she tried to tell me what a nice wine it was. "Honey, you're preaching to the choir", I chuckled, as I showed her my phone.
I've reviewed it several times before, so I won't dwell here, but if you want to read more, it's here. Trust me - you want to try this now. I've featured it from the beginning of the blog.
It's not available in my local branch, but I've previously enjoyed the d'Arenberg The Hermit Crab blend of Viognier and Marsanne. These white Rhone varietals get sympathetic treatment down under and their Dead Arm Shiraz is legendary - however, it's sadly excluded in the current offer, so at £27.99, I won't be popping a bottle any time soon.
While it's true that the best wines are going to be found elsewhere, most people now seem to get their wine from a supermarket at least some of the time. Aside from the convenience of not having to buy a certain number of bottles, there is a lot of choice. And, I did start this blog to help you drink better wine, wherever you buy it from.
So, today, I admit, I feel dirty. But in a good way. I have vowed never to buy supermarket wine at the normal price again. If they're going to lure us with offers, they've shown me that they're overcharging most of the time. So here's my pick of the Waitrose Fine Wine sale. 25% off until the 7th of April.
Today's dirt is brought to you by The Hedonist.
There's nothing quite like a hug from an old friend, and while I first became addicted with the £8.99 vintage 2008, we're now looking at a regular price of £13.99, so it's no longer drunk quite as often as it was when first discovered. Back at £10.49 with the discount, it's well worth chucking a few bottles in the trolley. In fact, I even wrote to The Hedonist about becoming brand ambassador. After all, my i-phone cover is the Shiraz label. I'd love to taste more of the range, so I hope, as they promised, it will be arriving soon.
In Waitrose today, I helped another customer find it, and she tried to tell me what a nice wine it was. "Honey, you're preaching to the choir", I chuckled, as I showed her my phone.
I've reviewed it several times before, so I won't dwell here, but if you want to read more, it's here. Trust me - you want to try this now. I've featured it from the beginning of the blog.
It's not available in my local branch, but I've previously enjoyed the d'Arenberg The Hermit Crab blend of Viognier and Marsanne. These white Rhone varietals get sympathetic treatment down under and their Dead Arm Shiraz is legendary - however, it's sadly excluded in the current offer, so at £27.99, I won't be popping a bottle any time soon.
BraZin Lodi Zinfandel has again featured at Chateau Purple Teeth more than once. There's no better zone for Zin than Lodi (unless you want to spend serious money on Ridge wines - and that's a whole new blog post). Zinfandel sometimes suffers from an association with the sickly pink "white zinfandel." There is a lot more to this grape as a red wine, and it's a great alternative for fans of super ripe Malbec. Again, down to £9.74 this is worth a try if you've not had it before. I will be enjoying it with some sticky ribs.
Moving to Argentina, I will not be able to resist popping in a bottle each of Catena Chardonnay and Catena Malbec. Both of these wines make regular appearances at Chateau Purple Teeth. Find out why by reading about them in my previous blogs. Both are currently reduced to £9.74, and I'm clearly not the only fan as both are now out of stock on-line. If you can find it, though, it's definitely worth stocking up on some of the Malbec (or the Norton's Reserve down to £8.24) to celebrate the upcoming Malbec World Day on 17th April. You might also try Michel Rolland's Clos de Los Siete (down from £15 to £11.99), it blends Malbec with Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah and packs a real punch.
If you're more of a fan of Chile, try the Cono Sur 20 Barrels. It seems to be out of stock online, but you might find it in your local branch. I've had it a couple of times and reviewed it here. A finer Pinot Noir is hard to find at it's discounted price of £14.99. We don't often stretch to more than that for this grape as Mr Purple Teeth so often decides he won't like it just by looking at it's paler colour. This one passed his test, and I really enjoyed it too.
If you're more of a fan of Chile, try the Cono Sur 20 Barrels. It seems to be out of stock online, but you might find it in your local branch. I've had it a couple of times and reviewed it here. A finer Pinot Noir is hard to find at it's discounted price of £14.99. We don't often stretch to more than that for this grape as Mr Purple Teeth so often decides he won't like it just by looking at it's paler colour. This one passed his test, and I really enjoyed it too.
If I were to place an order on line, I'd be quite tempted to add in a bottle of Feiler-Artinger Blaufränkisch which is down to £8.46. I've drunk quite a lot of this varietal recently under it's Hungarian guise, Kekfrankos, when in Budapest. Australia presents good versions and this is usually a hit with those who don't like heavy tannin in their reds. I'd also more than likely throw in a Cune Rioja Reserva, again, down to £9.74 from £12.99. If you like Reserva style Riojas (read more about this in my Rioja blog here) you'll find it hard to beat this one for quality and value.
The bargain of the week, however has to be the over £200 a bottle saving (yes, friends, that's the discount!) on a bottle of Château d'Yquem, Sauternes Premier Grand Cru for "just" £637.50. I'm sure it's amazing, but I can't see me popping a bottle in the basket to blog about unless blogging suddenly gets way more lucrative! Dessert wine fans could do worse than pick up a bottle of Chateau Jolys Cuvee Jean instead. (It's down £2 at £9.99 till the 14th). The Petit Manseng grape provides incredible scented floral and tropical fruit flavours and the sweetness rating is the same. We can always dream about the Yquem whilst sipping it.
I've spotted a few other intriguing wines, from varietals I've not tried. If they're worth a punt, I'll let you know before the next 25% off round at your local supermarket. I'd love to hear which wines you stock up on whenever there's a sale on. Meanwhile, I'll leave you with the most popular post from my Facebook Page in rather a long time.
Happy Easter Drinking. Cheers!
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