Heads up to a wine event

[Ham]

Declaration of interest - I got complimentary tickets last year, and I've got them again this year    to the Three Wine Men

My blog post link here http://londondailyphoto.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/wine-is-bottled-poetry.html

However, I would probably have used my own money to buy the £20 tickets. It is a commercial venture but if you like wine, you will really have a good time. Events coming up in Manchester & London.

[Jacomus]

Sorry to be a pain, I'm suffering the joys of mobile internet in the middle of nowhere... Could you give a quick key facts of this?

[Ham]

Sorry to be a pain, I'm suffering the joys of mobile internet in the middle of nowhere... Could you give a quick key facts of this?

1st & 2nd December – Manchester
 Museum of Science and Industry

8th & 9th December – London
 Lord’s Cricket Ground

Saturday: 11am – 3pm and 4pm – 8pm
 Sunday: 12noon – 5pm

Tickets £20 / session - Masterclasses £5

More wines than you can shake a glass at, excellent value, real fun, no pretension from Oz et al, can't guarantee that from the attendees, but you could guess that couldn't you?

Note: some sessions may be sold out, need to check online

[Ham]

Well, I was there yesterday, it was as much fun as I remembered, if not more. This year it appeared that the balance was towards wine dealers over independent growers, but that might just be my impression.

My personal find was Tour de Belfort, a small organic french grower with a UK presence (in Macclesfield! no they don't grow there).  Their wines are classic french style with a degree of freshness, no sulfites. Quite limited range of white (1) and red (3). The reds are all effectively the same blend of Malbec & Cabernet Franc grown nearby Cahors. I bought a case of their red @ £10.50/bottle, which I think is probably worth nearly double. I'll be keeping it for a couple of years, when it should be amazing.

Apart from that there are a couple of other items of note which I can pass on.

Waitrose own label wines in general, and the Grenache in particular (http://www.waitrose.com/shop/ProductView-10317-10001-224052-Waitrose+Southern+French+Grenache ) - These are curious items, the Grenache is the entire output of a small vinyard, one of only four in the Appelation using the particular grape (a little known used-to-be-popular variant of the grenache) and unlikely to be sufficient production to last a year, at £7.99 again you will have  a wine worth about 2x that.

Next, Lidl. Yes, Lidl. They were there and I had a fascinating chat with the chief wine buyer, they are being serious about trying to play with the serious boys - almost all the wines I tried were astonishing value... here is the page of the reds http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/34859.htm - the Rioja is particularly noteable, and the claret at £4.99 punches well above its weight. On the white front http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/34858.htm the Chablis at £7.69 would be my choice, and not forgetting the Prosecco @ £6.99 http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/34860.htm And the best thing, according to their wine man? It doesn't say Lidl anywhere on the bottle.

The overall verdict? So many wines, so little time .....         

[Snakehips]

Lidl. Yes, Lidl.

Yes indeed Lidl.
I was recently talking to an old friend and wine aficionado , who used to make regular visits to Yapp's to load up his car. Recent belt-tightening has driven him to Lidl instead and he was waxing lyrical about their offerings.

[pcolbeck]

Lidl also do some undrinkable muck.  I am quite fond of rough reds and quit happily buy plonk from the local coop when on holiday in France and cheap bottles of red in the UK but the liter of French table wine I got from Lidl a couple of months ago was horrible, the worst I have had in years, it went straight down the drain. Mrs Pcolbeck didn't even fancy cooking with it.
On the other hand I have had some very nice bottles form Lidl.  A tad patchy is my assessment of their quality control.

[Ham]

Lidl also do some undrinkable muck.  I am quite fond of rough reds and quit happily buy plonk from the local coop when on holiday in France and cheap bottles of red in the UK but the liter of French table wine I got from Lidl a couple of months ago was horrible, the worst I have had in years, it went straight down the drain. Mrs Pcolbeck didn't even fancy cooking with it.
On the other hand I have had some very nice bottles form Lidl.  A tad patchy is my assessment of their quality control.

Ohhhhh yessssssssssssssss. Hence my pointing towards the ones above

(I think the majority of their market is the plonk end, tbh)

[tiermat]

Thanks for the heads up, I might well have to head over to the local Lidl at the weekend to stock up on Rioja.  Obv at that price it's only going to be a Crianza, not a Reserva and certainly not a Gran Reserva, but is hopefully drinkable enough.  Out of interest, how does it compare to a Campo Viejo?

[Ham]

Thanks for the heads up, I might well have to head over to the local Lidl at the weekend to stock up on Rioja.  Obv at that price it's only going to be a Crianza, not a Reserva and certainly not a Gran Reserva, but is hopefully drinkable enough.  Out of interest, how does it compare to a Campo Viejo?

Uhhhh.... No.

Reserva. Will blow away Campo Viejo. The Saint Emillion @ £10 is also good, but not as much of a bargain.

If I had a criticism it would be that it was a bit lighter than I would have liked, a bit too easy drinking, would not have met my expectations of the character of a Gran Reserva. But then... it isn't. Oh, and a small caveat that I came to it fairly late in the proceedings, but I shall be buying some for sure (and the prosecco, and the £5 claret)

[pcolbeck]

Morrsions had a very nice St Emilion and a St Chinian on offer for about £5.00 a bottle. Not sure if they still do. The St Chinian is a particular favorite of mine.

[Valiant]

How did the Lambrini compare?


Seriously though, Lidls wines are excellent value, Aldi too on occasion does have some very good stuff.