It's Wimilil round here. What a co-incidence...took three bridgeurs home 'cos of the filthy weather and the last one was in Wimilil. Dropped him at the railway bridge about 23.00

We never got into the city centre. What have you got in the way of wine stores. In Cardiff there's not much. Nicolas wines that took over from my beloved Oddbins. Nicolas is 99% French and many of the wines are way too long in the tooth. A dumping ground for their parent company. Howell's department store, part of House of Fraser. Better known for fashion and perfumes etc, this HofF store has a fantastic food and wine hall. Burgundy, Bordeaux and Loire dominated, the Sancerre/Pouilly Fume is to die for but very expensive. They only have two Marlborough sb's Cloudy Bay and Southbank Estate which they sell for £30 and £10.

And M&S.......but that can't be helped.

What about Brizzle city centre

GK, did you give this a bash ? were your findings inline with those of Mel's ?

Yes but I messed up, it was the '08 I had.

Opened it Friday night, rich nose, clove and cherry. At first the wine didn’t appear to have the depth of flavour I was expecting, nice-ish but neutral, and young. Not too sweet, lovely acidity but it didn’t grab me.

I went back to it on Saturday night and found a different beast all together. Wow, I couldn’t get my nose out of the glass, lovely fresh Pinot fruit, it glowed. The acidity was just right, cleansing and fresh. Strawberry is a fruit often over stated with PN but it was there all the way with a sprinkling of clove. A lovely wine to accompany our homemade pizza.

Dunc said:
Enjoy that PN, GK, if WOTW, then good on the day, with these, things can only get silkier for quite a few years.
I dont think there is any NZ pinot that goes asleep, is there ? Nah.

Was asleep .....I got that wrong, eh ? T'was not open, until you forced bottle age on the juvenile young thing Cruel

Enjoy, Hey.... which region is that Kaituna Hills ? Strawbugs are Malborough & Hawkes Bay are'nt they ? - sounds like a playful top doggy for the dosh

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Duncan

Grapes are from Marlborough's Wairau valley.

Yep, I checked the recycle bin last night, it was the '08, it has a completely different label to the '07.

On the subject of M&S, they sent me an email with a promo code- if I liked any of the wines they sent me in the mixed case recently I can have £12 off my next case purchase of that particular wine. The code is valid for three months. Not bad at all.

Only the Cambos impressed me enough to buy a case. Ugni blanc & colombard? who'd have thought.

Understanding NZ, Malborough for PN strawbugs.

However.....

I was going to enquire as to your sanity at the time GK, - Ugni blanc and indifferent Colom. This clearly demonstrates that something can be made by a determined wine maker.

Ugni was hitherto cooked in the Midi, and the wines then oxidized in mouldy bretty barrels to make sure they were

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Duncan

From what I've read recently, there's more to the region than Armagnac. I plan to hunt down a Tariquet wine next.

Shove a Tariquet link up here, so we can see where you're coming from.

There is clearly ** skill in the region

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Duncan

http://www.tariquet.com/uk/wines-white- ... riquet.asp

Waitrose stock their wines but not in all stores.

I just found this old note of Mels-
http://ccgi.quaffersoffers.co.uk/QOforu ... t=tariquet

Hmnnn, and Mel gives a Star - which are not dished out willy nilly.

This one looks very interesting - http://www.tariquet.com/images-vins/pro ... e-bois.jpg

Cheers for this GK - Time for me to Get Out More - Spring twenty ten to buy and try.

GK, I just checked in my WR but no Tariquet on the shelf in a small local.

WR notable clearance was:
Guigal CdR 2005 was 20% off at £6.
A half decent Montagne Prem cru 2006 was a third off at £10

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Duncan

Somerfield used to do a Tariquet. Tried it years agao when recd in paper.

I remember comparing it to white cotton M&S pants. Fresh, clean and exactly what you pay for. Not exciting, but comforting and of a good standard.

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mel