Dank forest, custard? (rather crême anglais). Some petrol with underlying complexities. Not for the easy-swigging crowd but very nice at the offer price for the more adventurous.

Day off today.

Called in my local M&S for some party food. Its my daughter's 2nd birthday tomorrow. My local doesn't stock a lot of the wines I look out for, but this was in. The 25% off for 6 is still on and this is £2 off anyway, which I calculate to be £4.50 a bottle for 6 . Thanks for the TN Bacchus. I'm going back to M&S

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tribs

It turns out my local is M&S is one of a handful of stores trialling a 25% discount on any 6 wine or ale. The nationwide 25% offer ended over a week ago.

I see what you mean by the custard. It was the first thing I noticed. It does not have the typical marlborough properties of the Co-op Estate Reserve (which I think I still prefer, though I've not tasted it for a couple of weeks) nor the Tomato leaf of the Crawford Farm. It is richer and fuller though and quite delicous. At the price I paid (£4.50 per bottle) this has to be the cheapest good quality MSB you can buy at present. If the 25% for 6 is still running I may well go back for some more.

Can I give a Good Value Badge if an offer is not universal?

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tribs

I strongly dislike this style of MSB

I have taken to opening bottles of MSB in store and smelling the wine. If there's a blackcurrant hit I buy and if not it goes back on the shelf.

Bit naughty but i'm fed up buying crap sb with tasting notes that bear little or no relation to the actual wine.

Is that just stelvin or do you have a screw on the shop floor?

I came back to this over several days and it lasted well. The custard seem to disappear after a day or so. As time passed it was tasting more and more Marlborough like. Had a couple of other SB's over the weekend and this knocked the pants off those.

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tribs

On offer again as is the Reserve and 40 knots. £6.67 now

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Four wheels move the body - 2 wheels move the soul.

I picked up a Kaituna Reserve, Siefried Estate, Terrasota (Barrel) Rioja for a 6 for 25%. Tried to find some cheapos to make up the 6 but failed. Nothing caught my eye, so I put them back. I really wanted some reds to make them up and didn't want to spend too much. Oh well.

I still have a few of this Kaituna standard. Have put one in the queue for trying soon.

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tribs

Tried this again last night.

The custard has gone. It is more typical now. Slightly tart.

Good value for the price I paid, but perhaps past its best.

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tribs

9 months on...No more custard. More typical as per Tribs, but still on the "heavy" side. Goose won't rate this, but I do. Warm, herby, not quite SA but heading that way.

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Four wheels move the body - 2 wheels move the soul.