Quite understandably Mel has other things on her mind at the moment and may not have time to update the site. I thought we regulars could suggest a Wine of the Week for readers.

My recommendations is-
Caves St Pierre, Vieilles Vignes Preference, Côtes du Rhone Villages '07 currently reduced to £5.00 in Sainsburys.
A fragrant, spicy, creamy dollop of dark fruits composed from 40 year old vines. Delicious.

btw- Sainsburys has a 25% off x6 bottle promo running at the mo.

I have a Terres De Galets Gabriel Meffre Cotes Du Rhone 2008 from Sainsbury. Supposedly £10 down to £5.

Any good or have I bought a duffer ?

Dunno, havent tried it, you tell us!

The '07 picked up a Decanter Silver, looks like a £7 wine.

I used to like the T d Galets but the last one I bought was '05., and J McQ liked the St Pierre ( '08 ) in my paper's column. Unfortunately nearly all reds taste horrid to me these days for some reason

My recommendation in the next price band is-
Rioja Gran Reserva Berberana at Majestic £12.99 Special Offer = £11.99 buy any 2 still Spanish wines and save 25% = £8.99

You must rifle through the shelves or ask for the 2001

Mature and ready, elegant and lighter in style, yet good body. Sweet oak with a touch of cedar, lovely wild strawbwerry fruit. Smooth mouth feel and nice tannins that provide enought structure without being unbalanced or too soft. A lovely nose and a snip at £8.99

This is of the 2001 an outstanding vintage and one that has developed quite early. Sip and nurture in the glass as the evening progresses, without food if you like, Yum, Now - 2011 not enough acidity for the longer haul. I passed on the 2002.

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Duncan

Thanks for doing this boys. Am back on track now.

Am asking a pronunciation question. GK, you talk of rifling through the shelves. Now, the word rifle, in this context, I would pronounce as rifle, like the gun. However, I have now heard Stephen Fry pronounce it as riffle, to rhyme with piffle.

What's that all about.

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mel

Ask Dunc's, he said it, not me!

Rifle is searching for things to nick or destroy.
Riffle is to move in quick succesion as in shuffling cards or turning leaves of a book.

15gns please.

Oh dear, I'm writing a load of piffle, my spelling has gone down the pan as well as my palate. Mel , defer to Stephen Fry's answer. I do enjoy his Friday evening prog, Whacky and Brill.

Etymology is not all about eating stuff, is it ?

Yeah OK ...Riffling at Majestic - Ya no wat I meen.

2001 Rioja GR = Nice stuff
2001 Chat (half decent) Neuf, can be top doggy as well .

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Duncan

2 x SS's in succession, I'll have that 15 gns if you don't mind !

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Duncan

No, NO! you won't succeed. It's MINE I tell you.

Back to work for me, otherwise I need that 15 gns !

See ya

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Duncan

When good old Fred Dibnah went to Buck House to collect his gong he was briefed on procedures. He was told that on the first occasion of addressing the queen he must say "your majesty". Then any second and subsequent remarks should end in "ma'm". The major domo then, in a very strict voice, continued, "and ma'm rhymes with 'ham', NOT with 'farm' (which he pronounced faaaaaahm !!! Wonderful.

being thick - 15 gns??

and SSs

no doubt am about to be embarrassed by stupidity or rudeness.

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mel

Enjoy a glass of wine Mel, and I'm certain the penny will drop.

Many auction bids for chattels and Farm stock before 1970 were quoted in this unit of currency, as were professional fees.

15 gns (guineas) is the Bacchanal fee for explaining the possibility of an error (That may qualify as a malapropism) created by that spelling of mine. As for pronunciation, the word is spoken in the same way in most of the country.

Perhaps they say Piffle as in rifle in Bristol

But interestingly, the spelling is correct, if one were to consider that I rifled through the stock to separate the wheat from the chaff, and carry off the booty for the same price. The booty being that I picked off the 2001 as one of the best vintages in Rioja in the last decade and left the 2002, arguably one of the least successful.

As for the two S's, I pointed out Ba's typo error in his spelling of succession - thereby reclaiming his fee chargeable to you.

You now owe me 15 gns

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Duncan