Is anyone on for this great big tasting, in Stroud, on 15th November.

All the main brands that are priced between £3.99 and £6.99.

Free (blind) tasting.

Real wine enthusiasts, prepared to do some scoring, not just drinking.

Soup, cheese and bread over lunchtime.

10 - 4, but "serious" tasters before lunch and casual, interested parties after 2.

Dining room table absolutely groaning with samples, some of which look potentially quite good. Estimate between 100 and 200 wines on the day, but you only have to taste the groups that appeal.

These are the brands that have been contacted - only 2 have declined.

Wolf Blass
Argento
French Connection
First Cape
Brown Bros
Banrock Station
Echo Falls
Hardy’s Voyage
Hardy’s VR
Kumala
Nobilo White Cloud
Turner Road
Angoves
Canti
La Gioiosa
Blossom Hill
Piat d’Or
Inycon
Stormhoek
Casillero
Lindemans
Vina Albali
Gallo Sierra Valley
Turning Leaf
Chasse du Pape
Canaletto
Black Tower
Kendermanns
JP Chenet
La Baume
Errazuriz
Oyster Bay
Torres
Tagus Creek
Jacob’s Creek
Lindauer
Montana
Spier
Beyerskloof
Namaqua
Marques de la Concordia
Arniston Bay
Boschendal
Cellier des Dauphins
Rocco Bay
Concha y Toro
McGuigan
Zontes Footstep
Da Luca
Cono Sur

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mel

Hey Mel, how did the tasting go?

Couldnt make it, picked up my new car

Oh dear, I just read through the list above and only counted four brands that I havent tried (or could recall drinking).

It went well, and there were some unexpected winners. I'll get them on the site as soon as possible.

Busy week, but will see what I can do.

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mel

Looking back at this list, while only two had declined at that point, Constellation Brands, the biggest wine company in the WORLD sent an email two days before saying actually they'd decided not to send any samples.

Still, of the brands that are proud of their wine, there were some interesting wines and some rather dreary ones.

As soon as I can.

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mel