Tesco have Sileni Straits '07 at £7.21 [a] Am I supposed to get some? and [b] What about the Satyr at £3.92 ? Now's the time to earn those HUGE bonuses...

Sileni the Straits was gorgeous but is passed it and not worth the offer price. The Satyr was tat to begin with but at £3.92.......if you like dry white wine with no varietal flavour....this wine is for you but there must be better out there surely ?

If you're keen to spend £5-ish online with Tesco, you could do much worse than grabbing a case or two of this-
http://www.tesco.com/wine/product/detai ... =256226813

Im drinking the '06 myself, its delicious, as good, if not better, than the Lehmann '05.

Roger wilco GK, thanks. Will get one in a 6 new-ones trial on the w/e.

was looking at this today instore.
will pick up a few bottles on your says so.
Finest Fiano for 4 pound also good value. My desk at work is gonna be swimming in bottles at this rate

Now I've heard of ships in bottles, but swimming in bottles...???

Semillon schmellion. What is this stuff? Hated the first taste, even gave it a slug of something else. Then came the car, the day after the dogs had jumped in the algae-covered lake. Tried it solo again, changed. Straaange, third glass I liked....mumbles incantations. deal or no deal? Don't know...

I once had a bottle of Peter Lehmann Barossa semillon 2002 in the summer of 2006.

It was heavon...truly stunning. The best glass of wine i've ever had. The 2005 has the same amount of bottle age but, the odd bottle apart, is nowhere near as good although it is still a classic example of semillon. Just young semillon as opposed to aged semillon.

Semillon schmillon....lovely jubbly

I've just had a disgusting thought. Is one allowed to decant white wine? The "Hope" from Thresher's and this may well have benefited from a high decant en lieu of some age. Excuse me, I'm just an ijut but this wine lark is really getting to me.

Forgive me B, this may be a silly question- have you tried Semillon in the past or was this your first experience (other than Bordeaux blends perhaps)? I work with someone who cant stand Semillon, too oily they say. Fool, I say.

I forgive you my son, a good observation in fact. I have had many Sem blends, with CB, SB, Cha, SB+Cha, and of course with Riesling in the ubiquitous Poacher's Blend (£5.03 - Waitrose).
The "Hope" and Denman's were the first two varietals I'd downed.

B - We are not wanting to excessively oxidise a light or medium or dryish white wine - It may expire when served in the glass ! The Hope is medium bodied ? Medium dry ? Ba - You may wish to consider the style of this wine first.

In some instances, we are looking for evolution from micro organisms - Many modern white wines are too clean - a million bottles have to be the same !
A "dirty" wine which is poluted with all the elements, spores and organisms floating around in it's historic environment may develop well with time and produce something unique and interesting.
I see no real point in decanting a young, correct and clean modern white. Serving temperature, ultra clean glasses, a clean palate, all make a significant difference for me.

It's all rather subjective - and a mine field if you promote your own opinions, and portend to say how folks should do it - After getting the basics sorted - Do what you think is best for you, is my message.

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Duncan

The Hope was fine. I'm not yet used to whites that age. This '05 was only just coming into it's own, and would improve further for 5 yrs or so. I was really looking forward to the Denman's after GK's delicious comment. Just couldn't get on with it. Will try another (and wash the glass this time!).

Ba - I think you just have to say that the Denman is not for You.

On the matter of that Cloudy Bay - what year did your host extoll the virtues of ? - He is probably influenced by CB's general and reliable quality, which is high - So it should be for the price.

I thought the Stonewall 2007 got close to CB's flavour - but not the stucture, length or concentration. Try one of the Saint Clairs - Goose may help you to pick one of these. Astrolabe on the A label. One of the Montana Terrior Series SB's ? You may want to show him that CB is not the only MSB fish to fry !

What I don't understand is why you should want to sip expensive MSB after a rich dinner with music (relaxing with Hi Fi ?). Seems all arse about face to me

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Duncan

It's probably my fault (infamy, infamy) but this SB thing is getting way too complicated. So... I shall be taking three disparate wines, which will either be used on the night or not, according to mein host's wishes. They may all go under the stairs or all be drunk at any stage. All I wanted was that one of them be an SB to "handbag" his dreaded Cloudy b****y Bay (whenever or for whatever reason it gets imbibed). I'm going for MJ's Grande Cuvée au moment. Poker now, be back at the crack of noon.