http://www.finewinediary.com/

Fascinating stuff

Those two Bailey guys are good fun. Where they get their wines, and how much is annual their cellar budget - lord only knows.

They don't seem to moan that much when they lift a 25 year old Richelboug from their cellar, and find it is corked ! Very calm in the circumstances.

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Duncan

Found this little gem on that site...

Life's too short ... for Nicolas 18/10/2009 (TNB)
I couldn't resist a quick look in our local Nicolas, for the first time since it was Oddbins. The stock was not so bad really - nowhere that has Chateau Simone can be all bad. And then:
Assistant: "Can I help you Sir? This Spanish Crianza is very good."

Me (slightly bored): "Really? Who's the producer?"

Assistant: "Bodegas. Great guy - really knows what he's doing!"


Passed that on to a wine pal and he replied...

I had this one in an Oddbins . "Good choice sir (It was a Morgon). What are you going to eat with it?" Me: "It's for our wne circle - we haven't decided on food yet." Assistant: "It will go really well with Lamb. It has Pinot Noir in it."

The worst was Thresher. They never train their staff. I went in to buy some Saint Clair Vicar's Choice MB and there was only one so I asked the new staff member if they had any more in the stock room and she read the bottle and yelled out to her boss.

' Do we have any Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Marlborough Sir Vig Nun Blank. '

To which her boss replied ' no but Marlborough is NZ and we have other NZ wines what about Villa Maria Peenut Noah that's probably the same '

I went into M&S with my list of the next 12 tastings I was planning, and vouchers, and when I'd found 11 wines a very sweet girl with a "wine advisor" badge came and asked if I needed any help. I said I just needed a Marlborough Sauvignon and I'd be finished.

Is that red or white?

If I were a teenager I might add rofl

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mel

I asked the wine man in Sains last year to accompany me back down the aisle. They had a same-brand half-price offer on SB and Cab S. The SB was on the red side and the cab in with the whites.

No!

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mel

On the other hand. I remember going to Oddbins in Cardiff. I was there an age and eventually chose ( as well as some Dashwood MB SB ) a Sancerre by Christian Salmon. The manager said noooooooooooooooo buy the 05 Henry Pelle Menetou Salon it's fantastic and in a blind tasting could pass for the very best Sancerre.

I bought one. It was beautiful. Little on the nose and nothing at all on the tip of the tongue but the aftertaste was stunning. Gooseberry with a very subtle hint of nut.

That hint of nut or minerality as most wine writers would say is what makes Sancerre and it's Central Vineyard neighbours like PF and MS special.

I want to have that man's babies. Mrs Goosegogs says I can't.

'spose there's no harm in trying...!!

Yeah Gosling, I've had good vibes too. At my other Sains is a part-time guy. About 5ft nothing, I thought he was French, but he is Italian. Has a decent cellar of his own and very knowledgable. Has given me a couple of "inside" infos

Having a man's babies, then on to, inside infos - Weird or what.

Mel, care to decipher this stuff ?

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Duncan

I would absolutely have the babies of that man. Completely understand. Nice that you both feel able to share.

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mel

Goose, can you find a sexy pic of Henry Pelle or is it the Oddbins manager ? Henry Pelle with (serge gainsberg sound) may be more suitable, perhaps ?

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Duncan

I can see what you're trying to do.

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mel

Its too early to join this thread.