Hats off to Co-op, they've had all my business so far this year with some excellent wines offered at excellent prices.

First the informative bit:
A number of the discontinued wines on offer the past couple of weeks have been further reduced so there are some good bargains to be had. There also seem to be some new offers on the shelves now.
Muriel Rioja Reserva has a third off down from £9.99 to £6.66. I've previously had 2008 vintage which was pretty good and I think they're now stocking 2009 which was an excellent vintage for the region
The Villa Maria Cellar Selection offer expired yesterday. I managed a last gasp 2 bottles for £7 last night. Hope the rest of you capitalized too

Now the bragging bit:
My latest haul from last night (on top of the VM CS 2013):
2x Billaud-Simon Chablis PC Vallions 2009 @ £7 (Labelled "Del" for some time I've been checking the price weekly since the beginning of the year. Then saw them moved and labelled at the discount px. Persistence paid off ! woohoo!)
2x St Halletts Faith Shiraz 2008 @ £7 (labelled £7.81 but just noticed they went through as £7. These were the only 2008s, there was one 2009 and half a dozen or so 2011 (which is one of the worst vintages for Barossa apparently))
5x Chateau Senejac 2009 @ £11.70 (from £16.99 these were the only 5 2009 vintage. I left 2 bottle of 2008 on the shelf)

Some other wines I passed on:
Rustenberg SWB 2011 now £4.16. Already purchased 2 bottles for £5 previously. I'm drinking a glass I this now to see if it is worth going back for. I've decided it's not
D'arenberg laughing magpie Shiraz Viognier 2007 about a tenner I think
Some Amorone with a fiver off at about £12-£14

So worth going to give your stores another reccy if you haven't done so recently

Good haul Shez.

I once took a case of the '05 Senejac, very nice, have not tried any later vintages.

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Yep, Im still here.

2x Billaud-Simon Chablis PC Vallions 2009 @ £7 (Labelled "Del" for some time I've been checking 5x Chateau Senejac 2009 @ £11.70 (from £16.99 these were the only 5 2009 vintage. I left 2 bottle of 2008 on the shelf)

Brilliant haul Shez - my word, I'd really want that Senejac '09, a 16/20 from Jancis is a good score, and a 90 from ave cellar tracker folks , and some more 1er Vaillons as well makes me want to go out hunting again - tonight !

Muriel Rioja Reserva '09 for all the six's is real value. The B-S 1er is the real steal though, I had to part with £9 - enjoy, very posh.

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Duncan

Shez,
I went back to Co-Op during the post mid-day quiet spot. Shez, thanks for letting me know about the B-S £2 dividend.

3 x Billaud-Simon Chablis 1ers 1 x Vaillons 2009 and 2 x Mont de Milieu @ £7 each
1 x Brocard '10 generic 1er. I have cleared nearly all the premier cru chablis except Brocard Generic 2008 - anyboody know it ?
The 2011 La Chasse CdR Reserve, Gabriel Meffre (decanter silver) cork stopper, was still only a fiver - so helped myself to the last 3.

Senejac was all 2007 (pity, wanted only the fruity '09), so side stepped that at £11.70. '07 Haut medoc does not really appeal at nearly 12 quid ! No Belgrave 5th growth at all. Because I picked off the Bonnat last time, that store have a full shelf again - Oh dear ! computer replenishment can be ...........stupid. Bonnat will be a fiver next time, there was one '06 that I put to the back.

There are about ten half decent fine wines at between 30% & 35% off, dotted around. I think it is a long waiting game now. Waiting and re-visiting

Clos Floridene Graves blanc on Barsac soils, has some money off
CNdP Clos de Oratoire '11 is discounted as well
A decent Amarone (decanter gold) and Wirra Church Block '08 for £8.67 (£12.99)
Also a half decent Chianti - I need to take a notebook next time.

More Chablis Talk - the lovely 2010 and our Billaud bargains from the Co-Op.
From Burghound: "Producer note: Bernard Billaud, just as he did in 2010, called the 2011 vintage "a complete classic. If the wine school textbooks had a description of what classic Chablis is supposed to smell and taste like, then both 2010 and 2011 produced it. The wines are elegant, very fresh and possess a wonderful sense of tension and drive. I suppose if I had to choose, 2010 is slightly more classic but really, we're splitting hairs. From the standpoint of making a comparison with another recent vintage, I would characterize 2011 as being more like 2008 than 2010, which itself is perhaps more like 2007. The fruit was exceptionally clean and quite ripe as there was no chaptalization. Overall, I think people will love 2011 as the wines will drink well early but should also age beautifully if desired." As to the now in-bottle 2010s, they have fulfilled everything that I saw last year and then some. In sum, they are seriously impressive wines and well worth your attention.

I was rather pleased when I saw Jancis saying drink 2013 -2017 & 2018 for the B-S Vaillons & Mont de Milieu, I have a small collection - over half a case

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Duncan

Nice one Duncan for picking up the B-S Chablis PCs
Seems your co-op is just as fruitful as mine
I managed to acquire 5 bottles of 2009 Domaine des Beaumont Chambolle-Musigny Les Chardannes @£7 in another store on the way home tonight
Note sure of the rrp but I'll be giving one a go tonight

Wow !

Chambolle '09 a fleshy, ripe and fruity vintage, the pinot was lush all over the Cote d'Or - That price is truly amazing.

Enjoy - I'm going to travel further. I love Chambolle Musigny, and on the fail safe '09, Wow. I've not seen any C-M at less than £30 per bottle retail This wine will be ready early, perhaps not classic, but if you get the beauty of that exquisite aroma.........

The cellar tracker note sounds right - I believe this vintage will develop more complexity, the 2003s did.

I'm waiting to hear.

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Duncan

Taken from another the only other CT member to have review the 2009 CM:
Medium body. Nose of black cherry, cinnamon and clove. Flavors of black cherry and cranberry. Mild tannins and acidity. Drinkable now. Probably not a long term aging wine, but a few more year would not hurt. Very nice wine, almost a bit new world Pinot. A touch fruit forward, but not on an in your face way

This tasting note is spot on. It's a nice wine, which I hope will develop with a little more time to give some more secondary notes
I scored this 88 for now but then I do have a bit of a cold coming on and may not have been able to fully appreciate it on this occasion
For the moment I prefer Dom des Beaumont's 2007 Morey st Denis
But a big well done and to Co-op for making both wines available at my local store

This tasting note is spot on. It's a nice wine, which I hope will develop with a little more time to give some more secondary notes
I scored this 88 for now

Shez, very pleased for you, a wonderful bargain. A score of 88 relates to a wine that normally retails for £28 plus VAT, a village Chambolle. So for your buying price, QPR would be 422% You could have paid £40 plus for a 2004 premier cru in 2008 that may not be drinking so well ! The wine is feminine, the vintage characteristic and the terroir, in time aromatic forest floor nuances should develop.

I've not drunk a lot of chambolle due to its hefty price, even in decades past.......yet I've never had a glass of one that I didn't really enjoy.


I hope you're considering better cellaring conditions With your savings

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Duncan

Really I should look into improved cellaring options for my wines
I've just put together a new 90 wine rack to go under the stairs but really the conditions there aren't ideal for long term storage
Currently it's a choice between there or the garage which is fine in these colder temperatures but come summer time the garage, while cooler than other rooms in the house will still be too warm to really aid the preservation/gradual development of wine
Having said that, with the exception of perhaps a dozen or two, I don't have too many precious stocks that will be kept heavily in excess of 5 yrs

As we had a strange yellow thingy in the sky, I dashed off to 4 widely spaced Co-ops.
Only one had the Chablis, but only 2 bottles, which I grabbed.
One had the Roumieu at £12.99, one had it at £6.99 (good eh!)
Could not find anything else. Will try the PC Vaillons tonight and if impressed will search for some more.

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

Well done Bacchus
I enjoyed the B-S PC mont milleu 2008 so hopefully you will too
Definite worth hunting down if you're getting them for £7

Did you get any Roumieu? Or are you not a sweetie fan?

Not a great sweetie, although I'm always being called that.
May well get a couple at the low price to keep for pressys.

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

I've just noticed that my lot are now calling themselves 'Southern Co-op'. I've noted here previously that the GK ones are 'Midland Co-op'. Are they splitting up ??

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

My Co-op has none of this going on. I keep going in, just in case. Their freshly cooked baguettes are delicious. Often pick them up still warm.

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mel

No fresh, warm crusty baguettes at my stores so I had to settle for 6 more Le Boscq 2007, 7x piper heidsieck cuvée sublime Demi sec & a lonely dom Des Beaumont chambolle musigny 2009
My stocks have now just broken the 400 mark for the first time ever (mrs Shez must never know !!)