Off Topic The Review Thread
- Thread starter Stroller
- Start date
-
Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
-
How to find good-value wines now that multi-buy offers are banned
John Wilson: Know the regions that offer greater consistency and value than others
From now on, there will be no case discounts, no buy one, get one free or any multi-buy offers on wine under new regulations. Photograph: iStock
John Wilson
Follow
Sat, Jan 9, 2021, 06:00
6
You may have noticed doors and barriers being erected around the off-licence part of your local supermarket last November. These are part of the new Government regulations covering the sale of wine, beer and spirits. In mixed retail stores, alcohol must now be stored behind a counter.
From Monday, further regulations come into effect; you will no longer be able to buy alcohol using loyalty card points and shops may not award loyalty points for the purchase of alcohol. From now on, there will be no case discounts, bogofs (buy one, get one free) or any multi-buy offers. This means that those buying wine, beer or spirits for weddings or parties may not be offered quantity discounts. Whether this leads to an exodus of wine buyers northwards, or over to France, remains to be seen. In addition, short “flash” sales lasting three days or less will be banned.
The introduction of minimum pricing has been postponed while the Minister for Health confers with his counterpart in Northern Ireland. However, he has said he will proceed with minimum pricing here in the Republic, which means the least expensive bottle of wine will cost about €7.80.
The multiples are trying out new methods of retailing; for instance, some are offering prepacks of six bottles, such as the Dunnes Stores offer featured here. O’Briens card holders will be able to access special exclusive bottles of wine or spirits. I am sure we will see other innovations being trialled.
A butterflied turkey may be the solution this Christmas
We all want to drink good cheap wine. Occasionally a producer may have full tanks of wine that need to be sold off cheaply, but otherwise why would anyone sell their superior wine for anything less than the market price? If you spend €10 or less on a bottle of wine in this country, at least half of your money goes straight to the Government in taxes. As a general rule, once you reach €10, the quality moves upwards quickly and you should expect something decent.
Some regions can offer greater consistency and value than others. Usually they produce large volumes, have an advantageous climate and good modern winemaking skills. Top of my list would be La Mancha in central Spain. Here the Tempranillo grape can produce simple, tasty, fruity, medium-bodied red wines. Look out too for names such as Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Cariñena, Yecla and Jumilla.
Moving to Italy, my favourites would include Sicily, the Veneto, the Abruzzo and the Marches; in France, the Southern Rhône, Languedoc and southwest France. From Chile, Sauvignon can be good, as can Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and we are seeing more and more well-made inexpensive wines from Romania.
Laurent Miquel Night Harvest Blanc 2019, Vin de France
12.5%, €50 for a six -bottle case
Made from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Colombard, this is an attractive, lightly aromatic dry white wine with fresh plump melon fruits. Drink it solo, with creamy cheeses, or light seafood dishes.
Stockist: Dunnes Stores, dunnesstores.com
Lastarria Viognier Reserva 2020, Colchagua, Chile
13.5%, €10
Light peach and apricot fruits in a crisp, refreshing dry white. This would go nicely with grilled plaice, or pasta with a fresh tomato sauce.
Stockists: O’Briens, obrienswine.ie
Canfo Tempranillo 2019, La Mancha
13%, €11.50
A joyful mouthful of bubbly, fresh, easy drinking red cherry fruits. Perfect on its own, or with most chicken and pork dishes.
Stockists: 64wine, Glasthule, 64wine.com; Clontarf Wines, D3, Clontarfwines.ie; The Delgany Grocer, Co Wicklow; Lilliput Stores, Dublin 7, lilliputstores.com; The Corner Butcher, D8, thecornerbutcher.business.site
Pinot Noir Les Plants Noble 2019, Ropiteau, Vin de France
12.5%, €12
Juicy blackcurrant and plum fruits, with very good concentration and a soft rounded finish. This would go nicely with white meats, duck or mushroom dishes.
Stockists: Joyce’s Supermarket, Joycesupermarket.ie; Fine Wines, nationwide; 1601 Off-licence, Kinsale; 64wine, Glasthule, 64wine.com; Higgins, Clonskeagh, Higginsfflicence.ie; Kellys, Dublin 3, kellysofflicence.ie; The Grape & Grain, Co Dublin, Leopardstowninn.ie; Thomas’s of Foxrock, thomasoffoxrock.ie; winonline.ie; McHughs, Dublin 5, mchughs.ie; Gerry’s Fresh Foods, Skerries and Drogheda.
John Wilson: Know the regions that offer greater consistency and value than others
From now on, there will be no case discounts, no buy one, get one free or any multi-buy offers on wine under new regulations. Photograph: iStock
You must log in or register to see images
John Wilson
Follow
Sat, Jan 9, 2021, 06:00
6
You may have noticed doors and barriers being erected around the off-licence part of your local supermarket last November. These are part of the new Government regulations covering the sale of wine, beer and spirits. In mixed retail stores, alcohol must now be stored behind a counter.
From Monday, further regulations come into effect; you will no longer be able to buy alcohol using loyalty card points and shops may not award loyalty points for the purchase of alcohol. From now on, there will be no case discounts, bogofs (buy one, get one free) or any multi-buy offers. This means that those buying wine, beer or spirits for weddings or parties may not be offered quantity discounts. Whether this leads to an exodus of wine buyers northwards, or over to France, remains to be seen. In addition, short “flash” sales lasting three days or less will be banned.
The introduction of minimum pricing has been postponed while the Minister for Health confers with his counterpart in Northern Ireland. However, he has said he will proceed with minimum pricing here in the Republic, which means the least expensive bottle of wine will cost about €7.80.
The multiples are trying out new methods of retailing; for instance, some are offering prepacks of six bottles, such as the Dunnes Stores offer featured here. O’Briens card holders will be able to access special exclusive bottles of wine or spirits. I am sure we will see other innovations being trialled.
A butterflied turkey may be the solution this Christmas
We all want to drink good cheap wine. Occasionally a producer may have full tanks of wine that need to be sold off cheaply, but otherwise why would anyone sell their superior wine for anything less than the market price? If you spend €10 or less on a bottle of wine in this country, at least half of your money goes straight to the Government in taxes. As a general rule, once you reach €10, the quality moves upwards quickly and you should expect something decent.
Some regions can offer greater consistency and value than others. Usually they produce large volumes, have an advantageous climate and good modern winemaking skills. Top of my list would be La Mancha in central Spain. Here the Tempranillo grape can produce simple, tasty, fruity, medium-bodied red wines. Look out too for names such as Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Cariñena, Yecla and Jumilla.
Moving to Italy, my favourites would include Sicily, the Veneto, the Abruzzo and the Marches; in France, the Southern Rhône, Languedoc and southwest France. From Chile, Sauvignon can be good, as can Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and we are seeing more and more well-made inexpensive wines from Romania.
You must log in or register to see images
Laurent Miquel Night Harvest Blanc 2019, Vin de France
12.5%, €50 for a six -bottle case
Made from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Colombard, this is an attractive, lightly aromatic dry white wine with fresh plump melon fruits. Drink it solo, with creamy cheeses, or light seafood dishes.
Stockist: Dunnes Stores, dunnesstores.com
You must log in or register to see images
Lastarria Viognier Reserva 2020, Colchagua, Chile
13.5%, €10
Light peach and apricot fruits in a crisp, refreshing dry white. This would go nicely with grilled plaice, or pasta with a fresh tomato sauce.
Stockists: O’Briens, obrienswine.ie
You must log in or register to see images
Canfo Tempranillo 2019, La Mancha
13%, €11.50
A joyful mouthful of bubbly, fresh, easy drinking red cherry fruits. Perfect on its own, or with most chicken and pork dishes.
Stockists: 64wine, Glasthule, 64wine.com; Clontarf Wines, D3, Clontarfwines.ie; The Delgany Grocer, Co Wicklow; Lilliput Stores, Dublin 7, lilliputstores.com; The Corner Butcher, D8, thecornerbutcher.business.site
You must log in or register to see images
Pinot Noir Les Plants Noble 2019, Ropiteau, Vin de France
12.5%, €12
Juicy blackcurrant and plum fruits, with very good concentration and a soft rounded finish. This would go nicely with white meats, duck or mushroom dishes.
Stockists: Joyce’s Supermarket, Joycesupermarket.ie; Fine Wines, nationwide; 1601 Off-licence, Kinsale; 64wine, Glasthule, 64wine.com; Higgins, Clonskeagh, Higginsfflicence.ie; Kellys, Dublin 3, kellysofflicence.ie; The Grape & Grain, Co Dublin, Leopardstowninn.ie; Thomas’s of Foxrock, thomasoffoxrock.ie; winonline.ie; McHughs, Dublin 5, mchughs.ie; Gerry’s Fresh Foods, Skerries and Drogheda.
New series of Staged, the mockumentary with Michael Sheen and David Tennant, showing on BBC1. I really enjoyed the first series, it was a breath of fresh air in the midst of the first lockdown. Sort of half watched this episode, which also had Simon Pegg and Nock Frost in it, and wondered why no one can ever resist coming back for more of the same. It was perfect as it was, no need for more, no matter how many superstar mates you have to give parts to.
We've seen a few of the new series, and still find it good viewing - the episode with Samuel L Jackson is very funny
Really great to see the slopes, resorts and all that snow, but does really make you miss being on the slopes.
Must be crippling for the ski areas that have seen a whole season lost.
I've just finished watching ' Bulletproof ' on Sky. I dismissed this when I saw the trailer's when it first launched two years ago ( 2018 ) as I thought it was a UK version of Beverley Hills Cop, so I decided to give it a swerve. I've since seen a trailer that made me curious ... **** all else to do ... so I decided to watch it. Somewhat surprised. It's quite good, in a Die Hard sort of way. Lot's of holes in the plot but a few hours of something between 'Bad Boys' and 'Snatch' made it worth watching. There's some hard hitting moments ... I even saw my mate I worked with in the Fire Brigade with, ( He can't even remember being in it ) in one of the stuntman roles.
The two lead actors and writers of the show are good but the baddies were ... well quite bad, I thought.
Series three is out later this month.
I managed to watch this whole series but couldn't get past the first episodes of 'The Soprano's or Breaking Bad.' So I'm not sure what that says against my viewing taste?
Anyone else bothered to watch it?
The two lead actors and writers of the show are good but the baddies were ... well quite bad, I thought.
Series three is out later this month.
I managed to watch this whole series but couldn't get past the first episodes of 'The Soprano's or Breaking Bad.' So I'm not sure what that says against my viewing taste?
Anyone else bothered to watch it?
Mick Ronson was the musical director on 'Life on Mars' which is arguably his 'Opus.'
Just watched episode 1 - as good as the first two seasons, McShane is brilliant as Odin again.
The script seems to be drifting away from what I remember in the book though.
I was in Aldi today and saw Barolo on offer at £11.99 a bottle. Has to be a massive bargain, surely?
Stay tuned.
Stay tuned.
Has to be. Unless it’s horrid. Post a photo of the label if you get a chance.
Just had a look at the reviews on Aldi’s own site. Not promising.
Last edited:
Build it up ...
... and knock it down
It was worth a punt.
I'm a bit of a heathen when it comes to wine etc, but the bottle of port I got from Aldi seemed ok to me
David Crosby: Remember my Name, on Sky Arts.
Lord, he looks about a hundred! But then I check his age and he's actually 79, and when you look closer the young man is right there just beneath the surface, still very much alive. And by **** the man can still sing. As ever, the evocation of 1969 is exquisite pain for me.
Fascinating and beautiful.
Lord, he looks about a hundred! But then I check his age and he's actually 79, and when you look closer the young man is right there just beneath the surface, still very much alive. And by **** the man can still sing. As ever, the evocation of 1969 is exquisite pain for me.
Fascinating and beautiful.
Binge watched first three episodes yesterday, great stuff. Bits and pieces from the book survive, like the stuff in Lakeside which is great. The image of Ian McShane crowd surfing to Marilyn Manson will live long. McShane still excellent, but what has happened to his teeth? They are too big and white for his old mans mouth. Trying to work out whether this is a look for the part or some old age vanity.......