Head for an independent
Want unusual bargains? Head for an independent - says Fiona Beckett in the Guardian Weekend Magazine (27.11.10)
"You may have placed a Christmas order with the butcher for a bronze turkey, buy your veg from the farmers' market and your stilton from the deli, but will you walk through the door of your local wine merchant over the next couple of weeks, or even buy your wine from them online?
The general perception still is that wine merchants are expensive – true, you do often have to buy a case – but their bottles are no pricier than comparable ones in a supermarket and they tend to be more rewarding. Plus you can actually talk to a real human being about the kind of wines you like.
One example is Private Cellar, which was set up by a high-powered team who used to work for top London merchants. Yes, they deal with the posh stuff, but you don't have to be buying Lafite to engage their interest. You'd be hard pushed to find a better burgundy for the price than the luxuriantly creamy JJ Vincent Bourgogne Blanc, which is made at Château Fuissé, or a more enjoyably exuberant red than the Enrique Foster Ique Malbec 2008 (14% abv), which is currently on offer at £7.88 and which I'd happily drink with turkey or beef."Fiona Beckett, Guardian Weekend, 27.11.2010
To read the full article, visit http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/nov/27/independent-wine-merchants-review
