[Charles]

I haven't found this in the UK yet but if anyone is heading to Spain/Mallorca (where I had it) then seek this out:
Anares Crianza 2006
- Very easy to drink but also classic Rioja tastes. Delicious

The 2001 Reserva is also unbelievably good.

[soapy]

had a very very good 1999 pommard with dinner last night, 1er cru les grand epenots, pierre morey

[Richie Crouch]

Went out for a meal on the weekend and enjoyed 2 rather splendid reds:

First up was a Chateau Musar cabernet sauvignon 2002 from Lebanon which was very fruity and lingered on the palate pleasurably.

Next was a Don Jacobo Rioja Gran reserva 1995 (bodegas corral) that was magnificent, very smooth and full of flavour. I liked it that much I didn't get any pudding to spoil the taste!

[shark]

just had a bot ot Susterris 2008, apparently the table wine of the late El Bulli.

All I can say is . . . . holy fucking cow!

A revelation, it drinks as if it's >£50 per bot not £17.50. A revelation.  I haven't been this impressed by a wine since, well, ever.

I assumed that the late El Bulli was a famous skewered matador rather than a restaurant 

Had a look at the Hanging Ditch website and they don't appear to stock it any more 

[GraemeA]

Had a great session with Messers Picalli, Grieve & MacNae last Saturday

Ch Grillet 2005 & a Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru 2002 with the Crab Thermidor (Seb couldn't get any lobster)
Hermitage La Chapelle 1988 & Hermitage Chave 1991 with the Roast Venison
a Trimbach Gewurzt Vendage Tardive 1990 & a cellar door Sauternes (unknown vintage but it was old) with the cheese

then a selection of stuff from Seb's cellar and some port. Twas the only time I have ever seen Mr P bale early. And Seb had to have a mid session nap. Lightweights the pair of them.

The Chave 1991 was stunning 

[Yossarian]

Sounds like a decent session!

[Sloper]

We had lobster  with a saffron hollandaise but sadly our bevi (should that be bevum?) wasnt't quite up to your levels, but we did enjoy a nice Ch Puech Haut 09 and some Hortenvie 02 with the mallard.

[shark]

Majestic Wine - shit or not shit? I know nothing about them and went in to a branch for the first time (Abbeydale Rd Sheffield) with no preconcieved ideas but couldnt find many points of reference to decide whether the pricing was good value or not as the labels were mainly unfamiliar (presumably they have the buying power to have the exclusive output of whole vineyards). There were bottles available for tasting but no clean glasses and I wasnt offered any. I left confused. Any thoughts on their selection and pricing ?

[soapy]

majestic's ok, had several of these for quaffing over the break:

[Pebblespanker]

For anyone out there who loves Chateauneuf try Doamin du Pegau, hard to find as its a small producer but the quality is excellent, cost wise the price varies depending on the quality of the year £15 to £25 for the yearly release in Oct/Nov.

IF you can find one the 2000 was fantastic but doubt you'd pay much less than £150 a bottle now and given the small volumes probably more - rocking horse shit is common by comparisson 

I have 2 left in the cellar I just need a good f*cking unbelievably good excuse to crack one open ...

I also have a white chateauneuf 2000 poss a Jaboulet but I will have to check - be interested to hear from anyone who has had white Chateauneuf as I bought it on spec about 8 years ago based solely on producer and year 

[Paul B]

Any thoughts on their selection and pricing ?

Reasonable when you buy in bulk although surely your coach doesn't approve 

[GraemeA]

For anyone out there who loves Chateauneuf try Doamin du Pegau, hard to find as its a small producer but the quality is excellent, cost wise the price varies depending on the quality of the year £15 to £25 for the yearly release in Oct/Nov.

IF you can find one the 2000 was fantastic but doubt you'd pay much less than £150 a bottle now and given the small volumes probably more - rocking horse shit is common by comparisson 

I have 2 left in the cellar I just need a good f*cking unbelievably good excuse to crack one open ...

I also have a white chateauneuf 2000 poss a Jaboulet but I will have to check - be interested to hear from anyone who has had white Chateauneuf as I bought it on spec about 8 years ago based solely on producer and year 

Jaboulet only make one CDP, Les Cedres. If it's 2000 then it's probably past it's best (see http://www.jaboulet.com/Website/site/eng_lesgammes_lesgrandsterroirs_lescedresblanc_description.htm)

I've had the odd bottle of white CDP, mainly Vieux Telegraphe, it's lovely but had to pour away a 1995 a year or so ago. Gutted. White Rhone is one of my faves  and hapily I have quite a lot of it, icluding a few bottles of CDP:alky:

Got 3 bottles of the Pegau Cuvee Reserve 2003 downstairs. Cost a bit more than the standard Pegau CDP, won't be ready to drink for a bit though. Looking forward to necking it  Red Rhone is my fave 

[Ru]

I've got, amongst other things, 6 bottles of 2008 Christophe Camu Grand Cru Chablis downstairs - when should I drink that Graeme?

Had a large bottle of this (1996)
http://www.jaboulet.com/Website/site/eng_lesgammes_lesicones_lachapelle_years.htm recently that had been lying round for about 10 years. Thought it might have gone off. But no, it hadn't. Wish I'd had it with nicer food now.

[Yossarian]

I would try a bottle before too long.  I've had some Grand Cru chablis that have started going over quicker than anticipated.  Better to open a couple of bottles a bit fresh than wait and find it all over ripe.

My dad has some 2002 Corton-Charlemange and its definitely showing its age...

[GraemeA]

Just tried my 1st bottle of 2002 Lynch Bages (had 6 in total ) and 2002 Haut Batailley (had 3 in total). H B was fucked so opened another, very good although not brilliant when compared to the L B which while still tasting a bit young was obviosly the better wine and will get a lot better with a few more years - the H B might improve and I will probably leave the last bottle for 3 or 4 years to see if it gets better.

Paid £11 In Bond for the H B, now going for around £25. Paid £16 IB for the Lynch Bages, now going for around £85   

I would expect to get a refund on the H B as only got it delivered last August.

[Paul B]

I used to lean heavily upon the knowledge of one or two members of staff from the Abbeydale branch of Oddbins. Alas, it is now closed.

Where's the best place in Sheffield to buy decent wine (supermarkets seem pretty South African/Australian focused and pretty selective at that, plus Tesco's et al. are CVNTS)? The only place springing to mind is the shop attached to Kitchen but I've never been in.

(I need to purchase a decent bottle for a wedding gift).

[shark]

Where's the best place in Sheffield to buy decent wine (supermarkets seem pretty South African/Australian focused and pretty selective at that, plus Tesco's et al. are CVNTS)? The only place springing to mind is the shop attached to Kitchen but I've never been in.

(I need to purchase a decent bottle for a wedding gift).

If that's "Fine, Food and Wine" they are excellent. The only other place I can think of is Mitchells at top of Chesterfield Rd near the A61 roundabout. Or cut a deal at Graeme's Wine Emporium

[danm]

I can strongly recommend going to Provence to climb, road bike and err...totally skint yourself visiting producers and buying nice wine. Last 2 trips netted me some CndP from Pegau (good shout on that Graeme), their Plan Pegau which they call "bbq wine" is a good drinker at around €7 too. Domaine du Soumade was well worth the trip, got some of their Rasteau Cuvee Confiance and Prestige. The mandatory trip to Clos du Caillou ended with a nice collection of CndP and the 2009 Quartz CdeR is belting. Now gotta wait around a decade before it all hits its prime!

Currently got some Keith Tulloch Kester Shiraz 2000 and 2002. Best thing I've drunk from Oz.

Paul, Fine Food and Wine on Eccy Road is ok, also maybe try Bottles & Barrels on the Sheff side of Chesvegas. They do some decent auctions there too.

[Paul B]

We made the mistake of getting sidetracked by the climbing despite driving up and down from the South of France, right through wine country, amateur mistake.

I'll give Fine Food and wine a go. There's a big place near me called "Le Bon Vin" but their selection doesn't look that inspiring online.

[Joepicalli]

It looks like it falls to me to take up Sloper's mantle of bigging up Nonsolovino in C'field. Nothing there is cheap BUT you can taste what you might want to buy due to their brilliant wine saving machine which allows them to open seriously expensive bottles and by balancing the amount of wine removed from the bottle with an identical volume of argon (I think, but inert gas anyway) the wine stays in perfect condition over a number of days. so if you want to buy a great bottle of wine or two as a prezzie you can go to www.nonsolovino.co.uk/     you can taste (for a reasonable price) a wide variety of brilliant Itiei wines and decide if you fancy buying. I thoroughly recommend the place.
F.F.&W are great as well.

[Paul B]

F.F.&W are great as well.

I can't comment on the wine as unfortunately it wasn't for me but I found F.F. & W. fairly stuffy. However, maybe going in covered in chalk wasn't the best idea.

[Joepicalli]

I can't comment on the wine as unfortunately it wasn't for me but I found F.F. & W. fairly stuffy. However, maybe going in covered in chalk wasn't the best idea.

I'm sorry you found them that way, I've often been in on the way back from a ride and therefore a sweaty mess and they have been fine. Oh well.

[soapy]

autumn and burgundy, specifically a very good 2007 vosne

[andy_e]

Aldi Cotes du Rhone. £3.79. Entirely palatable.

[fried]

As is Lidl Cote du Rhone. A bit more expensive in the U.K, but 1.29 in France if you're about.