Simon Hoggart

OCTOBER WINE CLUB

A visit to Averys of Bristol is always a delight. They are one of our oldest wine merchants, and while most of the stock is kept these days in a modern warehouse out of town, they still have a cellar in central Bristol.

issue 06 October 2007

This is a cellar that looks like a cellar, with stacks of wine in wooden cases, some of it covered in dust and cobwebs, the finest stored in a locked cage with a creaking door.

In spite of that, they have a modern approach to pricing. The business has an enormous turnover, and the inevitable consequence is that they overstock on some wines, which have to be priced to clear. These are absolutely first-rate bottles, but some are a little unfamiliar and won’t sell off the page; others are so good that Averys’ people bought them in vast quantities. The result is that once again we are offering some terrific bargains this month.

Take the 21 per cent discount on Tamaya 2007 (1), a Chilean blend of Viognier, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc which has the perfume of the first grape, the peach and vanilla savour of the second, plus the dry grassiness of the last.

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