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Best value Wine Society wine?

#1

So, many years ago in retail, I used to sell Muga wines. At the time, I thought they were pretty good, reliable standard-bearers for Rioja. Never felt that the Seleccion Especial was worth double the standard Reserva, but still a good wine.

A few years back, I had a Wine Society parcel of Reserva museum stock, at something like 20 years old. That really was something. Prado Enea I have found quite variable, from sublime to closed to oxidised (and credit to TWS for the no questions asked refund). The rose seems pretty good value for money to me, and the white is great, if you like that oaky style (which I do).

Why am I posting this? Last week I took a delivery of 2010 Reserva and Seleccion Especial. Both are excellent. The Especial has a real extra depth of fruit, high tannin, higher (balanced) acidity, and both, I would think, could last another 10 years+. With cost at the time (around 2015 if memory serves) of something like Ā£12 and Ā£20, Iā€™m not sure you could find better vfm, if youā€™re looking for a full bodied, ageworthy red. And with current 2004/5 vintage in magnum at Ā£55, I reckon that has to be a bargain with the extra bottle age.

How about you, what is your best value TWS wine?

#2

All of the Weinert wines iā€™ve had other than the very cheapest one have been excellent and amazing value.

I agree with you though. If you like the style, aged Rioja red is hard to beat for the money.

#3

Thatā€™s a good question! Though as ā€˜valueā€™ is a very fluid and subjective notion - a bit of a challengeā€¦ Still, hereā€™s my 2pā€™s worth:

This, because how often would you pay Ā£11.50 (bin end price) for a 15 year old wine, which is so full of flavour, richness and depth?

And this, cause itā€™s a wonderful Bordeaux blend, which had pretty much converted this Bordeaux-gnostic (and because every other shop in Brighton sells it for Ā£7 more!):

As far as whites go, I could be here all evening, but these are two absolute favourites:

This one for offering everything I want from a white (floral notes, great flavours, texture and long tingling finish):

And this, because itā€™s a wonderful introduction to a white Burgundy, without the price tag:

So many others come to mind, but better leave it at thatā€¦ :slight_smile:

#4

No longer made, I thought the Jimenez-Landi bajondillo was astonishing value for money. Under Ā£8 for a delicious, pretty complex, mineral organic garnacha, generally youā€™d be paying twice that for a comparable bottle from a good independent shop.

The Thymiopolous xinomavro isnā€™t quite as cheap but is probably the closest bargain for me with the WS now - there canā€™t be many wines as special as that anywhere for under Ā£11

#5

I should have also added ā€œevery good Sherry I have ever triedā€, but this surely is the best in terms of price/enjoyment ratio:

Now, where did I put the olivesā€¦? :thinking:

#6

Iā€™m inclined to agree. I have 3 bottles of 05 & 09 Muga Especial left from a mixed case of 6 (those + 04, which weā€™ve finished), they have been superb so far and have the 05ā€™s definitely have time left. Great value at just over Ā£21. Iā€™d also suggest the Alegria Manzanilla that Iā€™m currently drinking, which at Ā£8.50 is a steal for something so good.

#7

This is a great threadā€¦

Think Rioja with a few years in bottle difficult to beat for valien

Weā€™re drinking some 2010 conterno this weekend. Lovely but reckon it could do with even longer in bottle to reach its peak

However TWS have had some great value Bordeaux tooā€¦ think chateaux Beaumontā€¦amazing value in comparison to classifieds

Also think musar is a very good deal from TWS

#8

Ive got two of these in the wine fridge at the moment! The Madiran (which I love, but seems to divide opinions in reviews) and The Oncle Vincent which is (at least as far as burgundy goes) certainly punches above its price point.

#9

+1 for the Rubicon which has serious stuffing. I would also say a lot of traditional Gigondas cuvees will in good years have serious legs - Cayron, Bouissiere, Santa Duc, Grande Romane spring to mind - and retail at a similar price point.

#10

On the theme of Rioja with some age I bought a bottle of this for my dad for fathersā€™ day.

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Iā€™ve not had the pleasure of him sharing it with me yet (fingers crossed), but thought it exceptional value for money.

The only other thing that really jumps out (over and above pretty much every bottle Iā€™ve bought from TWS - such great value) was the 2014 vintage of this:

Still canā€™t quite understand how it was possible to sell this at a touch over 8 quid. Not the greatest wine Iā€™ve ever tasted but made me contemplate and thoroughly enjoyed.

#11

Agree re the Sicilian - for just overĀ£8 it was great value. 2015 not quite in that bracket based on the first bottle Iā€™ve tasted but itā€™s still pretty good.

The Thymiopoulos wines are all good value for me.

#12

This was great value under Ā£7, while it lastedā€¦

#13

Still have a case :wink::wink:

#14

The 2017 is now in stockā€¦ just noticed in the new Wine Champions 2019 offer.

I have not tried. Mixed reviewsā€¦ but still cheap as chips.

#15

As you say, mixed reviews, though itā€™s a bit unclear at times which vintage is being reviewed. Either there is some significant bottle/batch variability, some people have unrealistic expectations, or it doesnā€™t keep at allā€¦though Iā€™d think it unlikely that keeping it a year would matter.

My last one was fine - of the 2016. Itā€™s not Romanee, but itā€™s under Ā£7 a bottleā€¦

#16

I think it might be a bit of a marmite wine actually. I tried this at the press tasting when it first appeared and didnā€™t really get on with it at all - others had samples from the same bottle and were very taken with it. I drink and enjoy plenty of Pinot Noirs from all over the place, but this wine did nothing for me at all.

#17

Although some reviews have commented on ā€˜brown colourā€™ I definitely say no Marmite in the bouquet :wink::stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#18

The best value wine Iā€™ve purchased from TWS (and tastedā€¦ who knows what value is hiding in reserves or here but unopened) was probably the MoMo which triggered joining TWS in the first place. It came up maybe a decade ago in a Wine Education Service class in London; tasted great and highly reccomended by the lecturer / presenter. Only available from TWS, so joined - and neither the MoMo nor TWS disappointed!

#19

These two are also reliably outperforming the price tag.


#20

I thought this full-bodied Chilean pinot noir was really good!