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, Iām not sure you could find better vfm, if youāre 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.
Thatās a good question! Though as āvalueā is a very fluid and subjective notion - a bit of a challengeā¦ Still, hereās my 2pās 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 itās 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 itās a wonderful introduction to a white Burgundy, without the price tag:
So many others come to mind, but better leave it at thatā¦
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 youād be paying twice that for a comparable bottle from a good independent shop.
The Thymiopolous xinomavro isnāt quite as cheap but is probably the closest bargain for me with the WS now - there canāt be many wines as special as that anywhere for under Ā£11
Iām inclined to agree. I have 3 bottles of 05 & 09 Muga Especial left from a mixed case of 6 (those + 04, which weāve finished), they have been superb so far and have the 05ās definitely have time left. Great value at just over Ā£21. Iād also suggest the Alegria Manzanilla that Iām currently drinking, which at Ā£8.50 is a steal for something so good.
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.
+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.
Iāve 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 Iāve bought from TWS - such great value) was the 2014 vintage of this:
Still canāt quite understand how it was possible to sell this at a touch over 8 quid. Not the greatest wine Iāve ever tasted but made me contemplate and thoroughly enjoyed.
Agree re the Sicilian - for just overĀ£8 it was great value. 2015 not quite in that bracket based on the first bottle Iāve tasted but itās still pretty good.
As you say, mixed reviews, though itās 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 doesnāt keep at allā¦though Iād think it unlikely that keeping it a year would matter.
My last one was fine - of the 2016. Itās not Romanee, but itās under Ā£7 a bottleā¦
I think it might be a bit of a marmite wine actually. I tried this at the press tasting when it first appeared and didnāt 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.
The best value wine Iāve 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!
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