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For any of you Chablis drinkers
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A bit quiet here at the moment so how about this, which has been showing up off and on recently in M&S:
Not quite as fantastic as the previous “Famille Brocard” M&S offer from one of my first posts here a few years back (which was a premier cru Chablis) but a fairly decent Bourgogne Blanc nevertheless.
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Not quite sure where to put this. I often have picked up decent clearances and offers in Morrisons (Contino, Drouhin, Jadot, Cvne, and many a good own brand), but I noticed that the lines that they have are quite quickly changing. Somewhat dispiriting, but many of these are the bottles I see most people taking to checkouts so it makes commercial sense.
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Yellow Tail gets a lot of mentions on here but the ‘I love…’ range is seriously underrated for it’s awfulness.
To be fair I’ve never actually tried it and it might be pretty decent for all I know. But the branding screams industrially-produced dross, and the fact I’ve only ever seen ‘I love Prosecco/Sauvignon Blanc/Malbec/Merlot’ backs my hunch up.
It’s gone downhill a fair bit over the last 10 years. So have others though, particularly M&S. I think it’s the ‘sell at a price point’ and given the duty changes, currency hit in 2016 and general inflation, the outcome is fairly inevitable sadly.
To be fair there is some right dross in French supermarkets too…not even internationally diversified dross either!
Morrisons own label sherries still good though.
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I think it’s been more noticeable switch towards the more industrial stuff in the last year. It was pretty good five years ago with reliable own brand with lots of variety plus some well regarded producers, and the mass produced stuff. Now it’s leaning further into the latter so it’s starting to look a bit more like a cornershop.
I do wonder if the relatively recent takeover had something to do with this. I’ve noticed the in-house fishmongers go the same way, with fresh sardines and hake steaks becoming an absolute rarity these days. I’m pretty sure some years ago I picked up halibut and turbot there as well but now it feels like a fever dream.
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Perhaps. On the basis that sadly 90% of those shopping there won’t know or care.
Having a really good independent fishmonger in town I don’t buy fish at supermarkets often at all, but Morrisons used to be ok. I do notice that the range has narrowed. Fruit and veg less good too IMO but as I grow much of my own, again I don’t notice that much.
They did cut the number of lines stocked generally a year or two ago.
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Morrisons didn’t suffer during the horse meat scandal because they had a strong supply chain - owning their own abattoirs etc. Very hands on. Private equity will have gutted that out.
All down to Sir Ken Morrison and his very Yorkshire approach
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We have a great fishmongers in the city centre. Only issue is earmarking enough time to get to it and back before 4pm (so during workday unless somehow finishing early), which makes doing it with weekly shop in the evening quite sensible.
Mine is walkable, and I often go first thing on Sat morning too.
He isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for. As a regular, I often get something extra ‘falling’ into my bag too…
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Yes, I go on Saturdays when I can. I just wish there were more fishmongers in Britain. Considering Cardiff has a population nearing 400k people to have one fishmonger seems ridiculous to me. There were probably ten fishmongers in my town of 40k people when I lived in Spain.
Sad reflection on the way that many in the UK buy food.
We are lucky in a town of 50,000 to have one this good. It’s part of a small chain largely in Glasgow. Only 4-5 shops. I wonder what will happen when the guy retires…same with local butcher. We have at least still got a couple of decent butchers locally.
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I can’t help but feel that this isn’t entirely coincidental with something else that came into effect a couple of years ago also.
I’ve been shocked many times over the last couple of years at swathes of empty shelves in all the major supermarkets - usually in the aisles that contain either fresh food or anything approaching some sort of ‘quality’.
(It’s still easy to buy mass produced, preserved, heavily processedcrap rather like in the US. Again, I feel this is far from coincidental).
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It is very strange - considering we are an island.
Have you looked for wholesale fish vendors? typically they do not have a big internet precence and sell mostly direct to hotels & restaurants, BUT the one I go to in Huddersfield sells direct to the public if you turn up in the morning. Lobster, Halibut, Brill, Salmon - all at least a day fresher then anywhere else.
Oooh, I live near Huddersfield. Where is this? I’ve always been looking for a good fishmonger.
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Sailbrand HD2 1YF on a small wholesale market estate. Open 5:30 am to around midday (although they tend to be clearing down from 10:30) Monday to Friday. I buy whole sides of salmon, black halibut, hake, to portion up and freeze. Got a couple of very large dover sole for £10 ea.
Live crabs and lobster even ! but you have to ask because they are not on display.
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Is black halibut just the darker side fillet …??
No, it has two dark sides and was known as Greenland halibut. The flesh is indistinguishable, but historically it was slightly cheaper.
Tesco 25% off 6 is back on. Usual caveats apply about spotting genuine deals. For me, gave me a chance to stock up on my guilty pleasure of Torres Vina Esmerelda, which was on the reduced to clear shelf (not in the wine aisle) and worked out at under a fiver with various combined discounts.
I didnt get any, but noted Penfolds Bin 28 would be under £20 and Piper Heidsieck at around £22.50 in case people are interested.
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Anyone done the Waitrose mystery case?
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