Majestic Wine Warehouses: Last man standing

There have been a lot of changes on the high street over the past few years when it comes to buying wine. Not so long ago, if you needed to get your hands on a bottle, you could pop out to the local off-licence: Victoria Wine, Unwins, Wine Rack, or the like. There would never be one far away, in every town around the UK.

But since then, more and more of us have bought our wines at the supermarket along with the weekly shop. The big off-licence chains found it harder and harder to find a point of difference or match their prices, and, like wounded dinosaurs, stumbled around before falling to earth with a terrible crash. First Unwins in 2005; then Victoria Wine, Wine Rack, Haddows, The Local and Threshers; and finally this year, the majority of Oddbins stores closed their doors for good.

Amongst the carnage, one big chain still stands tall, and that is Majestic Wine Warehouses. Thanks to their winning formula of out-of-town sites with good parking, free delivery, knowledgeable staff and low prices they are making a good profit. Unfortunately, you have to buy a minimum of six or sometimes even twelve bottles, so not terribly useful if you are on foot or on your way to a party. But they have a solid range of wines, and there are always a few bargains to be had.

They are a big operation, with 173 stores, and they intend to continue growing. This huge scale does have an impact on their range. One of the principle benefits is buying power; this, coupled with some pretty canny buyers means low prices. The other side of the coin however is that they need to appeal to a wide customer base, which rules out some of the more weird and wonderful wines out there. Added to this, they need to buy in big volumes, so some smaller estates that make great wine wouldn’t be worth their while.

That said the overall quality is good. One area in which they are looking very strong at the moment is in Regional France, with a number of very good value wines around the £5 – £10 mark. When it comes to stocking up on good week-day drinking, Majestic remain a useful supplier.

 http://www.majestic.co.uk/

 

Some highlights:

 

Sparkling

 

Codorníu Selección Raventós NV Cava
A blend of Xarel-Lo, Macabeo and Chardonnay grapes from Northern Spain
£9.99 – down to £7.49 from 01/11/11 to 30/01/12 – available at Majestic

Inviting savoury, yeasty nose. This is a very good cava with concentrated flavours of apple, pear and biscuit, with a full, voluptuous fizz. Well balanced, medium length. 89 points, good value.

Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV Champagne
A blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes from Champagne, France
£39.00 – down to £27.00 from 22/11/11 to 30/01/12 – available at Majestic

Consistently one of the best Grande Marque Champagne houses, this is a rich, full-bodied style with good concentration of flavour. Green apple, redcurrant and whitecurrant on the nose, with rich yeasty flavours and a full, soft fizz. Long finish with some complexity. 91 points, fair value, good value on promotion.

 

Whites

 

Saint Michel Blanc Perlé 2010
A blend of Loin de L’Oeil, Muscadelle and Mauzac grapes from Gaillac, Southern France
£7.99 – down to £5.99 if you buy two bottles from 01/11/11 to 30/01/12 – available at Majestic

Light and floral nose with hints of fennel. Feels full of life on the palate with good concentration of flavour and real purity. 86 points, good value, very good value on promotion.

Les Hauts de Bergelle Blanc, Saint Mont, 2009
A blend of Arrufiac, Petit Courbu and Gros Manseng grapes from Saint Mont, Southern France
£7.99 – down to £5.99 if you buy two bottles from 01/11/11 to 30/01/12 – available at Majestic

Though not currently very expressive on the nose, this full-bodied white has lots of fruit and flavour in the mouth, with tangy acidity and a lovely smooth texture. Nicely integrated oak. 87 points, good value, very good value on promotion.

Domaine de l’Aigle Limoux Chardonnay, Gérard Bertrand, 2009
100% Chardonnay grape from Limoux, Southern France
£9.99 – down to £8.49 if you buy two bottles from 01/11/11 to 30/01/12 – available at Majestic

Attractive slightly oaky nose with ripe melon fruit. Full and creamy, but with enough acidity to balance it. Pure, mineral finish. 88 points, very good value.

Meursault, Louis Jadot, 2008
100% Chardonnay grape from Burgundy, France
£20.00 available at Majestic

I’m always wary of a relatively cheap Meursault, but this is good. Aromas of lime cordial, hazelnut and toasted bread. Full bodied, with good acidity and real complexity. Long and impressive. 89 points, good value.

 

Reds

 

Saint Michel Rouge 2009
A blend of Braucol, Syrah and Merlot grapes from Gaillac, Southern France
£7.99 – down to £5.99 if you buy two bottles from 01/11/11 to 30/01/12 – available at Majestic

Freshly squished black fruits and the nose. Medium bodied, with attractive, juicy fruit flavours. Not heavy, well made. 87 points, good value, very good value on promotion.

Château Jouaninel 2009
A blend of Negrette and Cabernet Franc grapes from Fronton, Southern France
£7.99 – down to £5.99 if you buy two bottles from 01/11/11 to 30/01/12 – available at Majestic

Spicy and peppery with some appetising whiffs of burnt duck fat. Full bodied, with ripe mouth-coating tannins giving it good grip. Intensely flavoursome, with fresh fruit flavours and a fresh finish. Great stuff. 89 points, good value, very good value on promotion.

Château Aigues Vives ‘Cuvée d’Exception’ 2007
A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Carignan grapes from Corbières, Southern France
£9.99 – down to £6.99 if you buy two bottles from 01/11/11 to 30/01/12 – available at Majestic

Baking spices and cigar tobacco on the nose, with both fresh plum and damson and some fruitcake flavours on the palate. Balanced, with a light fresh finish. Starting to mature nicely, this is a good Corbières. 90 points, good value, very good value on promotion.

Morellino di Scansano, Poggioargentiera, 2010
A blend of Sangiovese and Ciliegiolo grapes from Tuscany, Italy
£11.99 – down to £8.99 if you buy two bottles from 01/11/11 to 30/01/12 – available at Majestic

I’ve long been a fan of this wine, and the 2010 vintage is another good result. Chocolate and cherry notes on the nose, with really lively fruit flavours. Good acidity and tannins (structure) to hold it all together. Impressive length. 90 points, good value.

Rioja Reserva Especial, Viña Ardanza, La Rioja Alta, 2001
A blend of 80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha (Grenache) grapes from Rioja, Spain
£22.00 – down to £17.00 if you buy two bottles from 01/11/11 to 30/01/12 – available at Majestic

2001 was an exceptional vintage in Rioja, and La Rioja Alta is a great traditional producer. This has a very appealing leathery, spicy, savoury nose. Bright red fruits, with some savoury notes starting to come through after its 10 years of maturation. The tannins are firm but ripe, and lovely bright acidity balances out the ripe red and black fruit flavours. Long finish, and a very long life ahead of it. Impressive stuff. 93 points, good value.

 

Anything to avoid?

All in all it was a solid performance, with few if any stinkers. But I would avoid:

Tautavel ‘Hommage aux Vignerons’ Côtes de Roussillon Villages 2007
100% Grenache Noir grapes from Roussillon, Southern France
£19.99 available in Majestic

Dried fruit on the nose, with a hint of oxidation. More dried fruit on the palate, prune and raisin, but also some intense damson flavours. High, unbalanced levels of alcohol. 84 points, poor value.