During the interview for my job at the winery, the owner happened to comment that in her opinion "the English only drink cheap wine." Well, I have to tell you that I was a little taken aback with this obviously misinformed stereotype, as this had not been my life experience at all. My 18th birthday present from Thud had been a bottle of Ch. Margaux, nothing to be sneezed at by the most ardent wine enthusiast, and I already by then considered myself a bit of a Champagne-spotter. I suppose I could have retorted that most Napa wines are considered by Europeans to be over blown, high octane fruit bombs - but I am not one for gigantic, all-encompassing generalisations.Today, standing in Tesco's wine aisle, looking at the selection available to the British wine-drinking public, I would perhaps have to agree with the lady who signs my pay cheque. In the 2 years that have past since my last visit home to Blighty, I was hoping the selection of wine in the supermarkets may have improved (with specific regard to Californian wines), but alas no. With the demise of high street wine shops like Oddbins (good analysis here), a place I shopped at as a teenager, the consumer now has fewer and fewer wine choices. All the usual suspects are still on the shelves at Tesco and Sainsbury's, but this time they have been joined by a red wine apparently from Hollywood!!!
Like the proverbial coals to Newcastle, I just may have to repatriate a bottle of this pigswill to the U S of A. Brace yourself Vinomaker!
