Chardonnay

Our everyday wine is Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, to be precise, Villa Maria as sold by Wetherspoons and Majestic. But topping up in the course of the visit to Majestic noticed at reference 1, I thought to try something a little different, a little dearer. And by accident wound up with a bottle of Chardonnay, something I do not ordinarily drink.

First sip seemed a bit odd, but then that is true with me of any new wine, so pointless going through the rigmarole of 'would sir like to taste'. But I got used to it, and by the time the bottle was empty an hour or so later we were quite happy with it. But it remains to be seen whether I shall buy another.

Curiously, this particular bottle does not seem to figure on the winery website. Perhaps it is like one of those strange bottled beers dressed up as old England which they used to sell to foreigners on board cross-channel ferries. Bottled beer which no true-born Englishman would be seen dead with.

Alternatively, it does rate a line at reference 4, with Fields, Morris & Verdin, whose sticker is on the back of the bottle. So perhaps Majestic have a relationship with Fields, Morris & Verdin and Fields, Morris & Verdin have a relationship with Au Bon Climat. Do they bring the stuff over by the container load or the pallet load? Who puts the pallets in the container?

While reference 5 suggests that Majestic Wine has had a chequered history, starting back in the days before the supermarkets had really muscled into the limonade (Simenon speak for the liquor trade). But doing OK just presently; they must have held off the supermarket challenge. For me, the proposition of a reasonable choice in a small store (small by supermarket standards), with a car park and friendly staff (they must all go on compulsory customer hugging courses), is a winner.

Reference 1: http://psmv4.blogspot.com/2019/01/trolley-221.html.

Reference 2: http://www.aubonclimat.com/.

Reference 3: http://www.fmv.co.uk/.

Reference 4: http://www.fmv.co.uk/producers/new-world/usa/santa-barbara-county/326-3658-au-bon-climat.

Reference 5: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majestic_Wine.

Reference 6: https://majesticwineplc.co.uk/investor-centre/share-price-information/.