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Wine Blog By Jack Scott
Tue, 15 May 2012
NEWS FLASH – Jascots short listed for ON-TRADE SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR The Drinks Business awards 2012
Jascots short listed for ON-TRADE SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR – The Drinks Business awards 2012 Judges took into account the recommendation and...
Mon, 14 May 2012
Blog readers will recall the great occasion last autumn when we staged a completely blind tasting of Grandes Marques Champagnes against our Palmer...
Sunday 4th September 2011
Jascot's listed in the Telegraph's 10 top wines from 10 top independent wine sellers
Small sellers have a knack for uncovering some gems.
We British buy most of our wine from supermarkets. Indeed, Tesco alone accounts for one in every five bottles sold.
One would have thought that the demise of such high street names as Threshers, Bottoms Up, Wine Rack, Victoria Wine and so on would have given these leviathans an even greater grip, but apparently not.
Independents ranging from 312-year-old Berry Bros & Rudd to five-year old Private Cellar are reporting record profits. And there's no shortage of new wine merchants springing up either - both actual and virtual.
I've always said that if I was forced to buy wine from only, say, Waitrose and Majestic, both of whom have great selections, I'd die happy. I would miss the quirkiness of the independents though and the tiny parcels of blink-and-you-missed-it treasures they manage to ferret out.
And in this age of internet and phone there's no earthly reason not to buy from them. It's a rare independent that won't offer next day countrywide delivery. Their prices will be keener than you think, you'll get the personal touch and you'll be drinking something you simply won't be able to find anywhere else. And so to tempt you, here are 10 top wines from 10 top independents, both new and old. Go on, give them ago.
The War Horse Chenin Blanc, 2009, South Africa
Jascots, based in north-west London, has been around for 20 years selling chiefly to the on-trade but more recently to private customers. Wines are sourced direct from the producer, such as this delightful chenin blanc from the Cape. Made by the Malan family at Simonsig Estate, it's fresh, vibrant and fruity, and a worthy winner (for the second year running) of the Platter's Guide's Best Quaffing White of South Africa. Ideal for late summer parties.
