Cheap Wines in Spain

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Gogs
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Postby Gogs » Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:59 am

Emva Cream Sherry was Cyprus 'Sherry' but I do remember QC British 'Sherry'. This is probably called British wine now as it it is not produced in Jerez but made with imported grape juice.

anyroads
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Postby anyroads » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:55 am

Guess my memory is playing tricks on me Gogs. However I do remember an add "Emva Cream, the cream of British sherries", but I guess some considered Cyprus to be still British.

anyroads

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Postby Travelogic » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:30 am

Once you get used to it, there's hardly any of the red stuff that's unacceptable. I can happily spend a whole morning under my umbrella on the beach and drink a couple of litres straight from the carton!!

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Postby Retro P » Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:16 pm

anyroads wrote:Guess my memory is playing tricks on me Gogs. However I do remember an add "Emva Cream, the cream of British sherries", but I guess some considered Cyprus to be still British.

anyroads
IMHO "The cream of Manchester" always tasted better, ah happy days in Strangeways :wink:
Ah! the full english!!

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Postby alaninspain » Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:55 pm

Laclotte : Is the comment about Swiss prisons from personal experience? Tell us more. We are agog. :wink:

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Postby BENIDORM » Mon Feb 04, 2008 5:08 pm

Alan,
Laclotte hasn't been seen for a few months, I suspect that 'she' is at this moment preparing an 'inside' report... :wink:

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Postby BENIDORM » Fri Aug 29, 2008 1:01 pm

Recently I was given a bottle of Stork's Tower Tempranillo Shiraz,( Castilla Leon )2006, I really enjoyed it , a young wine with a slight spicy aftertaste..

Now I have looked in most of the usual Spanish supermarkets, Carrefour, Eroski, Mercadona, and they don't seem to stock it, so I wondered if it might only be produced for export.
If anyone spots it, I would be grateful if you could let me know, as I would like to obtain a couple of cases for my 'wine cellar' ( cupboard under the stairs)...
It's on sale in UK for around £6.00, so would hope that it would be maybe half that in Spain. It's priced way above my usual buying limit of maximum Euros 2.50, but what the hell!.. :wink:

Regards,
Gordon

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Postby El Cid » Fri Aug 29, 2008 1:36 pm

With a name like that it's almost certainly "rebadged" for export.

There is a definitive guide to Spanish wines - Guia Penin - with over 10000 listed. The one you mention is not in there but neither are many of the first class Spanish wines available in the UK.

Your best bet is to look for a wine with a similar combination of grape varieties. In this case it is the Shiraz that gives the spicy taste. That's actually another indication that it is for export as the Shiraz grape is known in Spain as Syrah.

It's not a Spanish grape variety and is fairly rare unlike Tempranillo which is one of the commonest Spanish grapes - notably found in Rioja and Ribiero del Duero.

Sid

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Postby katy » Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:15 pm

What happened to La Clotte and a few other posters on this thread :?:

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Postby karandjon » Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:25 pm

BENIDORM wrote:Recently I was given a bottle of Stork's Tower Tempranillo Shiraz,( Castilla Leon )2006, I really enjoyed it , a young wine with a slight spicy aftertaste..

Now I have looked in most of the usual Spanish supermarkets, Carrefour, Eroski, Mercadona, and they don't seem to stock it, so I wondered if it might only be produced for export.
If anyone spots it, I would be grateful if you could let me know,....

Regards,
Gordon
Beni, i am almost certain I saw this in Makro yesterday. I don´t know if you have one down your way, or if indeed you have a card.
I didn´t pay as much attention to the wines as i normally do, seeing as i personally cant drink any for the next 6 months or so, but on browsing through them I am almost sure i saw a "Storks Tower". The name rings a bell. Just a thought if you have a Makro nearby...

Karen
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Postby peteroldracer » Fri Aug 29, 2008 3:01 pm

That reminds me of when we used to order plonk by the colour - Blue (Nun), or Black (Tower). Beer, of course came in a Party Seven :lol:
I used to cough to disguise a [email protected] I f@rt to disguise a cough.

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Postby El Cid » Fri Aug 29, 2008 3:51 pm

karandjon wrote:Beni, i am almost certain I saw this in Makro yesterday. Karen
Entirely possible as Makro is a pan European distributor and may well have some "export" wines available.

We always buy Jacob's Creek Australian wines there and I have not seen them anywhere else in Spain.

Sid

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Postby BENIDORM » Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:04 pm

Sid,
Thank you for your comprehensive answer to my question, and you have confirmed my thoughts about the re-naming of the brand in question.

I hadn't considered trying Makro, as Karen has kindly suggested, and of course as a Dutch - German outfit, with outlets world wide, there is every chance that they stock it.
I do have a Makro Espana card, but it is ancient, so it may not be acceptable now, however I do recall that Makro did issue 'day' permits, I wonder if anyone knows if this is still the case.

Thank you also Sid for pointing out the grape variety, I will certainly enjoy sampling any wines that may be similar.

After the summer heat subsides we will be moving from our summer tipple, Rosado, and of course the nice refreshing Tinto de Verano, to a more full bodied range of Vino Tinto.

I would be interested to hear if anyone has discovered any different wines , at reasonable prices.

Regards,
Gordon...

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Postby country boy » Fri Aug 29, 2008 7:35 pm

:shock: How does one get a Makro card please...I thought you had to be a trader or similar?

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Postby karandjon » Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:50 pm

BENIDORM wrote:Sid,

I hadn't considered trying Makro, as Karen has kindly suggested, and of course as a Dutch - German outfit, with outlets world wide, there is every chance that they stock it.
I do have a Makro Espana card, but it is ancient, so it may not be acceptable now, however I do recall that Makro did issue 'day' permits, I wonder if anyone knows if this is still the case.


Regards,
Gordon...

El Cid - ooohh we have at least 5 bottles of the Jacobs Creek here...and I cant have any of them :cry:

Beni - Makro cards don´t have expiry dates on in Spain, so it shouldn´t matter how old it is. If it doesn´t swipe, they just write the number down on a sheet of paper.
The day permits are issued when they´re not busy. For instance, if you go just before Christmas, they will not issue a day pass. The rest of the year (when not a holiday period) I haven´t had a problem if forgetting the card.
UK ones are accepted also. The number of these are just written down on a piece of paper, not swiped.

Country Boy - Yes, you do have to be a Trader, or work for a company that will get the Card for you.....(or know someone who never uses theirs, and will let you have it...) :wink:
vino, sol y aire, y seras rico como nadie

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Postby El Cid » Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:14 pm

Glad to hear you like the JC - pity you aren't allowed to drink it!

Our Makro card is a UK one and expired 15 years ago. Makro are happy to accept it but you get less hassle if you pay in cash.

They are a business and aren't about to ask you to put it all back on the shelves!

Sid

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Postby karandjon » Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:35 pm

Hi Sid, they did last December when I went without my card! I had 58 bottles of wines, all laid out on the conveyor. When i looked in my purse i realised i never had the card with me. As it was so busy they wouldnt give me a day pass and made me take them all off the conveyor, and put them back in the trolley!I swear that took longer than issuing me with a day pass!

You are right about paying in cash, with a UK card. They dont ask for any further ID then (which helps if your name doesnt match the one on the card :wink: )!!
vino, sol y aire, y seras rico como nadie

BENIDORM
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Postby BENIDORM » Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:46 pm

Right I will visit my local Makro ( Granada), and try my old Makro cards, I've just 'dug out' an old UK card, might be better trying it in preference to the Spanish card I have, mind you it is that old I think it was pre-decimal when I used it last..It must be from at least 39 businesses ago ! :lol:

Sid and Karen...Thanks ...

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Re: Cheap Wines in Spain

Postby BENIDORM » Fri Oct 24, 2008 7:29 pm

To update my last entry on this post, about Makro cards, I would like to report that my ancient UK card, issued to me at least 20 years ago, still works, it was used at the Makro in Granada, without problem. So if you do have access to an old card, could be worth you giving it a try, Makro isn't that cheap, but does have quite a different range of goods on offer.

Whilst on my travels I also managed to pick up a wine which I thought worth mentioning.
It is a 'budget' wine 'bag-in a box' type, contents 3 litres with a strength of 13.5% vol., the name is Castillo De ANNA, Tempranillo, 2007, produced in La Font de la Figuera, Spain, and strangely , I bought it near Bordeaux, France, it was priced under 5 euros, and I was pleasantly surprised at the nice smooth taste. I'm sure that it will be available in the supermarkets in Spain, and if anyone spots it , please let me know...I did of course buy a selection of French wines as well, just for a change. :)

I wonder if anyone else has anything to report about any outstanding wine bargains purchased recently ?

Cheers....Gordon

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karandjon
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Re: Cheap Wines in Spain

Postby karandjon » Fri Oct 24, 2008 8:11 pm

You´re right about the old cards working fine in Makro, Spain Beni. Mine works a treat :wink:
Nothing to report on the wine front this time, unfortunately, due to not being able to drink any for a fair few months!! :(
Next April I hope to restock my wine cellar!! :D

Karen x
vino, sol y aire, y seras rico como nadie


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