Although EFB's main list has many brands on it they do have a fine wine list with around 330 references. There are red Bordeaux from 2007 (Château Batailley) back to 1994 including Ch Haut-Bailly (Pessac-Léognan). There aren't many stellar names (or prices) and minor vintages such as 1997 are strongly featured: shrewd buying of vintages and names that people can afford to drink?
In Chablis Laroche is the supplier with a range of grand cru back to 1997. The most recent Chablis on this list is 2003 and elsewhere in Burgundy the most recent is 2000.
Red Burgundies are all from the 1990s from René Leclerc (Gevrey-Chambertin), Georges Lignier (Morey Saint-Denis), Henri Leclerc (Puligny-Montrachet), Jean Chauvenet (Nuits-St-Georges), Gaston et Pierre Ravaut (Ladoix-Serrigny), Coste Caumartin (Pommard) and Bitouzet-Prieur (Volnay).
In the Northern Rhône it is largely Paul Jaboulet, including three vintages of Hermitage La Chapelle – 2000, 1999 and 1998 – but there is also 1996 and 1997 Côte Rôtie from Réné Rostaing.
Louis Sipp, Schlumberger and Hugel supply Alsace – again all from the 1990s with 1999 as the most recent.
The sole Loire on the fine wine list is the 1997 Cuvée des Fondreaux from Domaine Champalou.
There are also listings from Italy, Spain, Hungary, California, Australia, South Africa and Chile – not sure how well 1998 Montes Alpha Chardonnay (Special Cuvée) will have kept – £84 a case duty paid.
Ports include vintages from Taylors (2000), Warre (2000), Cockburn (2000) and Quinta do Noval (1995).
My guess is that if 'fine wine' is to be part of 'an exciting range at competitive prices' offered by Whittalls now that it is a 'national player' this fine wine list will need to be considerably updated and expanded. The current list looks as though it may have hardly changed for a number of years.
Remaining 48 Oddbins shops
I see that the Guardian is reporting that 'Deloitte, which is handling the administration, said it was also confident of being able to announce an "imminent deal" for the remaining 48 shops that continue to trade.'
Remaining 48 Oddbins shops
I see that the Guardian is reporting that 'Deloitte, which is handling the administration, said it was also confident of being able to announce an "imminent deal" for the remaining 48 shops that continue to trade.'
