Two Pouilly Fuisses

Apparently a lot of Oddbins are to be re-branded Nicolas, allegedly because market research reveals that people can't tell the difference between Oddbins (bog-standard but aspirational wine shop attempting to mark itself out as 'wine specialist') and Threshers (ultra-budget worse-than-middle-of-the-road wine shop). 'Re-branding' says it all - there isn't really a difference between Nicolas and Oddbins (other than the former doesn't deign to sell as much new world wine). Yet people are prepared to pay more money for the same wine at Nicolas, what with its connotations of old-world connoisseurship. Walking away with the satisfaction of having been looked down the shop assistant's nose at means you simply must have bought something good.

This, of course, is complete crap.

Nicolas in Bloomsbury sells 2004 Les Vieux Murs Pouilly Fuisse at around £12. The nose is a little nutty and melony, with a hint of river stones. The palate is inoffensive and a bit grapefruity. Eminently ordinary, this is a wine for convalescents, or those with head-colds.

Around the corner on New Oxford Street, Planet of the Grapes (a no-nonsense independent wine retailer, which, I should say in the interests of full disclosure is my favourite London wine shop) sells 2004 Domaine Roches "Des Personnets" Pouilly Fuisse for £10, or £96 for a case of 12. And I can tell you the difference is extraordinary. The nose leaps out of the glass to greet you, laden with vanilla, caramel, nuts, a hint of orange, rockmelon, and the green end of a spring onion. The palate is full, rich, with a silky hint of oyster and a polite, if slightly short, citrussy finish. Complex. Outstanding value. A far better wine, a substantially cheaper price.

One of the many problems with wine is its association with elitism etc bla blah we all know that one. But it stuns me to think that within the industry there are segments attempting to entrench that attitude, and, worse, consumers who are prepared to fall for it. So what if people think Oddbins is Threshers? Maybe they will get a nice surprise when they buy a decent bottle of wine there (easy to do at Oddbins - almost impossible at Threshers). But to want to re-brand to sell the same wine to people who want to pay more for the same thing? I don't know which out of the company or the consumer is more to blame. Perhaps they deserve each other. The last thing I want is demand pushing prices at my local independent retailer up.