Tim Atkin MW: 'something interesting to drink from the supermarkets' please?

Tim Atkin MW

In the 7th January edition of off licence news Tim Atkin MW puts forward his wish list for the UK wine trade in 2011.

Among his wishes are:

'If it is true that more people are drinking better wine at home, how about offering them something interesting to drink from the supermaket aisles? Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and, to a lesser extent, Sainsbury's stock a few unusual wines, but not enough of them. I know bottom lines are important, but the UK is a far less interesting place to buy wine than it was a decade ago.'

It is noticeable that an increasing number of good and interesting producers in the Loire and elsewhere are unable to break into the UK market where once there probably would have been a place for them.

Here's another wish regarding the supermarkets:

'Is it too much to hope that the supermarkets will finally start to sell wine in a responsible way in 2011? No more three for £10, no more cruddy, shipped-in-bulk own-labels, no more illusory half-price deals on wines that weren't worth the full price in the first place. Sanity at last?'