This is sad news. Oddbins were responsible for getting me into wine, as the legendary Martin Perret from the Fine wine shop on Mitchell Street, Glasgow, would do wine tastings at the RSAC Club, of which I was a member. I remember the catalogues with their tear-off offers. In 1994 I bought the Billecart-Salmon triptych - NV, Rosé, 1982 Cuvée NF - for £49.99, reduced from £70.97. God, that 82 was good. As I got into wine, I used Oddbins to find the oakiest Australian chardonnay I could find. I loved that style. Wall to wall oak. Yum. I thought French wines were insipid and thin then - my palate has changed somewhat....
My first wine rack was an ex-store one, holding 98 bottles, bought for £15 in late 1993 from the Woodlands Road store in Glasgow (there was some rot on some of the wooden staves at the bottom). It wouldnt fit in my MG Metro, so I drove it home slowly with the rear hatch open to the skies and the rack hanging out. I was so proud when I filled it up in early 94.
I still have many bottles from the Oddbins days, including 1990 Lafon Rochet (bought in 1993 for £8.49), an immaculate 1988 Talbot (1994, £13.99), numerous Penfolds (96 Kalimna, 96 Grange, 96 389, 96 707...I liked the 96s), Jim Barry Armagh, and some other Bordeaux. I remember buying a 1992 Mouton Rothschild, drinking it a little too early (1997), thinking it was crap, and pouring the last 20% down the sink. The Orion, drunk the same night, was stellar (no pun intended).
In the 1990s, when I moved to Englandshire, I was a regular at the Nottingham Oddbins shop, where I loved the atmosphere and the eclectic choice. Leasingham, Leeuwin, D'Arenberg, some amazing Greek reds, and frankly anything that was offered to me was eagerly snapped up. Saturday afternoon's tastings were always a joy.
Thank you, Oddbins. You opened my eyes to the world of wine, and while my liver won't thank you for it, I certainly do.