Volcanic Wine Awards | The Jancis Robinson Story

Oddbins deserves a hug

Friday 26 October 2018
Image

Our retail specialist Andy Howard MW has a soft spot for a once-great name. Oddbins' wines are likely to be fairly easy to find outside the UK. See also his earlier reports on Sainsbury's, Aldi and Marks and Spencer

The name Oddbins carries a certain whiff of nostalgia for many UK wine lovers of a certain, let us say, mature age. I count myself in that group (although the original history of the company goes back much further than many realise). Oddbins actually dates back to 1963, when it was set up by entrepreneur Ahmed Pochee as an...

Become a member to continue reading
Member
$135
/year
Save over 15% annually
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
  • Access 288,648 wine reviews & 15,872 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
 
Ideal for collectors
  • Access 288,648 wine reviews & 15,872 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
  • Access 288,648 wine reviews & 15,872 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
  • Access 288,648 wine reviews & 15,872 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Pay with
Visa logo Mastercard logo American Express logo Logo for more payment options
Join our newsletter

Get the latest from Jancis and her team of leading wine experts.

By subscribing you agree with our Privacy Policy and provide consent to receive updates from our company.

More Don't quote me

Sunny garden at Blue Farm
Don't quote me Jet lag, a bad cold, but somehow an awful lot of good wine was enjoyed. This diary is a double...
Tuscan Sunday lunch
Don't quote me Two fabulous weekends, and a lot of tasting. The Tuscan weekend is exemplified by the outdoor Sunday lunch pictured above...
WineGB tasting 8 September 2025 photo by Tom Gold
Don't quote me Multiple tastings and one visit to a vineyard this month. I still have a physical diary. In August I had...
Sylt beach
Don't quote me Hot, hot, hot – and much quieter than usual. Above, one of Sylt’s many (delightfully cool) beaches. This month’s diary...

More from JancisRobinson.com

September sunset Domaine de Montrose
Tasting articles Tam thinks so – and has nearly 200 red-wine recommendations to show for it. Part one of a two-part review...
Vietnamese pho at Med
Nick on restaurants Nick highlights something the Brits lack but the French have in spades – and it has nothing to do with...
Australian wine tanks and grapevines
Free for all The world is awash with unwanted wine. A version of this article is published by the Financial Times. Above, a...
South Africa fires in the Overberg sent by Malu Lambert and wine-news-5 logo
Wine news in 5 Plus an update on France’s ban on copper-containing fungicides for organic viticulture. Above, fire in South Africa’s Overberg, sent by...
A bottle of Bonny Doon Le Cigare Blanc also showing its screwcap top, featuring an alien face
Wines of the week You need to know this guy . From $23.95 or £21 (2023 vintage). Whenever I mention Bonny Doon, the response...
Wild sage in the rocky soils of Cabardès
Tasting articles The keystone of Languedoc viticulture, explored. See also Languedoc whites – looking to the future. ‘Follow me!’ And I do...
the dawn of wine in Normandy
Inside information Turning tides have brought wine back to the edges of north-west France, says Paris-based journalist Chris Howard. This is part...
Nino Barraco
Tasting articles Part 2 of Walter’s in-depth look at the new generation of producers reviving Marsala’s reputation. Above, Nino Barraco, one of...
Wine inspiration delivered directly to your inbox, weekly
Our weekly newsletter is free for all
By subscribing you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions.