If you were wanting to buy really decent wine, where would you buy it from...

[chonky]

...and what would you buy?

I want to buy some as a present for a 'landmark' birthday - any thoughts as to what I should get? Open to ideas.

i dont claim to be an expert... but i love champagne and i can imagine it would go down very well. proper champagne like moet&chandon. sancerre is lovely as well. white wine, french. look here

i go to odd bins or selfridges and ask .

Mmmmmmmmm....

We got something like these for my IL's from here.

France

And what depends how much you want to spend

depends how much you want to spend really...

from our local vintners.

Waitrose

Go in a prper off licsence. AS long has it is not a spotty teenager, then you should in theory have expertise.

Alternatively, check out virgin wines or laithwaites, online. Never tried to get posh ones from them, so no idea if they would be any good. They do cheap and cheerful really well....

Do you have an Oddbins nearby? They used to be good for advice but we buy from the Wine Society now so don't know if Oddbins is still as reliable??

Not really a nice wine, but great for a special present - sparkling wine with gold bits in here

This is renowned as one of the best in the country. They supply Michelin starred restaurants. You can buy online, but we go there when visiting sister and buy bargain bin ends: here

You could also join the Wine Society. You used to have to be proposed to join, now anyone can. On payment of fee you get a free decent sized wine case and the wine is top and reasonably priced.
Alternatively, go to any good supermarket e.g. waitrose or Booths. Oddbinsd is owned by a giant and not as good as it was. Nicolas has little choice and is overpriced.
As others have said, Laithwaites is decent.

Give me a price range and indication of what you like and I'll recommend.

Berry Bros - you could ask their advice, they're v knowledgeable.

Tanners of Shrewbury is a lovely place to browse if you are nearby and great advice.

yes Berry Bros! I bought a selection from there for DP - complete waste of money should have bought him Blue Nun!! ha ha I loved the wines though

I'd go to a Nicolas (if you have one nearby) as they know what they're talking about. Tell them how much you want to spend and the type of wine you want (red, white, bordeaux, strong, not too alcoholic, etc.) and let them recommend.

I went to a Nicolas in Nice once looking for a cheap bottle of wine. I found a rustic looking collection of bottles on a table next to a label saying 18 Francs and took one up to the man on the counter. "Dix-huit?" I said uncertainly in my best O level French. He looked at me in some disgust and said in perfect English "No, madame. This one is quite dry."

(Sorry, not much help. Hope you find something nice.)

Ha-ha, very funny, you big bear!

Sorry, sorry - been out at work. Thanks everyone for suggestions so far.

lol at Iorek.

It's for my Pa's birthday (a BIG birthday), so I reckon £200 - £250? Would be good to get some decent 'drink now' bottles, and also some for laying down...

Ioreck

German wines from 2007 are splendid and fantastic value. Go for spatlese and auslese.