Tuesday 28 September 2010

TN : Ovilos 2009, Estate Ktima Biblia Chora, Regional White Wine of Pangeon, Greece


This wine is a blend of 50% Semillon and 50% Assyrtiko.





Colour : Yellow

Aroma : Marzipan, citrus

Taste : Marzipan, bitter almond finish, creamy fruity texture, lemon, orange, lime

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 195 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Ktima Biblia Chora

TN : Anthem Riesling 2008, Central Otago, New Zealand


This wine was sealed with a screwcap. The wine was imported by Klunk AB.



Colour : Watery very pale lemon

Aroma : Very petrolly, honey, lime, green apple

Taste : Petrol, lime, green apple, mineral

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 149 SEK

Mark : C+

Don, De Origen Noble, 2002, Vina Santa Helena, Colchagua Valley, Chile


Vina Santa Helena is part of San Pedro Tarapacá Wine Group. Vina Santa Helena is owned by CCU, the largest beverages producer and manufacturer in Chile.



Colour : Deep purple

Aroma : Green pepper, blackcurrant, milk chocolate, coffee

Taste : Milk chocolate, blueberry, blackcurrant, green pepper, coffee, smooth, toast, concentrated, warm finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 299 SEK

Mark : A

Website : Vina Santa Helena

TN : The Ojai Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008, Santa Barbara County, California, USA


This wine was matured in French barriques of which one third were new. 52% of the grapes came from Solomon Hills, 32% came from Bien Nacido, and 16% came from Presido. All of the grapes were hand-harvested.



This wine was imported by Divine AB.

Colour : Red/purple

Aroma : Spice, strawberry, mint, oak, funky, oriental spices

Taste : Oak, strawberry, oriental spices, oak, herbs, oak, warm finish, lacking fruit, boring, drinkable if nothing else is available

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 289 SEK

Mark : C-

Website : The Ojai Vineyard
Website : Divine AB

Wednesday 22 September 2010

TN : Chateau Ducluzeau 2004, Listrac, Medoc, Bordeaux, France


Chateau Ducluzeau is run by Jean-Eugène Borie, under the Bruno Borie/Château Ducru Beaucaillou umbrella. The vineyard is 4.9 hectares and only the best soils, situated on the Listrac gravel plateau, have been kept for winegrowing. Harvesting is strictly by hand and the vines have an average age of 40 years. The Château is committed to green practices and low density plantings. The wines are matured for 14-18 months in oak barriques, 40% of which are new.



Colour : Plum

Aroma : Cedar, blackcurrant, plum, slight wood notes

Taste : Plum, blackcurrant, cedar, wood

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 127 SEK (375 ml bottle)

Mark : C+

Monday 20 September 2010

TN : E. Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape 2005, Southern Rhone, France


This wine is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, and 5% other varieties. The average age of the vines is 45 years. The average yield was 33 hectolitres per hectare.



The wine was made in a traditional manner using temperature controlled alcoholic fermentation. followed by three weeks maceration in tanks. The wine was matured for two years in oak foudres. 185,000 bottles were produced.



Colour : Dark purple, slight browning on rim

Aroma : Spicy, milk chocolate, liqourice, plums, blueberry, blackberry

Taste : Overly chalky tannic hot finish which spoils the wine, pepper, liqourice, blackberry, blueberry

Alcohol : 15%

Price : 295 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : E. Guigal

TN : Rene Mure Gentil Signature 2009, Alsace, France


This wine is a blend of 25% Sylvaner, 25% Gewurztraminer, 24% Pinot Blanc, 16% Riesling, and 10% Pinot Gris. The wine was sealed with a screwcap. Interestingly enough, the back label has a sweetness scale which is very useful for wines from Alsace in particular. This wine is marked as being dry which it is.



Colour : Very pale lemon

Aroma : Honey, floral, pear, apples, white grapes

Taste : White grapes, honey, pear, grapefruit

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 92 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Rene Mure

Thursday 16 September 2010

TN : Vitikult 2007, Weingut K+K Kirnbauer, Riede Neuberg, Mittelburgenland, Austria


The wine is 100% Blaufraenkisch. This wine spent 18 months in used barriques. Total acidity is 6.5 grammes per litre and the residual sugar is 2.0 grammes per litre.



This wine was bottled in May 2009 and then sealed with a screwcap.



The K + K Kirnbauer Estate is operated as a family enterprise by Walter and Irmgard Kirnbauer.



Colour : Dark red/blue

Aroma : Spicy, oak, herbs, blueberry, raspberry

Taste : Red fruits, blueberry, very spicy on finish, herbs, pepper on finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 118 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Weingut K+K Kirnbauer

Wednesday 15 September 2010

TN : Sandalford Estate Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2008, Margaret River, Australia


This wine is a blend of 67% Sauvignon Blanc and 33% Semillon. Twenty percent of the wine was stored for three months in two year old French barriques.



Sandalford Wines was established in 1840. Peter and Debra Prendiville bought the property in 1991.

This wine was sealed with a screwcap. The wine was imported by Carovin AB.

Colour : Light yellow

Aroma : Oak, lemon, mineral, gooseberry

Taste : Lemon, blackcurrant, leafy, mineral, line, nettles, gooseberry

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Sandalford Wines
Website : Carovin AB

Tuesday 14 September 2010

TN : Chateau de Chantegrive 2004, Red, Graves, Grand Vin de Bordeaux, France


This wine comes from a 60 hectare vineyard. The soil is sand and pebbles over limestone and clay subsoil. The wine is a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon all of which were hand-harvested. The average age of the vines is 25 years. Fermentation was in stainless steel vats and the wine was agwed for 18 months in barrels of which one third were new. Fining was done using egg whites.

Colour : Dark red, very slight browning at edges

Aroma : Plums, blackcurrant, leather, earthy

Taste : Plums, blackcurrant, leather, mineral, drying tannins on finish

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 130 SEK (375ml bottle)

Mark : C

Website : Chateau de Chantegrive

TN : Craggy Range Single Vineyard Riesling 2008, Glasnevin Gravels Vineyard, Waipara, New Zealand


This wine is very like a German Mosel Riesling minus the mineral content. The wine was sealed with a screwcap.



This wine was imported by Divine AB.



Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Floral, slight petrol notes, honey, oranges, lemons

Taste : Oranges, lemons, limes, honey, petrol, semi-dry, very fruity, long finish, slight ginger

Alcohol : 10%

Price : 169 SEK

Mark : A-

Website : Craggy Range Winery
Website : Divine AB

Tuesday 7 September 2010

TN : Domaine Gerovassiliou Syrah 2005, Epanomi, Greece



This wine won a gold medal at the 2006 Concours Mondial in Brussels.





Colour : Blackberry

Aroma : Sandalwood, toast, dark fruits

Taste : Developed, toasty oak, blackberry, blueberry, talcum powder tannins on finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 229 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Domaine Gerovassiliou

TN : Domaine Gerovassiliou Viognier 2009, Epanomi, Greece


This wine won a gold medal in the 2010 Decanter World Wine Awards.



The grapes for this wine were fermented in new French oak barrels and matured on lees for six months.



Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Mandarin oranges, almond, herbs

Taste : Peach, pineapple, mandarin oranges, almonds, herbs

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 179 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Domaine Gerovassiliou

TN : Errazuriz Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Rose 2010, Central Valley, Chile


This wine is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec.



This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

Colour : Bright raspberry

Aroma : Strawberry, blackcurrant, melon

Taste : Strawberry, raspberry, melon, blackcurrant, grapefruit

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 69 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Vina Errazuriz

Monday 6 September 2010

TN : Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Marlborough, New Zealand


Probably New Zealand's most famous wine. Cloudy Bay Vineyards was established in 1985 by Cape Mentelle Vineyards in Western Australia, and is today part of Estates & Wines. The winery takes its name from the bay at the eastern extremity of the Wairau Valley, which was named Cloudy Bay by Captain Cook on his voyage to New Zealand in 1770.



This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

Colour : Very pale straw

Aroma : Asparagus, lemon, passion fruit, gooseberry, peach

Taste : Gooseberry, blackcurrant, leafy, grassy, lemon

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Cloudy Bay Vineyards Ltd

TN : Robert Craig Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Napa Valley, California, USA


The 26 acre vineyard site is located at 1800 feet on the slopes of the Southwestern Mayacamus range and was planted in 1990. The vineyard soil is sandstone and blue slate.



This wine was imported by Primewine Sweden AB.

Colour : Blackcurrant, slight brown notes

Aroma : Blackcurrant, vanilla, cedar

Taste : Blackcurrant, blackberry, cedar, vanilla, dust tannic finish, good upfront fruit but became tired tasting after about 10 minutes in the glass

Alcohol : 14.9%

Price : 323 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Robert Craig Wine Cellars
Website : Primewine Sweden AB