TN : Les Fumees Blanches Sauvignon Blanc, 2007, Domaines Francois Lurton, France

This wine was bottled under screwcap.

Colour : Pale watery lemon/yellow

Aroma : Blackcurrant leaf, tropical fruits

Taste : Green blackcurrant leaf, lemon, minerally finish

Alcohol : 12%

Price : 67 SEK

Mark : C-

Website : Jacques & Francois Lurton

A Good Year

I finally ended up watching my copy of A Good year on DVD. It was much better than I expected since a lot review stated it was not very good.



Basically a high-up Stockbroker, Max, inherits a vineyard from his uncle. It turns out that Max spent a lot of his childhood visiting his uncle at the vineyard in Provence. He goes there when his uncle dies determined to sell the vineyard. A girl shows up from the USA claiming to be the daughter of Max's uncle. The wine produced on the estate stinks. Max meets up, nearly knocks her off her bicycle with his car, a local waitress that he falls in love with. In the end, Max fabricates a letter stating that his uncle leaves the vineyard to his "daughter" who just happens to have spent some time working in a winery in the USA. Max ends up giving up his job in London (and the possibility of a partnership in his firm) to go back to his love. The end of the film sees the daughter arguing with the local vigneron about how the wine should be made.

TN : Glen Carlou Gravel Quarry Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Wine of Origin Paarl, South Africa

According to the label this wine was handcrafted by David Finlayson.

The grapes were harvested on 15th March 2005. During fermentation, the wine spent 12 days in stainless steel tanks and then 7 days on skins. The wine was then aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak (Nevers MHT and Les Bertrange HT). The wine was bottles in January 2007.

The TA is 6.4 grammes per litre, pH is 3.68, and the residual sugar is 1.4 grammes per litre.

This wine won a double gold at 2007 Veritas awards.

Only 180 bottles were imported into Sweden.

Colour : Deep purple, cassis

Aroma : Blackcurrant, smoky oak, red berries, vanilla

Taste : Vanilla, blackcurrant, thin, minerals, red berries, acidic, coffee, chalky tanins, oak

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 179 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Glen Carlou

TN : Schmitt Soehne, Beerenauslese 2005, QmP, Rheinhessen, Germany

This is a desert wine and came in a 500ml bottle. It is mostly made from Ortega and Optima grapes.

Colour : Yellow, gold

Aroma : Orange marmelade, pineapple

Taste : Cloying sweetness, honey, citrus fruits

Alcohol : 8%

Price : 67 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Schmitt Soehne

TN : Grand Callia 2004, Winemaker's Reserve, Bodegas Callia, San Juan, Argentina

This wine was aged for 18 months in French and American oak. It is a blend of 40% Shiraz, 20% Malbec, 20% Merlot, and 20% Tannat. The winemaker was Oscar Biondolillo.

Colour : Deep dark purple

Aroma : Oak, dark fruits, vanilla, coffee, licqourice

Taste : Licqourice, slight blackcurrant, vanilla, coffee, very spicy finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 268 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Bodegas Callia

TN : Chateau Bibian 2005, Cru Bourgeois, Listrac-Medoc, France

This is a blend of 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot. The wine spent 18 months in French oak. Alain Meyre is the chateau owner.

Colour : Red, purple

Aroma : Black berries, herbs, oak, vanilla, licqourice

Taste : Herbs, dry tanins, blackberry, liqcourice

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 138 SEK

Mark : C+

Blaxsta Vineyard featured in Wine & Spirit Magazine

Tim Atkin MW recently wrote an article on Blaxsta vineyard for Wine & Spirit Magazine. It is freely available on the magazine's web site.

Website : Blaxsta Vineyard feature in Wine & Spirit Magazine

TN : Engelbrecht Els Proprietor's Blend 2005, Western Cape, South Africa

This is a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Shiraz, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, and 4% Malbec.

Nice fruit but too much smokiness ruined this wine for me. The high alcohol was not noticable.

The winemaker was Louis Styrdom.

This wine was imported by The Wineagency AB.



Colour : Deep purple

Aroma : Smoky, oak, blackcurrant, mint

Taste : Dry tanins on finish, smoky, blackcurrant, green pepper, licquorice, coffee, mint

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 215 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Ernie Els Stellenbosch
Website : The Wineagency AB

TN : Santa Rita Triple C 2004, D.O. Valle del Maipo, Vina Santa Rita, Chile

Santa Rita was founded in 1880, by a distinguished entrepreneur of those times, Mr. Domingo Fernández Concha in the area of Alto Jahuel where the main installations of the winery are currently located. From the end of the 19th century until the mid 70´s, Santa Rita developed under the ownership of Mr. Vicente García - Huidobro, father of the famous Chilean poet Vicente Huidobro Fernández. Then in 1980, the Grupo Claro acquired the Santa Rita property.

The Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are from the Alto Jahuel Estate in the Maipo valley. The soil is colluivial loam and is 0.8 to 1 meter deep with a gravelly subsoil. The grapes were harvested during April.

The Carmenere is from 60 year old vineyards located on a southern slope located halfway up the Apalta valley hills. The plantign density is 5,500 vins per hectare. There is no irrigation; the water is obtained via winter rain (700 mm per year average) and the natural water basin. The soil is poor and is granite based.

The wine is a blend of 55% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Carmenere.

The winemaker was Andres Ilabaca.

The winery analysis shows that the pH is 3.54, the acidity is 5.64 grammes per litre, the alcohol is 14.5%, and the residual sugar is 2.40 grammes.

100% of this wine was aged in new French oak for 17 months on average. This was too much in my opinion.

Robert Parker gave this wine 93 points which just shows that he is a big fan of oak. I like oak but in this case it was too much and spoilt the great fruit, texture, and well managed alcohol underneath.

Only 360 bottles were available in the whole of Sweden on February 1st 2008.



Colour : Dark deep inky purple

Aroma : Blackcurrant, blackberry, green pepper

Taste : Overwhelming toasty oak, green pepper, olive, blackcurrant, dark berries, nice dry tannic finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 248 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Vina Santa Rita

WineWorld Newsletter February 2008

The latest , February 2008, Newsletter from WineWorld AB can now be downloaded from their website. It details their releases for the first quarter of 2008.

Website : WineWorld February 2008 Newsletter

Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, Grape Radio Show, Number 143

Here are some comments that I sent in response to the Grape Radio interview with Stephen Tanzer, who I have to confess I don't bother to follow as, so far, I don't think he is any better than anybody else.

I would like to see more of the low scores published. i am not that interested in wines of over 90 points as they are too difficult to find and too expensive mostly. It is more important to me not to buy a stinker of a wine. Why are these top reveiwers not publishing more of the bad scores ? Are they afraid of annoying the producers who they may rely upon to be allowed to taste their top wines ?

Website : Grape Radio

If You Could Wave A Magic Wand, Grape Radio Show, number 171

This was my magic wand wish submission to Grape Radio.

My wishes :

1. It would be possible to sample any wine before buying a whole bottle. This is already possible in some places e.g http://www.decanter.com/news/131883.html but it should be universal.

2. Fine wine would be cheaper

3. Wine reviewers e.g. Parker, Decanter, Wine Spectator, etc publish reviews in full with scores for every wine they review - even the ones that get -1 out of a 100. They seem to be scared to do so - maybe because they fear they will not be allowed to get the wine for free to review the next year. For me. it is more important to not buy a crap wine than to buy a really good one. I would rather have something drinkable than not.

Website : Grape Radio

TN : Merlot 2006, Vin de Pays d'Oc, South of France, Laroche

This wine was bottled under screwcap.

Colour : Purple

Aroma : Coffee, raspberry, spice, cherry

Taste : Red fruits, spice, oak, slightly too acidic

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 73 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Laroche

The Wine of Frederic Magnien, Grape Radio Show Number 185

I just sent in some comments on the latest show posted up on Grape Radio :

Great show; though Pinot yet again !

Interesting conversation about terroir and winemakers. I think all winemakers obliterate the terroir no matter what they do e.g. even the simplest things such as choosing to cool the must down (and to what temperature) affects the expression of terroir. Don't forget the role of viticulture in obliterating terroir. How many vineyards have you seen where the grapes grow wild ? All things such as fertilisers, trellising, canopy management, disease management, when to pick, etc, all effect (obliterate ??) the expression of terroir. Let's face it, if there is a bad year where there is an large outbreak of at least one form of "bad" rot then surely the best expression of the terroir would be to include all those rotten grapes (and bottle it in a magnum for Jay :-)

I am not sure that I agree with the comment that the winemaker has a duty to let the wine reflect the vintage though. Let's say in 2004, a winemaker produces a stunning wine that I really like. If in 2005, he decides to do his best to let the finished wine reflect the vintage then he/she may produce a wine that i don't like as much as the 2004. In this case, I would have preferred the winemaker to work some magic and produce another 2004 again.

Website : Grape Radio

TN : Castillo de Molina, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Reserva, Curico Valley, Chile

This wine was produced and bottled by Vina San Pedro, Molina, Chile.

Colour : Dark cassis

Aroma : Blackcurrant cordial, oak

Taste : Blackcurrant, dark fruits, rough toasty oak finish, hot

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 89 SEK

Mark : C-

Website : Vina San Pedro

TN : Marchigue Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, Chile

This wine was produced and bottles by Vinedos Errazuriz Ovalle. It was imported by Sydamerikaviner AB.

Colour : Bramble jelly

Aroma : Blackcurrant, toasty oak

Taste : Blackcurrant/ribena, toasty oak, coffee, raspberry

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 178 SEK

Mark : B+

Website : Vinedos Errazuriz Ovalle
Website : Sydamerikaviner AB

TN : Pisoni, Vignetti delle Dolomiti, Rosso 2006, IGT, Italy

This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Nero. It was imported by Italmondo AB.

Colour : Purple, brown hues

Aroma : Violets, raspberry, smoke, thyme

Taste : Violets, strawberry, smoke, oak tints, cherry, thyme

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 77 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Italmondo AB

TN : Fre Chardonnay 2006, Sutter Home Winery, California, USA

This is a de-alcoholized wine.

The ingredients listed on the label are Chardonnay wine, grape must, natural flavourings, and preservatives (Sulfur Dioxide, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzonate).

Colour : Pale yellow

Aroma : Grapey, lemon, orange

Taste : Grapey, lemon. citrus, orange, long finish

Alcohol : < style="font-weight: bold;">Price : 41 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Sutter Home

TN : Arn de Gotha Rouge, Les Vins d'Arn Magnusson, Grand Vin de Bordeaux, Chateau Le Faure Rouge 2006, Bordeaux, France

Colour : Dark purple/red

Aroma : Dark fruits, slight oak

Taste : lean, thin, soft, dark and red fruits, chalky tannins

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 88 SEK

Mark : D

Website : Arn Magnusson
Website : Granqvist Vinagentur

TN : Arn de Gotha Blanc, Les Vins d'Arn Magnusson, Grand Vin de Bordeaux, Chateau Le Faure Blanc 2006, Bordeaux, France

This wine was imported by Granqvist Vinagentur, Tidaholm

Colour : Yellow/lemon

Aroma : Fruit drops, lemon

Taste : Lemon, fruit drops, long finish, mouthfilling

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 88 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Arn Magnusson
Website : Granqvist Vinagentur

TN : Syrah, Verna's Vineyard, 2003, The Ojai Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, USA

This wine was produced and bottled by Helen and Adam Tolmach.

This wine was imported by Divine AB.

Colour : Black/purple

Aroma : Violets, red fruits, dark fruits, concentrated ribena, slight spice

Taste : Mouth coating, smooth tanins, red fruits, spice, slight white pepper

Alcohol : 15.5%

Price : 299 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Divine AB

Website : The Ojai Vineyard

TN : Neil Ellis Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Stellenbosch, South Africa

This wine was imported by V&S Wines, Denmark.

This wine is a multi-vineyard blend from the Jonkershoek Valley and Firgrove area. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The soil is decomposed Granite and Sandstone. The grapes were harvested between 27th of February and the 18th of March 2004. The yield was 6 - 8 tons per hectare or between 40 hectolitres per hectare and 52 hectolitres per hectare. The grapes harvested between 23.5ºB to 26.0ºB, total acid 6.7 g/litre to 9.0 g/litre, and pH 3.2 to 3.4. Fermentation was initiated in stainless steel fanks and underwent a series of pump overs until dry. Futher maceration allowed before drawing off and light pressing. This wine spent 16 months in French oak barrels of which 40% were new. The wine was bottled in September 2005 after egg white fining and light filtration. An analysis gives alcohol at 14.0%, residual sugar at 1.7 grammes per litre, total acidity at 6.0 grammes per litre, and a pH of 3.7.



Colour : Cassis

Aroma : Red fruits, tangy, oak, slight vinegar

Taste : Tangy, oak, toast, dull blackcurrant, metallic

Alcohol : 14 %

Price : 155 SEK

Mark : D

Website : Neil Ellis Wines

Systembolaget New Releases February 2008

The February 2008 Newsletter for Systembolaget is now available for download.

Website : Varunytt February 2008

TN : Enrique Foster Terruno Malbec 2005, Vistalba, Mendoza, Argentina

The grapes for this wine come from the Lujan de Cuyo, Lunlunta, Perdriel, Tupungato, Vistalba and Vista Flores areas. The winemaker was Mauricio Lorca.

This wine was imported by Heba Trading AB.

Colour : Deep black cherry/purple

Aroma : Dark fruits, oak, toast

Taste : Violets, dark fruits, long toast on finish, oak, vanilla, warm mocha, mouth coating

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Heba Trading AB
Website : Bodega Enrique Foster

TN : Mendel Unus 2004, Boedga Mendel, Mendoza, Argentina

The vineyard is situated in Lujan de Cuyo at 100 metres, 3280 feet, and was planted in 1928.

The wine is a blend of 70% Malbec and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The case production was 3646 cases (six packs). The wine was oak aged for 16 months in new French oak barriques. The winemaker was Roberto del la Mota.

The wine was imported by Primewine.

Colour : Deep cassis/red

Aroma : Violets, coffee, dark fruits, spice, rich

Taste : Violets, heat, dark fruits, blackcurrant, spice, coffee, concentrated, soft tannins on finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 199 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Primewine
Website : Mendel

TN : Ventisquero Queulat Carmenere Gran Reserva 2005, Maipo Vallet, Chile

This wine is a blend of 85% Carmenere and 15% Syrah.

On the back label is stated "The legend tells the story of an enchanted city in Southern Chile built in Gold and filled with valuable treasures. Although the city was never found, something magic was uncovered, a beautiful hanging snowdrift named Queulat".



Colour : Black, cassis

Aroma : Dark fruits, blackberry, slight oak

Taste : Lots of blackberry, slight green pepper, chocolate, liqourice on finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 102 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Ventisquero

TN : Fabre Montmayou Grand Vin 2004, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina

This wine is from the winery's oldest vineyard which was planted in 1908.

All the grapes were handharvested and the wine was finished in 100% French oak fro 16 months. 12960 bottles were produced.

The wine was imported by Bornicon & Salming.

The Fabre Montmayou winery was the first homemade wine cellar built in Argentina by the group Domaine Vistalba in 1992. The winery was built in the area of Vistalba – Lujan de Cuyo at 1.150 meters of altitude, just by the 15 first hectares of Malbec that were bought in the same area.

The winery is 20 kilometres south from Mendoza. It can be visited and details can be found on the website (tours are available in English).

Colour : Black/red

Aroma : Violets, oak, dark fruits, spice

Taste : Oak, dark fruits, savoury notes, concentrated, mouth filling, lacking acidity/flabby
Alcohol : 14,5%

Price : 189 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Bornicon & Salming
Website : Domaine Vistalba

TN : Cabardes 2004, Sacha Lichine, Vins sans Frontieres, France

This wine is a new world blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 20% Syrah, and 10% Grenache.

Colour : Dark ruby

Aroma : Earth, dark fruits, spice

Taste : Earth, dark fruits, acidic, thin, soft tannins

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 112 SEK

Mark : C-

Website : Sacha Lichine

TN : Tre Rose, Renaio, Chardonnay di Toscana 2006, IGT, Tenimenti Angelini, Italy

Tenimenti Angelini, a family owned group of Tuscan estates, was created in November of 1994, with the acquisition of three historical Tuscan wineries: Azienda Agricola Val di Suga in the town of Montalcino, Tenuta Trerose in the town of Montepulciano and Fattoria San Leonino in the town of Castellina in Chianti. Currently the estate is comprised of 415 hectares, between the three properties, with 173 hectares of vineyards divided as follow: Val di Suga, 100 hectares, with 55 hectares under vine; Tenuta Trerose, 170 hectares with 70 under vine and San Leonino 100 hectares with 45 under vine.

Colour : Yellow

Aroma : Green apple, pear drops, pineapple, slight oak

Taste : Butter, slight oak, muted pear, muted green apple, muted pineapple

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 106 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Tenimenti Angelini

TN : High Constantia Cabernet Franc 2001, Constantia Valley, South Africa

This wine was grown and bottled in the Constantia Valley.

High Constantia is being restored, under David van Niekerk and Bob de Villiers, to its former wine-making glory.

This wine was imported by Kvalitetsviner i Sverige.

The nose was really great on this wine but it was let down by the taste; the fruit seemed to be fading and it was well past its' best.

Colour : Black/brown/cassis

Aroma : Perfumed, blackcurrant hints, pencil, talcum powder

Taste : Floral, talcum powder, dark fruits, tangy

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 219 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Kvalitetsviner i Sverige

TN : Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2003, Terrazas de los Andes, Mendoza, Argentina

Estate grown at an altitude of 980 metres.

In the late 1950s, the LVMH subsidiary Moët & Chandon sent its Chief Winemaker, Renaud Poirier, to Latin America to investigate the potential of the region for producing world-class wines. After traveling throughout the region, Poirier visited Luján de Cuyo, in the province of Mendoza. Highly impressed with the local conditions for winemaking, and the presence of unique high elevation vineyards, Poirier and Moët & Chandon decided to launch its first subsidiary vineyards ever outside of France (Bodegas Chandon Argentina).

Following decades of successful sparkling wine production, in 1999 Moët Hennessy Wine Estates and Bodegas Chandon Argentina inaugurated the Terrazas de los Andes winery, a still wines initiative based on the pairing of fine wine varietals to unique altitudes within Mendoza´s emblematic, snow-fed, high elevation vineyards.

The Terrazas de los Andes winery was launched following the restoration of an old Spanish style winery, established in 1898 by Sotero Arizu, one of the forefathers of Argentine winemaking. Arizu founded the winery in the heart of Perdriel, facing the impressive Cordon del Plata (a section of the Andes Mountain Range).



Colour : Red/cassis

Aroma : Blackcurrant, oak, red fruits

Taste : Red fruits, blackcurrant, oak, green pepper, oak, tannins and liquorice on finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 139 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Terrazes de los Andes

TN : AltaCima 6.330, Premium Reserve, 2003, Lontue Valley, Chile

AltaCima 6.330 refers to the height of the Parinacota Volcano that is part of the Andes mountains overlooking the vineyard. The vineyard is situated at the mouth of the transversal valley of the Lontue river. The soil is muddy and clayey and rich in volcanic ash. The climate is semi-arid Mediterranean.

The grapes were hand harvested during the last week of April and the first week of May 2003.

There was a cold maceration for 6 to 8 days at 6 degrees. Alcoholic fermentation was in steel tanks, took nine days, at 27 to 34 degrees. Afterwards the wine was left to macerate for 15 to 20 days.

The wine is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Syrah, and 5% Petit Verdot. 60% of the wine has been aged in French oak barrels (Nevers/Vosges/Troncais), with one third new oak and two thirds in second and third use oak, for 14 months. The other 40% was matured in stainless steel vats.

The alcohol is 13.9%, TA is 3.38 grammes per litre, and the pH is 3.71. The wine has not been filtered or cold stabilised.

The back label states that the cellar life of this wine is between 2005 and 2013.

This wine was imported by Sydamerikaviner HB.

This wine received 93 points at the International Wine Challenge 2006, held in London.

Colour : Brown/red

Aroma : Oak, blackcurrant, spice, plum, cold tea, tobacco

Taste : Blackcurrant, oak, warm finish, spicy, tobacco hints, drak fruits, plush tannins but slight drying on finish, nicely balanced

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 158 SEK

Mark : A-

Website : AltaCima
Website : Sydamerikaviner

TN : Alpha Estate 2004, Red, Regional Wine of Macedonia

This wine is a blend of the native grape Xinomavro with the international Syrah and Merlot.

The Grapegrower was Makis Mavridis and the winemaker was Angelos Iatridis. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. The choice of this name came from the initial letter of Amyndeon, the geographical location of the estate's vineyards and to additionally declare a quality term in the every day Greek spoken language.

The 33 ha vineyard was planted in the Amyndeon region in the late 1990s.

Alpha Estate is situated in the Ampelia location, meaning vines, in the heart of the Amyndeon region, an area of VQPRD wines in the northern part of Greece.

The 33 ha vineyard was planted in the Amyndeon region in the late 1990s. It is situated on a plateau at an altitude of 620-710 m with a northwest exposure, covering a total area of 33 ha . The local climate is characterized by cold winters with sufficient rainfall and snow, which provide the vines with the necessary water supplies to endure the relatively dry summer. Additionally, two neighbouring lakes contribute to the existence of a mild semi-continental climate, favoring the cultivation of foreign and indigenous, red and white grape varieties.

The sandy-clay texture of the soil, assuring an ideal drainage of the rain water, the favorable climatic conditions during maturation and harvest periods and finally the appropriate viticultural practices contribute to a complete fruit ripening thus offering the possibility of producing wines of exquisite quality and rich aromas. The density of plantation is 3900 vines per hectare and the yields do not exceed 4200 kg of grapes per hectare. In order to avoid extreme water stress during summer, regulated deficit irrigation is applied to assure the optimum maturation of grapes.

Alpha Estate is a member of the Wine Producers Association of the Vineyards of North Greece.

This was bottle number 067757.

Colour : Red/cassis

Aroma : Herbs, red fruits, violets, blueberry

Taste : Thin mouthfeel, acidic finish, smooth tannins, red fruits, herbs, slight oak

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 189 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Alpha Estate

TN : Veramonte Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2005, Colchagua Valley, Chile

The vintner was Agustin Huneeus. He is also the founder. He is a native of Chile and entered the wine business in 1960 as the principal stockholder and chief executive officer of Concha y Toro. Then a small winery, Concha y Toro grew to become Chile’s largest winery under Huneeus’ leadership.

In 1971, Chile’s difficult political climate led Huneeus to leave his home country. He subsequently headed Seagram’s worldwide operations based in New York, responsible for wineries in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Brazil and New Zealand, as well as California. Huneeus joined Franciscan in 1985 as partner and acting president. In addition to running 3 wineries in the United States for Franciscan, Huneeus developed two well-known Chilean brands, Caliterra and Errazuriz, later selling interest in both, and with his wife, purchased the Quintessa estate in Napa Valley in 1989.

In the early 1990s, he also discovered the winemaking potential of the Casablanca Valley in Chile. He found the climate, soils and terroir to be perfect for grape growing, yet there were less than 100 acres planted there at the time. Combining over forty years of wine growing experience with Casablanca’s unique terroir, Huneeus set out to craft wines that express the diverse estate’s terroir and build a winery to house Chile’s first Napa Valley-style visitor center.
He lives in California at the Quintessa estate and in San Francisco, and spends several months a year in Chile.

Agustin Francisco, the president of Veramonte, began his career in the wine business in 1989 after graduating from the University of California at Berkeley at Franciscan Estates, a Napa Valley based wine company his father ran. Relocating to his family’s native Chile for two years, he was instrumental in developing two well-known Chilean wineries, Caliterra and Errazuriz.
He returned to the USA and received an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He moved to San Francisco and became an associate in the branded consumer venture group Hambrecht & Quist, where he gained management and marketing experience consulting with a variety of branded consumer products companies. He returned to Franciscan Estates in 1996 to lead the company’s sales and marketing team and launch Veramonte nationally and internationally. He left Franciscan Estates in 2004 to again work with his father running a family-owned and operated wine company of wineries which includes Quintessa, Veramonte and Faust.

Agustin Francisco worked closely with his father on the development of the Veramonte Estate and today speaks around the world about the growth and future of the Chilean wine industry. “In the ten years since we planted in Veramonte, it has become one of the most important appellations in Chile. Chile and the Casablanca Valley will continue to emerge as a powerful producer of wine,” says Agustin.

Rafael Tirado became the winemaker at Veramonte in 1997, bringing his experience from the cellars of Chile, France and Spain along with degrees in agronomy and enology. “My aim is to produce complex wines that balance ripe fruit with the judicious use of oak, allowing the flavors of the grape to shine through,” says Tirado. He holds great pride for his role in pioneering winemaking in the Casablanca valley. “This area holds the potential to produce wines that will compete with the finest in the world.”

There is no information about this wine on the Veramonte website. The current release is stated as being the 2004.

Colour : Deep cassis

Aroma : Vegetal, oak, slight dark fruit

Taste : Blackcurrant, coffee, oak, slight vegetal, warm finish

Alcohol : 13.5 %

Price : 99 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Veramonte

TN : Rosso di Montepulciano 2005, S. Agnese, Italy

This wine is a blend of 80% Prugnolo Gentile (Sangiovese) and 205 Canaiolo.

The wine spent one year in oak.

Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Cherry, coffee, oak, herbs, chocolate, very muted but complex nose

Taste : Thin, cherries, drying tannins on finish, oak, warmth on finish, long length, acidic

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 125 SEK

Mark : C-

Website : Tenuta S Agnese

Bibendum News December 2007

Just got the latest Bibendum newsletter in my inbox.

There are four new wines for December 2007 :

• Nottage Hill Shiraz Viognier, Australia, Order number 97952, Price 79 SEK
  
• Fiano Salento Masseria Altemura 2006, Italy, Order number 99596, Price 79 SEK
• Chablis Bougros Grand Cru 2004, France, Order number 97299, Price 349 SEK
• Gran Bussia Barolo, Italy, Order number 99671, Price 999 SEK
  

You can subscribe to the Bibendum newsletter via their website.

Website : Bibendum

New Paolo Scavino Barolos from Enosvezia

I just recieved a newsletter from Enosvezia in my mailbox. Enosvezia are offering a range of top Barolos from Paolo Scavino :

• Corale, Order number 99476, Price 240 SEK
• Barolo Bric del Fiasc, Order number 99740, Price 585 SEK
• Barolo Carobric, Order number 99816, Price 585 SEK
• Barolo Cannubi, Order number 98247, Price 585 SEK
• Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata Riserva, 1999, Order number 98980, Price 967 SEK
• Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata Riserva, 2001, Order number 98248, Price 1100 SEK
  

Website : Enosvezia

TN : Misiones de Rengo Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Colchagua Valley, Chile

This wine was imported by Bibendum. Though only information on the 2003 vintage is available.

On the Misiones de Rengo website, there was only information about the 2005 vintage.



This wine had some good fruit but was ruined in the winery by too much time in toasty oak which overwhelmed the mid-palette and finish.

Colour : Black cassis

Aroma : Toasty oak, coffee, blackcurrant

Taste : Dominating toasty oak which builds up too overwhelm on finish, oaky tannins at finish, warmth of alcohol at finish, some nice dark berry and blackcurrant fruit initially

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 116 SEK

Mark : D+

Website : Misiones de Rengo
Website : Bibendum

Swedish Wine Importers

A list of all wine importers in Sweden, including links to their websites, can be found on the Nordic Wine Institute website (under Links or Länkar).

Website : Nordic Wine Institute

Fine Wine Magazine December 2007

I just received the latest edition of Fine Wine Magazine.

In this issue, there are articles on Provence, Katnook Estate in Coonawarra Australia, Languedoc, Krug in Reims Champagne France, Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss and Domaine Rolly-Gassmann in Alsace France, Miquel Torres, and the upcoming Drinks Auction (which the communistic Systembolaget monopoly have to be involved in !).

It is free to subscribe; see the website.

Both English and Swedish versions can be downloaded from the website.

Website : Fine Wine Magazine

Dina Vingårdar

Dina Vingårdar are now making available, to wine lovers in Sweden, 3D Wines' rent a row of vines offer.

It costs 1180 SEK to rent a row of vines for the year then you have the opportunity to buy up to 4 cases of wines; the minimum if one case. They have a large selection of vineyards across France from which to choose from. You can change vineyards each year. This year the cost of a case of wine was 870 SEK. If you don't choose one of the special wines then you get a present card for 310 SEK. You can pick up the wine from the vineyard or have it delivered to you but you have to pay the freight charges. I have asked twice for how much extra this would be but have not received any satisfactory answer as yet.

Website : Dina Vingårdar
Website : 3D Wines

TN : Meulenhof Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese 1992, Weingut Meulenhof, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Weingut Meulenhof is owned by Stefan Justen who is also the cellar master. The winery owns 4 hectares of vineyard.

This wine is imported by Modern Wines Sweden, according to BK Wine, but there is no information on their web site.

Colour : Pale yellow

Aroma : Lemon, petrol, turmeric, honey

Taste : Apricot, honey, lime, petrol, wine gums

Alcohol : 8.5%

Price : 100 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Modern Wines Sweden

TN : Bonterra Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Mendocino County, California, USA

This wine was made from organically grown grapes. Robert Blue was the winemaker.

The wine is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, and Merlot 6%. How on earth this can be labelled as a Cabernet Sauvignon varietal is beyond me; even though it is legal.



The wine was aged 13 months in French and American oak with medium to medium plus toast. 39% was aged in new oak, 30% in once-used oak, and the remainder in neutral oak. Coopers included Vicard, Alain Fouquet, Seguin Moreau, and Ermitage.

The wines total acidity is 0.55 grammes per 100 ml, the pH is 3.57, alcohol is 13.9%, and the Brix at harvest was only, compared to Napa for example, 24 degrees on average.



Colour : Deep maroon

Aroma : Raspberry, blackcurrant, cold tea

Taste : Slight oak, blackcurrants, red fruits, smooth tannins

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 135 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Bonterra Vineyards