Chilean WineTasting, Stockholm, 29th September 2008

The Embassy of Chile in Stockholm together with ProChile in Stockholm held a Chilean Wine Tasting on September 29th 2008 in the Konserthuset in Stockholm. 25 Chilean wineries were present (23 in the original invitation).



I was surprised by the number of Malbecs listed in the catalogue. Compared to Argentinan Malbecs, I found that the Chilean bottles that I tasted lacked the savoury notes that I typically find the Argentinan bottles.







Here are my brief tasting notes listed by producer :-

Vina Butron Budinich
Cumbras Andinas, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, 2005 : C+
Cumbras Andinas Cot (Malbec) Reserve 2005 : C

Vina Casa Marin
Cartagena Sauvignon Blanc 2007 : C+
Sauvignon Blanc Cipreses 2008 : B
Riesling 2008 : B-
Gewuerztraminer 2008 : B
Pinot Noir Lo Abarca Hills 2006 : B+
Pinot Noir Litoral 2003 : B-

Vina Chocolan
Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (overoaked, thin) : C
Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2006 (Syrah like, very rich and concentrated) : B
Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2007 (Oaky, nice, needs time) : C+

Vina Concha Y Toro
Marques de Casa Concha Syrah 2006 : B
Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 : A-

Vina De Martino
Single Vineyard Old Bush Vines Limavida 2006 (Oaky, mostly malbec) : B-
347 Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Too thin) : C+

Vina Korta
Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Selection 2007 : C+
Korta barrel Selection 2007 : B

Vina Morande
Pionero Carmenere 2008 : C
Gran Reserva Merlot 2006 : C
Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 : B+
Gran Reserva Syrah 2005 : C+
House of Morande 2004 (Too much oak) : C

Vina Odfjell
Orzada Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 : C
Organic Orzada carignan 2006 : C+
Odfjell 2005 : B-

Vina Santa Cruz
Chaman Gran Reserva Carmenere 2006 : B-
Chaman Gran Reserva Malbec 2006 : C
Chamin Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 : C
Chaman Gran Reserva Syrah 2006 : C
Tupu 2006 : C+

Vina Tres Palacios
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2007 : B-
Cabernet Sauvignon Family Vintage 2006 : C+

Vina Vinos del Sur
Rucahue Estate Viognier 2008 : C
Rucahue Gran Reserva Cabernet Franc 2004 : A-
Gillmore Hacedor de Mundos Merlot 2005 : B
Gillmore Hacedor de Mundos Cabernet Franc 2005 : B-
Gillmore Cobre 2004 : A
Rucahue Estate Rose 2008 : C+

Vinedos Santa Emiliana
Novas Winemakers Selection Syrah Ecologic 2005 (Great nose, 129 SEK) : B+

TN : Mayu Syrah Reserva 2006, Estate Bottled, Vina Mayu, Elqui Valley, Chile

This wine was made from Chile's most northerly vineyard. Elqui valley is located approximately 320 miles North of Santiago at 30 degrees latitude South.The winemaker was Giorgio Flessati. Vina Mayu was founded in 2005 as an independent part of Vina Falernia, the first Elqui valley wine producer, by Aldo Olivier Gramola in 1997.

The total acidity is 4.82 grammes per litre and the residual sugar is 3.9 grammes per litre.



The wine was imported by WineWorld AB.

Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Dark fruits, plums, savoury, spice, pepper

Taste : Savoury, plums, slight spice, dark fruits, blackberry, violets, pepper on finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 84 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Vina Mayu
Website : WineWorld AB

TN : Arboleda Carmenere 2006, Eduardo Chadwick, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Arboleda wines was born in 1999 as a joint venture of Robert Mondavi and Eduardo Chadwick. The name “Arboleda” in Spanish means “grove of trees” and is a tribute to the native Chilean trees that have been preserved within the vineyards that produce the Arboleda grapes. Since 2005, the Mondavi catastrophy, the project has been owned by Eduardo Chadwick.

The total acidity of the wine is 5.31 grammes per litre (tartaric acid), the pH is 3.55, and the residual sugar is 1.82 grammes per litre.



The grapes for this blend were planted in 1997 on the deep clay loam soils in the Colchagua Valley. Drip irrigation is used in this vertically positioned vineyard.

The grapes were hand-harvested in mid-May and transferred to a sorting table. The grapes were then transferred to stainless steel tanks for fermentation at 26 degrees to 30 degrees.
Regular pumpovers kept the cap moist for extracting the anthocyanins (color), tannins and aromas from the skins. Aerative pumpovers were repeated throughout the fermentation process to help with the polymerization of reactive tannins, eliminate all herbaceous traces and encourage color set. After a 25 day maceration period, the wine was racked directly to 45% new oak barrels (75% American and 25% French) and then aged for twelve months.

Colour : Black/cassis

Aroma : Blackcurrant, green peppers, vanilla, cherry

Taste : Oak, coffee, slight green pepper, violets, blackcurrant, blackberry, cold tea, long finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 99 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Arboleda

TN : Domaene Gobelsburg Gruener Veltliner 2007, Qualitaetswein Trocken, Schloss Gobelsburg, Langenlois, Austria

Schloss Gobelsburg is the oldest winery in the Danube region of Austria. It has a documented history going bacg to 1171. The chateau and the winery has been managed by Michael Mossbrugger since January 1996.



The vines were grown on terterian gravel and loess soil. The vines were trained in the Gyome system. The vineyard size was 6 hectares and the age of the vines was between 6 and 55 years. The yield was 50 hectolitres per hectare. The grapes were harvested at the end of October 2007. Fermentation and maturation was in stainless steel and the wine was bottled in January 2008.



The wine was imported by Primewine Sweden AB.

Colour : Lemon

Aroma : Orange marmelade, white pepper, pears

Taste : White pepper on finish, green apple, mandarin oranges, pears

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 89 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Schloss Goebelsburg
Website : Primewine Sweden AB

TN : Morande Edicion Limitade Carignan 2004, Loncomilla Valley, Chile

The pH of this wine is 3.32, the total acidity is 4.45 grammes per litre, and the residual sugar is 1.59 grammes per litre.



Colour : Black/purple

Aroma : Blackberry, violets, nail varnish

Taste : Blackcurrant, blackberry, rosehip, nail varnish tang, nuts, long finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 189 SEK

Mark : D+

Website : Vina Morande

TN : Reserve Mouton Cadet 2006 Sauternes, Baron Philipe de Rothschild, Bordeaux, France

Colour : Yellow

Aroma : Honey, oranges, sugar

Taste : Oranges, lime, overwhelming sickly sugar cane, caramel, lacking acidity

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 115 SEK

Mark : C-

Website : Mouton Cadet

TN : Comic Strip Verdejo Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Bodegas Antano, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon, Spain

This wine was bottled for Enjoy Wines and Spirits AB.



The wine is a blend of 50% Verdejo and 50% Sauvignon Blanc.



Colour : Pale yelow

Aroma : White grapes, peaches, slight pineapple

Taste : Spritzy mouthfeel, peaches, very bitter finish

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 69 SEK

Mark : C-

Website : Bodegas Antano
Website : Enjoy Wines and Spirits AB

Chateau Belgrave

Want a bargain classified-growth Bordeaux that is drinkable, and ageable for at least another 5 years, then try the 2004 Chateau Belgrave which has a permanent listing at the Systembolaget.

The importer of Dourthe wines into Sweden is VinUnic. Åsa Lindahl at VinUnic told me that they have a dozen cases of 2004 in their warehouse still and then the 2005 vintage will start to roll out. According to VinUnic the drinking window for the 2005 is 2010 till 2023+.

Confusingly both the 2004 and 2005 vintages have the same article number at the Systembolaget.

Website : VinUnic

Systembolaget Ageing Recommendations

Ever wondered what the ageing classifications mean that the Systembolaget adds to each wine description in Varunytt. I asked Anna-Karin Ene at the Systembolage for a full clarification and this was her response :

No individual can assess when a wine is perfectly mature. There are too many variables to be taken into consideration when making such an assessment. The quality of individual customers' storage facilities may for example differ quite a bit, but more importantly the notion of when a wine is perfect depends on the taste of the individual consumer. This is why we are reluctant to give exact ageing recommendations.

Most wines today are made for early consumption and even wines from classical regions like Bordeaux, Rhône and Piedmont are today a lot more approachable at a younger age than they used to be.

For this reasons, most wines that we sell are categorized as "will not improve with ageing" (Vinner inte på lagring). This does not mean that we believe that they have to be consumed immediately after being purchased. With the exception of the simplest wines we do not believe that the wines change remarkably during the first year and many will last for a few years.

When we feel that a wine is pleasant to drink now but has not reached its (theoretical) peak, we categorize it as "can age" (Kan lagras). By this we do not mean that the wine requires ageing but that it probably will improve when aged.

Sometimes, but admittedly quite rarely we categorize wines as "needs ageing" (Bör lagras). These are wines that are so young and undeveloped and expected to improve with ageing that we feel it would be a shame to drink it directly after purchase.

TN : Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Kenwood Vineyards, Sonoma County, USA

This wine was recalled by the Systembolaget due to quality problems but I managed to find it on the shelves of the Systembolaget in Tyresö Centrum. I have had much worse than this from the Systembolaget and can not understand why it has not been distributed.



This wine is made predominantly of fruit sourced from vineyards located in the Sonoma, Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys. It is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvingon, 8% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. Fermentation and skin maceration was performed in stainless steel tanks. The wine was aged for two years in French and American oak.

This wine was imported by BGS Vinhandel AB.

Colour : Blackcurrant

Aroma : Blackcurrant, cold tea, coffee, slight mint

Taste : Zingy blackcurrant, slight tangy undertaste, oack, milk chocolate, gripping tannins at finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 145 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Kenwood Vineyards

Systembolaget New Wines November 2008

The latest Varunytt newsletter detailing new wines in Sweden for November 2008 can now be downloaded from the Systembolaget website.

Website : Systembolaget Varunytt November 2008

TN : Chateau Puygueraud 2002, Cotes de Francs, Bordeaux, France

This wine is a blend of 55% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Malbec. All the grapes were crushed and then subjected to a three day cold maceration. Fermentation and maceration lates three weeks in stainless steel tanks. The wine spent 18 to 20 months in barriques of which 30% was new. Egg whites were used to clarify the wine which was not filtered.

Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Oak, coffee, blackcurrants, mint, herbs

Taste : Drying tannins on finish, blackcurrant, herbs, coffee

Alcohol : 12%

Price : 169 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Chateau Puygueraud

TN : TastYwines Fruity Syrah Mourvedre 2007, Rose, Capeco International, Coteaux du Languedoc, France

This wine was imported by Chris Wine & Spirits.



Colour : Pale strawberry

Aroma : Strawberry, raspberry, herbs

Taste : Hints of raspberry, strawberry, cherry, some herbs, dry bitter aftertaste.

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 70 SEK

Mark : D

Website : Chris Wine & Spirits

TN : Grove Street Chardonnay 2006, Grove Street Winery, Sonoma County, California, USA

The grapes for this wine came from smaller vineyards growing a range of Dijon Chardonnay clones from the Russian River AVA and the Alexander Valley AVA.



This wine was imported by Tomp Spirits AB.

Colour : Straw, green hues

Aroma : Butter, toast, slight oak, nutts, orange, slight tropical fruits

Taste : Mango, butter, toasty oak, nutty, oranges, pears, caramel

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 109 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Grove Street Winery
Website : Tomp Beer & Sprits

TN : Chateau de Fonbel 2000, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France

This estate is owned by Alain Vauthier of Ausone fame.

The vineyard of Château de Fonbel is located in the Saint-Emilion plain and covers 16 hectares. The soils are sandy-gravelly. Four grape varieties are grown, Merlot (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), Petit Verdot (7%) and Carmenere (3%).

Colour : Red

Aroma : Plums, cedar, cherries, chocolate, oak

Taste : Cherry, cedar, plums, drying exotic talcum powder tannins on finish, leather, earth

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 299 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Chateau de Fonbel

TN : Weninger Blaufraenkisch Hochhaecker 2005, Weingut Weninger, Mittelburgenland, Austria

The vineyard soils are Chalybeate clay with high coarse fraction. The age of the vines was 36 to 37 years of age. The planting density was 4500 vines per hectare. The crop yield was 4000 litres per hectare. The grapes were harvested between 10th and 12th October 2005.



Vinification was done using native yeast fermentation in steel tanks, the must was pressed after 15 days of mash-state, then followed by a biological malolactic fermentation in a large oak barrels (90% for 17 months in big oak barrel and 10% in barrique). The total acidity is 5.6 grammes per litre and the residual sugar is 1.9 grammes per litre. The wine was bottled in January 2007.

Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Earth, violets, red fruits

Taste : Earthy, tangy acidity, spice, violets, red fruits

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 117 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Weingut Weninger

Ancre Hill Estates Harvest 2008

I spoke to Richard Morris of Ancre Hill Estates yesterday about this year's harvest. Ancre Hill Estates is locates near Monmouth in Wales.

He told me that the Triomphe will be harvested on Friday and the Seyval/Pinot Noir towards the end of the month. Apparently, the weather has been remarkably kind to them over last few weeks and the crop is looking good. Progress can be followed on their website.

Website : Ancre Hill Estates

TN : Dr Loosen Riesling Spaetlese Bernkasteler Kurfuerstenlay, Mosel, Germany

Spaetlese means "late picked". All the grapes were hand-harvested. The must was cold fermented in steel tanks.

Colour : Pale straw

Aroma : White grapes, spice, peaches, oranges

Taste : White grapes, yeasty, jasmin, orange marmelade, peaches, pears, off-dry

Alcohol : 8.5%

Price : 109 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Dr Loosen

TN : Red Nectar Cabernet Sauvingon 2005, Barossa Valley, Red Nectar Wines, Australia

Tammy Schutz is the proprietror and vigneron and Troy Kalleske was the winemaker.



This wine was imported by JPC Wines AB.



Colour : Black/red

Aroma : Blackcurrant, mint, oak, chocolate

Taste : Very lively acidity, blackcurrant, mint, vanilla, very fruity

Alcohol : 14.5%

Mark : B-

Price : 199 SEK

Website : Red Nectar Wines
Website : JPC Wines AB

TN : Altosur Malbec Rose 2008, Finca Sophenia SA, Tupungato, Argentina

"4000 feet high by the Argentine Andes" is the quote on the front label. All the grapes were hand-harvested by the end of February and beginning of March. The winemaker was Matias Michelini.



This wine was imported by PrimeWine Sweden AB.

Colour : Pale raspberry

Aroma : Raspberry, cherry, slight spice and white pepper

Taste : Slight spice and white pepper on finish, jellied raspberries and cherries

Alcohol : 12.5%

Mark : B-

Price : 65 SEK

Website : Finca Sophenia
Website : PrimeWine Sweden AB

Wine Quality Problems at Systembolaget October 2008

I just talked to Jakob Stenson at Systembolaget and three of the red wines launched for October 2008 have been recalled because of quality problems. The wines in question are Windsor Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Atelier Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, and Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon 2006.

TN : Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Thelema Mountain Vineyards, Helshoogte, Simonsberg Mountain, Stellenbosch, South Africa

The wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon clone 46. The rootstock is 101-14, R110, and R99. The soil type is Hutton - decomposed granite. The vines were planed in 1988 and 1989. The planting density is 3200 vines per hectare. The trellising is Vertical hedge. The vines were pruned to 2-bud spurs every 15 centimetres. The yield was approximately 6 tons per hectare. Irrigation was supplementary drip. The grapes wer harvested between 26th March and 7th April. The grape sugar was on average 24.5 degrees Balling. The average acidity was 5.5 grammes per litre. The pH at harvest was on average 3.5.


The yeast used for fermentaion was Bordeaux red. The fermentation temp was about 26 to 28 degrees. The grapes were de-stalked, the berries were then hand sorted, crushed, pumped into stainless steel tanks, pumped over for 6 days, left for 5 days before pressing, and finally racked to barrel for malolactic fermentation. The wine was matured in wood for 20 months in 225 litre French oak of which 50% was new.

The finished wine has a residual Sugar of 1.6 grammes per litre, pH of 3.54, total acidity of 5.4 grammes per litre, and alcohol was 13.85% by volume.

This wine was imported by Nigab AB.



Colour : Blackcurrant/red

Aroma : Blackcurrant, chocolate, coffee, smoke, burnt toast, green vegetables

Taste : Red fruits, oak, drying tannins, burnt toast, slight mint, blackcurrant, mocha, green vegetables

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Thelema Mountain Vineyards
Website : Nigab AB

TN : Blauer Zweigelt 2006 Trocken, Gsellmann & Hans, Heideboden, Burgenland, Austrias

This wine was imported by Boisson Wine & Spirits.



Colour : Red/maroon

Aroma : Spice, plum, damson, liqourice

Taste : Slight liqourice, fruity, plums, cherry, soft tannins, some spice

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 85 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Gsellmann & Hans

VinUnic Newsletter October 2008

The October 2008 newsletter from top Swedish wine importer VinUnic is now available for download from their website.

Website : VinUnic Våra Viner Kundbrev Oktober 2008

TN : Cabernet Sauvignon Selection 2005, Zillinger Bioweingut, Neusiedlersee, Austria

Colour : Red

Aroma : Red fruits, tobacco, oak

Taste : Soft red fruits, oak, spice, cold tea

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 99 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Zillinger Biowiengut

Vinkällaren Grappe Newsletter October 2008

The October 2008 newsletter from Vinkällaren Grappe can be downloaded from their website.

Website : Vinkällaren Grappes Nyhetsbrev Oktober 2008

TN : Domaine Lafond Roc-Epine Tavel 2007, Rose, Jean-Pierre and Pascal Lafond, France

This wine was imported by Pixbo Vin KB.



Colour : Bright deep strawberry red

Aroma : Red fruits, fresh, vanilla

Taste : Creamy mouthfeel, strawberry, red fruits, cherry

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : A-

Website : Domaine Lafond

TN : 2006 Corbieres Syrah/Mourvedre, La Culture du Gout, Gerard Bertrand, Sud de France, France

This wine was sealed with a Normacork.



Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Earthy, spicy, dark fruits, cold tea

Taste : Earth, dark and red fruits, cold tea

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 69 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Gerard Bertrand

TN : Alta Reserve Syrah 2006, Pascual Toso, Las Barrancas Vineyards, Maipu, Argentina

Pascual Toso was established in 1890.



This wine was imported by HJO Grosshandel AB.

Colour : Dark purple/red

Aroma : Vanilla, spicy, liqourice, violets, red fruits, black cherry, blueberry

Taste : Violets, blueberry, spicy, black pepper and red fruits on long finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 249 SEK

Mark : B+

Website : Bodegas y Vinedos Pascual Toso
Website : HJO Grosshandel AB

TN : Cafe Culture Pinotage 2006, Wine of Origin Western Cape, KWV, South Africa

Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Smoke, cherries, raspberries, toast

Taste : Smoke, cherries, red fruits, tangy acidity on finish, burnt notes on finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 89 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Cafe Culture