TN : Trapiche Single Vineyard Malbec Vina Fausto Orellana 2005, La Consulta, Mendoza, Argentina

This wine is 100% Malbec. The grapes for this wine come from the La Consulta vinyard in San Carlos, Mendoza. The grapes are grown at an altitude of 990 meters above sea level and the vineyard is located at a latitude of 33º49’134’’ South. The age of the vineyard is 57 years. The row orientation is North to South. The trellis system used is low espalier. The vines are planted at a density of 5000 vines per hectare. The yield was 2600 kg per hectare. Furrow irrigation was used and the vines are planted on their own roots. The vineyard soil is alluvial, sandy soil with pebbles throughout.



The grapes were hand harvested into 20 kg plastic cases. Fermentation and maceration took place in in small concrete vats for a minimum of 23 days at 23-25ºC. Natural malolactic fermentation occured. Finally, the wine was aged 18 months in new French oak barrels. The total acidity is 6.15 grammes per litre and the pH is 3.56.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Plums, spice, oak, blackberry, herbs

Taste : Blackberry, plums, spice on finish, herbs, violets

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 245 SEK

Mark : A-

Website : Trapiche

TN : Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Noir 2009, Marlborough, New Zealand

The grapes for this wine are sourced from a number of vineyards in the Awatere and Wairau Valleys of Marlborough.



Colour : Raspberry

Aroma : Spice, strawberry

Taste : Soft, fruity, raspberry, strawberry, spice, coca cola

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 10.49 British Pounds (Sainsbury's 28th December 2010)

Mark : B-

Website : Villa Maria Estate

TN : Kaesler Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Kaesler Wines, Barossa Valley, Australia

Kaesler was established in 1893. This bottle was number 14142 of this vintage. The grapes for this wine were sourced from Matthew's block which was planted in 1985. The vineyard is adjacent to the winery. The vineyard soil is red brown loam over clay and then limestone rubble. The wine was matured in new, one, and two year old French oak for 15 months and bottled with no fining or filtration. This wine received 90 points from Jay Miller of The Wine Advocate.



The wine was imported by Divine AB.

Colour : Black/blackcurrant

Aroma : Coffee, blackcurrant, mint, liquorice, blackberry

Taste : Concentrated dark fruits, blackcurrant, blackberry, cherry liquor, mint, liquorice, oak on finish

Alcohol : 15.5%

Price : 269 SEK

Mark : A

Website : Kaesler Vineyards and Winery
Website : Divine AB

TN : Sankt Anna Riesling 2009, Weingut Sankt Anna, Pfalz, Germany

This wine was sealed with a screwcap.



This wine was imported by Mondowine Sweden AB.

Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Pineapple, green apples, lemon, oranges

Taste : Minerals, pineapple, green apples, lemon

Alcohol : 10.5%

Price : 49 SEK (375 ml bottle)

Mark : C

Website : Mondowine Sweden AB

TN : Tanbark Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Philip Togni Vineyard, Napa Valley, California, USA

This wine received 89 points from the Wine Advocate.

This wine was imported by Divine AB.

Colour : Dark blackcurrant

Aroma : Blackcurrant, sandalwood, coffee, oak

Taste : Dense, creamy, sandalwood, blackcurrant, cherry, spicy, grippy tannic finish, overoaked, warm harsh toasty oak finish, flabby

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 399 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Philip Togni Vineyard
Website : Divine AB

TN : Laberinto 2007, Vina Ribera del Lago, Georg Andersen y Cia Limitada, Maule Valley, Chile

This wine is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. Rafael Tirado was the winemaker. The wine was matured for 14 months in French oak.

This wine was imported by The Wineagency AB.

Colour : Dark plummy red

Aroma : Blackcurrant, plums, coffee, chocolate, herbs

Taste : Blackcurrant, plums, herbs, milk chocolate, grippy tannic finish with tobacco finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 195 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : The Wineagency AB

Argentiera 2005, DOC Superiore, Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy

This wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. The grapes come from an altitude of between 180 and 200 metres above sea level. The soil varies from sandy to clay in the vineyard. The yield was 5,000 kg per hectare. Harvesting started with the Merlot on the 15th September 2005. The Cabernet Franc was harvested during the last week of September and the Cabernet Sauvignon from the end of September until the 10th October.



All of the grape varieties were vinified separately. Alcoholic fermentation and maceration took place in stainless steel vats for about 25 to 30 days and a controlled temperature between 28 and 30 degrees. The wine was transferred to 225 litre French oak barriques (Allier and Troncais wood) where malolactic fermentation completed. The wine was then aged for 14 months in oak and then for a further 12 months in bottle before release.

Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Plums, blackcurrant, wood, spice, herbs

Taste : Concentrated, thick, mouth coating, blackcurrant, plums, over oaky, herbs, spice

Alcohol : 14%

Mark : B-

Website : Tenuta Argentiera Bolgheri

TN : Bad Boy 2005, Ets Thunevin, Bordeaux, France

The bottling of this cuvee produced 6666 cardboard boxes of six, or 39996 bottles. The wine is a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, from vines at least 40 years old in a terroir of clayey limestone. In the USA, this cuvee is known as Mauvais Garcon.



Colour : Dark plum

Aroma : Blackcurrants, plums, vanilla

Taste : Blackurrant, plums, cherry, wood, earth, drying grippy tannins, talculm powder texture on finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Ets Thunevin

TN : Craggy Range Sophia 2005, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

This wine is produced entirely from the Gimblett Gravels Vineyard nestled on the right bank of the Ngaruroro River. The wine is a blend of 62% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. The average brix at harvest was between 24.2 and 25. The production level was on average 62 hectolitres per hectare and all the grapes were handharvested. All of the grapes were 100% destemmed. Alcoholic fermentation was conducted using inoculated neutral yeast. The wine was matured for 19 months in French barriques of which 80% were new. The finished wine was both fined and filtered. The pH is 3.63 and acidity is 6.01 grammes per litre. The wine was released on the 1st June 2007. The vigneron was Steve Smith.



This wine was imported by Divine AB.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Plums, blackcurrant, spice, blackberry, chocolate

Taste : Fruity, blackberry, plums, blackcurrant, polished oak furniture, spice, grainy tannins

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 358 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Craggy Range Vineyards
Website : Divine AB

TN : Argento Chardonnay

There was no vintage date on this bottle of Argentinian Chardonnay that was served to me on a British Airways flight from Stockholm to London Heathrow just before Christmas. It came in a 187ml PET screwcapped bottle. I tried the wine on the return journey also to see how consistent the wine and myself were. The wine tasted more like a Sauvignon Blanc than a Chardonnay and was nettly with some lemon but not much else going on.

Price : Free
Mark : D+

TN : Chateau Pedesclaux 2004, Grand Cru Classe, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc.



Château Pedesclaux was created in the beginning of the 19 century, in 1810, by Mr Pierre Urbain Pedesclaux, a well-known wine broker of Bordeaux. In 1855, Château Pedesclaux was classified as a fifth great growth.

Colour : Purple/red

Aroma : Blackcurrant, plums, herbs, tobacco

Taste : Blackcurrant, plums, tobacco, cedar, herbs, grippy tannic finish

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 299 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Chateau Pedesclaux

TN : Ruedesheimer Berg Rottland Riesling Trocken 2009, Weingut Josef Leitz, Rheingau, Germany

This wine was sealed with a screwcap.



Colour : Pale yellow

Aroma : Mandarin oranges, honey, green apples, stone fruits

Taste : Bone dry, minerals, honey, pineapple, green apples and acid on finish

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 149 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Weingut Josef Leitz

TN : Craggy Range Single Vineyard Syrah Block 14 2007, Gimblett Gravels Vineyard, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

This wine was bottles under screwcap. The wine received 94 points from Wine Advocate in issue 184 (September 2009).



This wine was imported by Divine AB.

Colour : Black/purple

Aroma : Blackberry, blueberry, pepper, meaty

Taste : Blackberry, blueberry, spice, drying tannins and white pepper on finish, overwhelming stony minerals spoil this wine, thin texture

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 269 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Craggy Range
Website : Divine AB

TN : Mendel Malbec 2007, Mendoza, Argentina

All of the grapes came from a vineyard situated in Lujan de Cuyo at an altitude of 1000 metres. The vineyard was planted in 1928. The wine spent twelve months in new French barriques. 5500 cases were bottles. Roberto de la Mota was the winemaker.



I purchased this wine 16 months ago and maybe it was tasting better then. Some of the primary fruit seems to have faded.

Colour : Dark red, blue hues

Aroma : Blueberry, blackberry, herbs, oak

Taste : Fading blackberry, plums, oak, very drying finish with no fruit

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 169 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Mendel Wines

TN : Chateau Fourcas Dupre 2001, Listrac-Medoc, Bordeaux, France

This wine is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. This wine spent one year in oak of which one third was new.

The vineyards of Fourcas are mentioned on Belleyme’s map, a geographical engineer of Louis XV. In 1843, the lawyer Jean Baptiste Antoine Dupré, member of the Bordeaux Appeal Court acquired the vineyard and in 1844 Château Fourcas Dupré was born. The cellars, buildings and château were then completely renovated. Today, a new fully functional fermenting room and refurbished cellars for storing and packing complement the original ones. The chateau now belongs to a family-owned company managed by Patrice Pagès.

The vineyard of Château Fourcas Dupré is located on a crest of Pyrenean gravely soil at an altitude of 42 meters. It is an uninterrupted plot with an average density of 8500 vines per hectare.

Colour : Dark red, browning on rim

Aroma : Spice upfront, oak, coffee, plums, blackcurrant, milk chocolate, herbs

Taste : This wine smells better than it tastes. Spice, plums, sour cherry, developed talcum powder texture, herbs, thin, lacking fruit

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 159 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Chateau Fourcas Dupre

TN : Chateau Rollan de By 2004, Cru Bourgeois, Medoc, Bordeaux, France

This is a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and 10% Petit Verdot. Before fermentation, the grapes underwent a maceration for three days at 10 degrees. The must was fermented in stainless steel vats broaderthan higher (3.50 metres by 1.50 metres). After the fermentation, the wine was kept in the vats for up to three weeks before it was heated up to 30 degrees and put into oak barrels for twelve months. Traditional egg white fining and no filtration was used.

Ricardo Cotarella was the oenologist and Alain Raynaud was a consultant. The chateau was founded in 1989 and is now owned by Jean Guyon.

Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Cedar, plums, oak, green herbs, blackcurrant

Taste : Blackcurrant, plums, woody, underlying grippy tannins, excessive intrusive green tasting herbs

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 139 (375ml bottle)

Mark : D-

Website : Chateau Rollan de By

TN : Wallace Shiraz Grenache 2008, Ben Glaetzer, Ebenzer, Barossa Valley, Australia

Wallace is an ancestral name of Colin Glaetzer's wife Judith, whose family hail from the old market town of Cupar in Fife, Scotland. Judith's Celtic ancestry is reflected in the three elements of the Wallace symbol - the Celtic cross, thistle and the Celtic knot pattern.



The wine is a blend of 80% Shiraz and 20% Grenache. The age of the vines was between 60 and 80 years old. The vineyard yield was 1.5 tons per acre (3.6 tonnes per hectare). The wine was aged in 2-3 year old oak barrels, (80% French, 20% American), for 12 months. The pH is 3.4, total acidity is 6.6 grammes per litre, and the residual sugar is 0.8 grammes per litre.

This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

Colour : Deep purple

Aroma : Spice, chocolate, coffee, dark berries, herbs

Taste : Mega fruit bomb, spice, blackberry, raspberry, plums, coffee, chocolate

Alcohol : 15.5%

Price : 179 SEK

Mark : B-

TN : Le Macchiole Bolgheri Rosso 2008, Azienda Agricola Le Macchiole, Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy

This is a blend that doesn't work for me. My guess is it is the Syrah which doesn't mix well. This wine smelt much better than it tasted.



This wine is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah, and Sangiovese.

Colour : Dark black red, blue hues

Aroma : Milk chocolate, cherries, plums, herbs

Taste : Concentrated plum, sour cherry, blueberry, strange herby taste, toasty oak and spice on finish then finishing off with a savoury note and a sour finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 199 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Azienda Agricola Le Macchiole

TN : Torricella 2009, IGT, Barone Ricasoli, Tuscany, Italy

This is a blend of Chardonnay with a small addition of Sauvignon. The Chardonnay comes from two vineyards, one located at 500 metres above sea level on sandy and pebbly soil, the other at 350metres above sea level on limestone-rich soil. The Sauvignon blanc comes from a vineyard situated at 200 metres above sea level on alluvial soil.



The growing season experiences a mild winter with an average temperature which was always above zero and a rainfall of 200 mm. There was initially a cold spring with temperatures slowly on the rise at the end of May. The rainfall for this period was 200 mm. This was followed by a hot summer especially in July and the first half of August. The rainfall during this period was 100 mm. The grape harvest started on the 24th August for the Chardonnay and the 7th September for the Sauvignon Blanc.

The wine underwent a cold maceration at four degrees for six hours without oxygen. Alcoholic fermentation was at very low temperatures between 14 and 20 degrees. Two-thirds of the wine was aged in new 500 litre. tonneaux, the rest in stainless steel for sixmonths. Lees stirring was carried out for the two-thirds aged in barriques, initially every day, then less frequently. The wine was further aged for three months in bottles before being putting on sale. The wine was bottled in May 2009.


Colour : Bright yellow

Aroma : Oak, nutty, buttered toast, citrus fruits, pineapple, vanilla

Taste : Oak, fresh and crispy mouthfeel, nutty, oranges, pineapple, grapefruit, zingy finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 139 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Barone Ricasoli

TN : Chateau du Grand Mouëys, Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, France 2006

Chateau du Grand Mouëys is situated on the right bank of the Garonne river in the Entre-Deux-Mers area. The estate comprises 170 hectares of woods, meadows and gardens of which 80 hectares are set aside to vines.

The historical origins of the Château are diverse: A Gallo-Roman villa of the first century AD that disappeared after the Visigothic invasion of 407. A medieval legend has it that the Château once belonged to the Templer Knights who hid some fabulous treasure in an underground passage that joined to the abbey of La Sauve Majeure. Subsequently, the Templer Knights would have been burnt alive under royal orders.



In 1989, the Bömers family became the new owner of Château du Grand Mouëys. The family also used to own the Reidemeister&Ulrichs Company in Bremen, an important company of fine wines in Germany dating from 1831. The distribution of the wines of Château du Grand Mouëys is carried out by its subsidiary company "Caves des Grands Vins Français " (CAVIF).

This wine is a blend of 58% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. 140,000 bottles were produced.

Colour : Red

Aroma : Plums, raisins, tobacco

Taste : Plums, blackcurrant, cedar, drying tannic finish

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 89 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Chateau du Grand Mouëys

TN : La Luna Rosso 2008, IGT, MGM Mondo del Vino, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy

"It's the moon, rather than the sun, that makes the grapes grow", the name for this wine comes from this local saying. This wine is a blend of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauivgnon, and 5% Cilliegiolo.



MGM Mondo del Vino was founded in 1991 by Alfeo Martini, Roger Gabb, and Christoph Mack.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Herbs, milk chocolate, tobacco, dark berries, cherries

Taste : A little flat, dried fruits, blackcurrants, herbs, cherries

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 86 SEK

Website : MGM Mondo del Vino

Mark : C

TN : Parras Viejas Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Santa Helena, Colchagua Valley, Chile

This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from 100 year old vines planted in 1910. 7200 75cl bottles were produced. All of the grapes were hand harvested between April 16th and April 20th 2008. The wine was aged for 14 months in used French oak barrels.

The label depicts an original vine from the vineyards, and is meant to show the sturdiness that only time can create. The tartaric acid is 5.8 grammes per litre and the pH is 3.55.



This wine was imported by Fondberg.

Colour : Red, blue hues

Aroma : Blackcurrant, plums, mint, chocolate

Taste : Blackcurrant, plum, oak, drying powdery texture on finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 219 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Santa Helena
Website : Fondberg

TN : Tenuta Belguardo 2007, IGT, Marchesi Mazzei, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy

The Belguadro estate is located in the Maremma region of Tuscany, on the hills between Grosseto and Montiano, near the National Park “dell'Uccellina”, about ten kilometres from the coast at Montebottigli at an elevation of between 70 to 130 metres. The vineyard has a south - southwestern exposure. The soil is sandstone and the age of the vines is ten years. The vines were Cordon trained and spur pruned. The number of vines per hectare was 6,600.



All of the grapes were hand picked from September 1st (Cabernet Sauvignon) and September 7th (Cabernet Franc). The wine is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and10% Cabernet Franc. The grapes were fermented at a temperature between 28 to 30 degrees. The total acidity is 5.80. There was a 16 day maceration period an dthe wine was bottled in August 2009. The wine was aged in mall French oak barrels (225 litres of which 70% was new) for 18 months. The wine was released in Octobre 2009 and 16,000 bottles were produced.

Colour : Dark blackcurrant

Aroma : Oaky, blackcurrant, plums, chocolate, cherry

Taste : Over oaked, blackcurrant, tobacco, milk chocolate, raspberry amd cherry liqour, spice on finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 239 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Marchesi Mazzei

Faulty Italian Wines

This weekend I tried a couple of, what should have been, very nice Tuscan reds. Instead, disaster struck.

The first was a Chianti Classico 2006 from Castello Dei Rampolla at 14% alcohol which just tasted of red wine vinager. I cut the capsule and the top of the bottle was covered in red-stained mould. This was completely undrinkable.





The second was the Bolgheri Sondraia 2007 from Poggio Al Tesoro at 14.5% alcohol. On opening, the contents smelt of old damp cardboard. Obviously it was suffering from about of TCA. Underneath was some great dark fruits however. This would have probably been a great bottle if it weren't corked. With a bit of imagination, it was possible to drink this wine thanks to the concentrated fruit.

TN : Paracombe Pinot Noir 2008, Adelaide Hills, Australia

This wine is imported by Johan Lidby Vinhandel.



This wine is sealed with a screwcap.

Colour : Pale red

Aroma : Very spicy, strawberry and cherry fruit, toffee

Taste : Overwhelmed by the very very spicy notes, soft red fruits, strawberry, raspberry, cherry, liqourice, boring, mostly two-dimensional spice and fruit

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 169 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Paracombe Premium Wines
Website : Johan Lidby Vinhandel

TN : Marsiliana 2005, IGT, Tenuta Marsiliana, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy

This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.





Colour : Dark red, brown hues

Aroma : Tobacco, plums, blackcurrant, raisins, herbs

Taste : Aged, drying talculm powder texture on finish, plums, blackcurrants, raisins, herbs, spice

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 309 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Tenuta Marsiliana