TN : Chateau Larmande 2001, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France

This wine is a blend of 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Larmande is a place-name which can be found in archives dating from 1585. These mention a visit by the Jurade to inspect the wine there. A stone in the cellar bears the date 1640. The owner at the beginning of the 18th century was called Champagne. After he died, his widow continued production at the vineyard for a few years before it was taken over, first by the Pion de Case family, and then in about 1850 by the Saint Genis, who came from the Charente Maritime. This family kept the estate for around 50 years, leaving the management of it to Germain Meneret.

At the beginning of the 20th century, for partition and inheritance reasons, the Saint Genis offered to sell the estate to Germain Meneret. Not having a large enough fortune to buy it outright, he went into partnership with one of his friends, Amédée Capdemourlin, who also came from a very old Saint Emilion family, in order to acquire the property. In the following generation, Fernand Meneret married Alice Capdemourlin. Both of them inherited the estate just before the second world war. Their sons and grandsons then ran the estate, bringing the surface area of the vineyard to 22.5 hectares (55 acres).

At the end of 1990, Jean Meneret ­the President and founder of the Association des Grands Crus Classés de Saint Emilion, a well-known figure in the Bordeaux vineyard and who had taken the estate to the highest level, sold Château Larmande to the La Mondiale insurance group. From this time, the onus was put on bringing the wines of Château Larmande to the forefront of the international stage. The acquisition of a new plot of vines took the surface area of the vineyard to 25 hectares (62 acres), making this estate one of the largest in Saint Emilion. The cellars were renovated, a tasting room built in stone and glass was created, and a reception room capable of holding one hundred people was built.

The chateau is situated 1,200 metres from Saint Emilion. Château Larmande possesses a great diversity of soil types : 15% is clay-limestone, 15% is siliceous clay and 70% is made up of ancient sands. The 25 hectare estate includes 19 hectares of vines planted in one block close to the château, the rest of the plots being no more than 6 kilometres away. The average age of the vines is 30 years.

Colour : Dark red, brown

Aroma : Plums, oak, herbs, milk chocolate

Taste : Plums, raspberry, herbs, cedar, aged, milk chocolate, tobacco

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 399 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Chateau Larmande

TN : Rua Pinot Noir 2009, Akarua Ltd, Central Otaga, New Zealand

The grapes for the wine were picked between the 6th and 30th April 2010. There was a cool start to the growing season followed by a warm and dry mid summer and autumn. There were 1020 Grower Degree Days (30 Sept 2009 - 30 April 2010) and 211 millilitres of rainfall. There was no whole bunch fermentation. The grapes underwent a 5 day pre-fermentation maceration. Inoculated yeast was used and the fermentation peaked at 31 degrees. Punch-downs were performed twice daily. The wine underwent a 6 day post fermentation maceration. The wine was matured in French oak barriques for ten months; 15% of the oak was new. The Viticulturist was Gillian Wilson and Winemaker was Matt Connell. The wine was bottled in February 2011. The brix at harvest was between 22 and 24. The titratable acidity is 6 grammes per litre and the pH is 3.71.


This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

This wine was imported by Domaine Wines.

Colour : Raspberry, blue hues

Aroma : Spice, plums, red fruits, toast

Taste : Liqourice, wild strawberries, toast, spice, warm and fruity, coffee on finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 159 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Akarua

TN : Le Vieux Clocher Fut 2009, Pinot Noir de Peissy, Domaine des Bossons, Switzerland

Colour : Raspberry red

Aroma : Red fruits, oak, vanilla

Taste : Smooth tannins, raspberry, oak, vanilla, strawberry

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 14,20 CHF (Purchased direct from Domaine des Bossons)

Mark : B+

Website : Domaine des Bossons

TN : Sauvignon Gris 2010, Domaine des Bossons, Peissy, Switzerland

Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Blackcurrant, pineapple, mango

Taste : Leafy, blackcurrant, mango, pineapple, nettles

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 15,50 CHF (Purchased direct from Domaine des Bossons)

Mark : B-

Website : Domaine des Bossons

Syrah Selection 2009, Robert Gilliard, Valais, Switzerland

Colour : Dark red, blue hues

Aroma : Blueberry, spice, violets

Taste : Raspberry, spice, blueberry, pepper

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 22 CHF ( La Cave du Palais de Justice SA, Geneva)

Mark : B

TN : Chateau Camp Long Truchette Rose 2010, Cotes de Provence, France

Colour : Pale salmon pink

Aroma : Redcurrants, raspberries, herbs

Taste : Redcurrants, raspberries, herbs, long fruity finish

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 5,86 Euro (Purchased at Carrefour Ferney Poterie)

Mark : C+

TN : Chardonnay 2010, Vin de Savoie, Ravier Pascal, France

Colour : Pale yellow

Aroma : Green apples, butter, mango

Taste : Green apples, butter-like texture, pineapple, sweetcorn

Alcohol : 12%

Price : 7,39 Euro (Purchased at Carrefour Ferney Poterie)

Mark : C

TN : Roussette de Savoie Passion d'Antan, Altesse, Carrel F. et Fils, Jongieux, France

Colour : Very pale lemon

Aroma : Lemon, herbs, lime

Taste : Lemon, lime, oranges, herbs

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 6, 53 Euro (Purchased at Carrefour Ferney Poterie)

Mark : B

TN : Sauvignon Blanc de Geneve 2010, Cave & Domaines Les Perrieres S.A., Peissy, Geneva, Switzerland

Colour : Pale yellow

Aroma : Banana, mango, nettles, currants

Taste : Pineapple, mango, lively acidity, lemon, lime, grassy, currants

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 15,90 CHF (purchased direct from Cave & Domaines Les Perrieres S.A)

Mark : B

Website : Cave & Domaines Les Perrieres S.A.

TN : Viognier de Geneve 2009, Cave & Domaines Les Perrieres S.A., Peissy, Geneva, Switzerland

Colour : Lemon

Aroma : Mango, apricot, almonds

Taste : Mango, apricots, pineapple, banana and bitter almond on finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 19 CHF (purchased direct from Cave & Domaines Les Perrieres S.A)

Mark : B

Website : Cave & Domaines Les Perrieres S.A.

TN : Cabernet Sauvignon de Geneve 2009, Cave & Domaines Les Perrieres S.A., Peissy, Geneva, Switzerland

Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Red fruits, leafy, cold tea

Taste : Black cherry, blackcurrant, raspberry, smooth tannins

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 19 CHF (purchased direct from Cave & Domaines Les Perrieres S.A)

Mark : B-

Website : Cave & Domaines Les Perrieres S.A

TN : Douce Noir 2009, Domaine des Abeilles d'Or, Geneve Appellation D'Origine Controlee, Switzerland

This wine is a blend of Merlot, Gamaret, Garanoir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir.



Colour : Dark red, black

Aroma : Concentrated, black fruits, oak, spice, raspberry

Taste : Blackcurrant, blackberry, raspberry, spice, vanilla, oak, pepper on finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 32 CHF ( La Cave du Palais de Justice SA, Geneva)

Mark : B+

Website : Domaine des Abeilles d'Or

Vinothèque du Léman, Ferney-Voltaire, France

I whizzed pass this wine shop in ferney-Voltaire, France, and unfortunately did not have time to visit. I also got all of my wines from Geneva and local wines from Carrefour. However, it looked interested with its large wine bottle sign outside on which were written lots of famous names.



Website : Vinothèque du Léman

Bag-in-Box in France

Whilst on holiday in France and Switzerland this summer, I visited the local Carrefour in Ferney-Voltaire in France. Trundling down the aisles, I happened to notice quite a lot of bag-in-box wines. Though not as popular as in Sweden, this trend seems to growing. My last time in a French supermarket was three years ago in Bordeaux where I visited a couple of supermarkets, including Auchan, and bag-in-box was virtually non-existant. Will bag-in-box take over the everyday wine drinking market in France in the same way it has in Sweden ?

TN : Balavaud Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2009, Appellation Vetroz Grand Cru Controlee, Jean-Rene Germanier SA, Valais, Switzerland

The vines used to produce the grapes for this wine are planted on alluvial soil and shingle soil. The grapes are unclustered and the skins are left in the juice during extended fermentation. The wine are lightly pressured. The wines undergo a second fermentation and removing of carbon dioxide. Extracts and tannins are concentrated by must extraction (20%) before fermentation. The acidity is 4.4 grammes per litre.



Urbain Germanier planted his first vineyards and founded the winery in 1886. Today two young oenologists from the 3rd and 4th generations, Jean-René Germanier and Gilles Besse produce the wines.



Colour : Raspberry red, brown hues

Aroma : Raspberry, strawberry, oak, vanilla

Taste : Strawberry, raspberry, coca cola, spice, oak

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 21.90 CHF (Duty Free Paradise tax free shop Geneva airport)

Mark : B-

Website : Jean-Rene Germanier SA

TN : Julius Pinot Noir 2009, Appellation Valais Controlee, Familie Pierre-Alain Mathier, Vins et Vignobles Julius SA, Valais, Switzerland

This wine was aged in oak barrels.



Colour : Raspberry red, brown hues

Aroma : Red fruits, oak, vanilla

Taste : Oak, vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, spicy

Alcohol : 13.2%

Price : 32.90 CHF (Duty Free Paradise tax free shop Geneva airport)

Mark : B

Website : Familie Pierre-Alain Mathier Vins et Vignobles Julius

TN : Casa Marin Miramar Vineyard Riesling 2008, Lo Abarca, D.O. San Antonio Valley, Chile

Vina Casa Marin was founded in 2000 and is owned by Maria Luz Marin. It is locate din the San Antonio Valley close to the Pacific ocean only two miles from the coast.

This wine was sealed with a screwcap.



This wine was imported by Wineworks AB.

Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Petrol, honey, green apples, lemon, lime

Taste : Bone dry, honey, petrolly, lemon, mineraly, long acidic lemon and lime on finish

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 179 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Vina Casa Marin

TN : Domaine de Collavery Rose 2010, Coteaux d'Aix en Provence, France

Domaine Collavery is located in Saint Cannat 20 kilometres west of Aix en Provence. Bernard Monnier, a retired doctor, manages the domaine.

This wine was sealed with a screwcap.



This wine was imported by Stellen Kramer AB.

Colour : Orange, salmon pink

Aroma : Redcurrant, oranges, leafy

Taste : Redcurrants, vanilla, oranges, leafy, raspberry

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 79 SEK

Mark : C

TN : The Chocolate Block 2009, Boekenhoutskloof, Western Cape, South Africa

This wine is a blend of 67% Syrah, 14% Grenache, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cinsault, and 2% Viognier. 765 barrels of this wine were produced.



This wine was imported by Hjo Grosshandel AB.

Colour : Deep purple

Aroma : Plums, spice, blackberry, milk chocolate

Taste : Concentrated and fruity, blackcurrant, toast, plums, violets, overwhelming mulled wine spices, melting milk chocolate texture. Tastes like sucking a mulled wine spice bag.

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 259 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Boekenhoutskloof

TN : Stone Valley Rose White Zinfandel 2010, California, USA

This wine was vinted and cellared by Bear Creek Winery, Lodi, California, USA.







Colour : Bright raspberry pink

Aroma : Oranges, strawberry, spicy

Taste : Raspberry, strawberry, lemon, oranges, off dry

Alcohol : 10.5 %

Price : 170 SEK (3 litre Bag-In-Box)

Mark : C

itWine

My work colleague, Christer Johansson, has a vineyard and has now made his first wines, a red and a white. His brand is called itWine.

He has the following white grapes planted :

• 20 plants Seyval Blanc planted in 2009
• 20 plants Solaris planted in 2009
• 20 plants Orion planted in 2009
• 5 plants Phoenix planted in 2007

and the following red grapes planted :

• 20 plants Fruh Bürgunder planted in 2009
• 5 plants Rondo planted in 2007

This easter Christer and his children moved two rows of grapes. So now he changed to 2 metres spacing between the rows instead of 3. Thus he can now plant two extra rows. In these rows, he will plant Solaris (white) and Bolero (red), 20 plants in each row. The plants has been ordered from Germany but not yet received.

The 2010 red wine is a blend of Rondo and Früh Burgunder.

The 2010 white wine is a blend of Solaris, Seyval Blanc and Orion.

The alcohol level was around 13% for both. Christer added some sugar during the fermentation process for both wines since the sugar level was low in the grapes.

Christer's own comments on his wines are "My red wine from last year is still red. It is the white that has a little red color but not so much as rosé. The red does not taste so well almost undrinkable, but the white is rather good. I will bring bottles with me in June so you can taste."

My tasting notes are :

White Wine 2010
Colour : Pale yellow, orange hues
Aroma : Yeasty, green apples
Taste : Sour green cooking apples, acidic finish




Red Wine 2010
Colour : Bubblegum red (like a Beaujolais Nouveau)
Aroma : Plastic, red berries, chemicals, nail varnish
Taste : Plastic, nail varnish, sour red berries, chemicals, acidic

• 

Both wines were bottles unfined and unfiltered.

Website : itWine
Website : itWine (Facebook)
Website : Christer Johansson

TN : Simonsig Chardonnay 2008, Stellenbosch, South Africa

This wine was sealed with a screwcap.



This wine was imported by Tryffelsvinet AB.



Colour : Pale yellow

Aroma : Buttered toast, oranges, oak, stone fruits

Taste : Fruity, oranges, stone fruits, nuts, buttered toast

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 89 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Simonsig

TN : Zenato Garda Merlot 2008, DOC, Italy

This wine was imported by Hjo Grosshandel AB.

Colour : Deep plummy red

Aroma : Tobacco, herbs, cherries, plums

Taste : Cherries, silky concentrated texture, plums, slight tobacco and herbs

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 129 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Zenato