TN : Grace Koshu 2012, Grace Wine, Japan

The grapes for this wine came from vineyards in Katsunuma in Yamanshi which lies in Honshu, west of Tokyo. All of the grapes were harvested in October 2012. The yield was 120 hectolitres per hectare. Fermentation was in steel tanks. The winemaker was Ayana Misawa. Grace Wine, Chuo Budoshu in Japanese, was founded in 1923. This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

Koshu was first cultivated more than 1,000 years ago in the Caucasus Region in Asia Minor. It came to Japan together with Buddhism via the Silk Road through China. It localised itself and became native to Japan. When winemaking started in Japan in 1874, it quickly became not only the main, but also the most important variety. Koshu bears a purplish-pink fruit. According to research performed by the University of California, it is predominantly (over 90%) vitis vinifera.

This wine was imported by The WineAgency Sweden AB.

Colour : Pale watery straw

Aroma : Lemon, minerals, smoke, herbs

Taste : Zingy lemon, minerals, green apples, herbs

Alcohol : 12%

Price : 149 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 6601

Mark : C-

Website : Grace Wine

TN : 1752 Gran Tradicion Petit Verdot Tannat 2012, Bodegas Carrau, Cerro Chapeu, Uruguay

This wine is a blend of 66% Petit Verdot and 34% Tannat. All of the grapes were hand harvested. This wine was macerated in open tanks for 15 days and aged for 14 months in new French oak barrels.

The winemaker was Fransisco Carrau.

This wine was imported by Janake Wine Group AB.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Blackberry, plums, herbs, coffee

Taste : Blackberry, blackcurrant, herbs, coffee

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 87 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 6394

Mark : C

Website : Bodegas Carrau

TN : Pezat 2011, Bordeaux Superieur, JCP Maltus, Bordeaux, France

This wine was imported by Tryffelsvinet AB.

Colour : Red plum

Aroma : Plums, milk chocolate, herbs, blackcurrant, coffee

Taste : Lacking fruit, blackcurrant, plums, hard tannins, herbs

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 139 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 72247

Mark : C-

Website : JCP Maltus

TN : McManis Viognier 2012, McManis Family Vineyards, California, USA

This wine was sealed with a screwcap. The grapes were harvested between the 16th and 25th of September 2012. Acidity is 5.9 grammes per litre and the pH is 3.5. The wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel and the wine was bottled in April 2013 (first bottling).

 

This wine was imported by Divine AB.

Colour : Pale lemon, straw, green hues

Aroma : White grapes, pineapple, peach, apricot, floral

Taste : Oily texture, peach, oranges, mango

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 89 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 6290

Mark : C+

Website : McManis Family Vineyards

TN : La Grola 2010, Allegrini, Veronese, Italy

This vintage marks 30 years of La Grola. On the occasion of this anniversary, Allegrini decided to commission Milo Manara, one of Italy’s best-loved Comic-Strip artists, to interpret La Grola and the local legends that surround it. According to the ancient legend, it was on this hill that Corvina Grapes were born, thanks to the miraculous intervention of a crow ("Grola" in Veronese dialect) that made ​​the fortune of this vineyard.  This wine is a blend of 80% Corvina and 20% Syrah.

This wine was imported by The WineAgency Sweden AB.

Colour : Dark red/cherry

Aroma : Cherry, blackcurrant, herbs, liqourice, vanilla

Taste : Herbs, blackcurrant, cherry, coffee, oaky

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 159 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 42334

Mark : B-

Website : Allegrini

TN : Women 2009, Rotweingut Maria Kerschbaum, Burgenland, Austria

This wine was imported by Seaside Tastes HB.

Colour : Dark red, blueberry

Aroma : Leather, oak, spice, raspberry, blackcurrant

Taste : Blackcurrant, raspberry, muted fruit, oak, spice, liqour texture, liqourice

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 198 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 74991

Mark : C+

Website :  Rotweingut Maria Kerschbaum

TN : Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2013, Marlborough, New Zealand

The grapes for this wine weresourced from estate and grower vineyards located in the Rapaura, Fairhall, Renwick and Brancott sub-regions of the Wairau Valley. Soils ranged from free draining stony on the valley floor to aged alluvial loams containing some clay. The majority of fruit was grown on a vertical shoot positioned (VSP) trellis with a small number of blocks on Scott-Henry. In 2013, the average yield was 10 tonnes per hectare.

Harvest of the grapes commenced on March 29th with the first fruit coming in from the Rapaura and Renwick subregions. The compact harvest lasted two weeks and finishrf on 15th April. Crop levels were well balanced and slightly below average. Analysis at harvest showed a brix range of 21.0 to 23.3, a pH of 2.98 to 3.29 and a TA of 8.8 to 11.2. This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

This wine was imported by Moet Hennessy Sverige AB.

Colour : Pale lemon, green hues

Aroma : Nettles, asparagus, passion fruit, earthy, blackcurrant

Taste : Passion fruit, lemon, tomato, lime, nettles

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 241 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 82623

Mark : B+

Website : Cloudy Bay

TN : Chateau Teyssier 2011, Saint Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France

This wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

This wine was imported by Tryffelsvinet AB.

Colour : Dark blackcurrant

Aroma : Plums, herbs, liqourice, coffee

Taste : Raspberry, herbs, liqourice, plums

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 229 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 79955

Mark : C+

Website : JCP Maltus

TN : Yarden Chardonnay 2011, Golan Heights Winery, Galilee

The wine was fermented and aged for seven months in French oak barrels of which 50% were new. The total acidity is 6.1 grammes per litre and pH is 3.42.

This wine was imported by Amka Vinimport AB.

Colour : Yellow/lemon

Aroma : Oak, buttered toast, mango, pineapple, lemon. herbs

Taste : Oak, buttered toast, pineappe, mango, lemon, yellow plums

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 136 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 2517

Mark : B

Website : Golan Heights Winery

TN : Château Petit Bocq 2009, Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France

This wine is a blend of 50% Merlot, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc. The winemaker was  Gaetan Lagneaux.

This wine was imported by Vinunic AB.

Colour : Plummy red

Aroma : Milk chocolate, plums, herbs, cedar, tobacco

Taste : Plums, cedar, herbs, tobacco

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 239 SEK

Mark : C

Website :  Château Petit Bocq

TN : Ramnista Xinomavro 2009, Kir-Yianni Estate, Naoussa, Greece

This wine is 100% Xinomavro. The wine spent 16 months in 225 litre and 500 litre French and American oak casks for the 90% of the blend. The rest of the blend, 10%, was tan- matured. The wine was further aged in bottle for another 6 months. 44,000 bottles of this wine were produced.

The grapes for this wine came from selected vineyard blocks within the private vineyards at Yianakohori. The vineyards used for Ramnista have an overall southeast exposure at an altitude of 280-330 metres. Rainfall is normally abundant during the winter months, but summers are so dry that regulated drip irrigation is applied to prevent water stress. Vine density ranges from 3,500 to 4,000 per hectare and the average crop yield is maintained below 2.5 kg per vine.

The pH of this wine is 3.38, titratable acidity is 6.8 grammes per litre, volatile acidity is 0.67 grammes per litre, residual sugar is 2.9 grammes per litre, phenolic index is 6.65, and sulphites of 22 per 99 ppm. The winemaker was Stellios Boutaris.

This wine was imported by Carovin AB.

Colour : Raspberry red/brown bues

Aroma : Herbs, oak, raspberry, plums

Taste : Cinammon spice, herbs, raspberry, strawberry, plums, oak, warm finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 99 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 2070

Mark : C

Website : Kir-Yianni Estate

TN : Rua Pinot Noir 2010, Akarua Winery, Central Otago, New Zealand

The brix of the grapes at harvest was between 22 and 24. The wine underwent no whole bunch fermentation. There was a five day pre-fermentation maceration. Fermentation peaked at a temperature of 31 degrees. Punch downs were done twice daily. There was a post-fermentation maceration of six days. The wine was matured in 100% French oak barriques for seven months.

The winemaker was Matt Connell. This wine was bottle in November 2012 and sealed with a screwcap. There is less than one gramme per litre of residual sugar in this wine.

This wine was imported by Domaine Wines Sweden AB.

Colour : Raspberry

Aroma : Strawberry, raspberry, mint, spice

Taste : Very fruity, strawberry, raspberry, spice, herbs, vanilla, oak

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 159 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 6265

Mark : B-

Website : Akarua Winery

TN : Girard Old Vine Zinfandel 2011, Girard Winery, Napa Valley, California, USA

The primary vineyard for this Zinfandel came from the highest elevation vineyard in Napa near the top of Mt. Vaca located at 2750 feet. The average age of the vines was more than 35 years old.

This wine was imported by Terrific Wines AB.

Colour : Dark raspberry

Aroma : Milk chocolate, spice, blueberry, oak, herbs, raspberry, mint

Taste : Spice, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, mint, herbs, white pepper

Alcohol : 15%

Price : 165 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 22337

Mark : C+

Website : Girard Winery

TN : Tenuta Belguardo 2011, IGT, Marchesi Mazzei, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy

This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Skin maceration and fermentation took place at a temperature between 28 and 30 degrees and lasted 16 days. The wine was matured for one and a half years in French oak.

This wine was imported by The WineAgency Sweden AB.

Colour : Dark red, blue hues

Aroma : Herbs, blackberry, blackcurrant, coffee

Taste : Oak, herbs, blackurrant, blackberry, coffee, plums, tobacco

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 199 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 95307

Website : Marchesi Mazzei

TN : Mayu Reserva Syrah 2011, Vina Mayu, Valle del Elqui, Chile

The grapes for this wine come from two vineyards, Quebrada de Talca (350 metres above sea level, grapes harvested at the beginning of May 2011) and Ladera in Vicuna (650 metres above sea level, grapes harvested in the middle of April 2011). The winemaker was Giorgio Flessati. 45% of the wine was matured in new French oak. This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

Mayu is the ancient Inca name for the Milky Way constellation.

This wine was imported by WineWorld AB.

Colour : Red, blue hues

Aroma : Blueberry, raspberry, plums, spice, white pepper, oak

Taste : Spice, white pepper, raspberry, milk chocolate, blueberry, strawberry

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 91 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 2551

Website : Vina Mayu

TN : Simonsig Chardonnay 2013, Simonsig Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa

This wine is 100% Chardonnay. The residual sugar is 2.8 grammes per litre, pH is 3.4, and the total acidity is 5.7 grammes per litre. The wine was matured in French oak. This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

This wine was imported by Tryffelsvinet AB.

Colour : Pale watery lemon

Aroma : Butter, oranges, pineapple, popcorn, herbs, lemon

Taste : Pineapple, butter, oranges, apples, herbs

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 91 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 2032

Mark : C

Website : Simonsig Estate

TN : Chateau Yon-Figeac 2009, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France

The 24 hectare vineyard is planted to 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.

This wine was imported by Magnum Wine AB.

Colour : Dark red/blue hues

Aroma : Blackcurrant, plums, cedar, herbs, cocoa powder

Taste : Blackcurrant, plums, herbs, oak

Alcohol : 14%

Mark : B