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

TN : L'Avenir Stellenbosch Classic 2005, South Africa

This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (20%), and Carbernet Franc (20%).

There is no mention of the 2005 vintage on the Laroche Wines website though which seems to rarely updated with information, preferring to try to dazzle with fancy graphics.



L’Avenir vineyards are situated in Stellenbosch. The soil is Origan – Glenrosa type (decomposed shale with clay underneath). The grapes were harvested between the end of January and the middle of March. Fermentation was done with selected yeast strains and took five days at temperatures up to 25° - 32°C in stainless steel tanks. The wine underwent a cold maceration for 36 hours. It went through malolactic fermentation and was matured for 14 months in French barrels. There was no fining and at bottling, the wine was sterile filtered and bottled under vacuum for maximum protection. The winemaker was Tinus Els.

The residual sugar is 3.2 grammes per litre, pH is 3.53, and TA is 5.9 grammes per litre.

This wine won a bronze medal at the 2007 Veritas show.

Colour : Dark purple

Aroma : Tobacco, blackcurrant, cold tea, raspberry

Taste : Long strong tobacco finish, burnt rubber and heat at end, blackcurrant, raspberry, oak, and hints of liquorice

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 99 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Laroche Wines
Website : L'Avenir Vineyards

Enosvezia latest Newsletter

Yet another newsletter arrived today.

Enosvezia are launching 4 wines from Tommaso Bussolas on December 1st 2007.

These are :

• Amarone della Valpolicella, Order number 99985, Price 626 SEK
• Ararone della Valpolicella Vigneto Alto, Order number 99986, Price 909 SEK
• L'errante, Order number 99956, Price 304 SEK
• Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Order number 99955, Price 232 SEK

Website : Enosvezia AB

Sigva Newsletter

I just got the latest Sigva AB newsletter in my mailbox. They are launching three new wines from Quinta do Noval, located in the Douro in Portugal, on December 1st 2007 :

• Quinta do Noval Red Wine, Order number 97991, Price 439 SEK
• Cedro do Noval Red Wine, Order number 98268, Price 149 SEK
• Quinta do Noval Vintage Port 2004, Order number 98464, Price 653 SEK

Registration for the Sigva AB newsletter is via their website.

Website : Sigva AB
Website : Quinta do Noval

Occasion Wine AB Newsletter December 2007

In my mailbox has just popped up the latest newsletter from Occasion Wine AB. In December, they are launching two German wines :

• Heimz Nikolai 2006 Hallgartner Schönhell Riesling Kabinett Trocken, Order number 97342, Price 99 SEK
  

• Schloss Mühlenhof 2006 Weinheimer Sibyllenstein Riesling Spätlese Feinherb, Order number 97388, Price 105 SEK

The Heimz Nikolai might be worth trying but I am not a big fan of the Feinherb style so I will give the Schloss Mühlenhof a "wide berth".

In addition, there is a short review of their attendance at the Det Goda Köket show.

You can subscribe to the newsletter via the Occasion Wine AB website.

Website : Occasion Wine AB

Grapevine Number 4 2007

I just received my copy of Grapevine, number 4 2007, which is published by Tegner Hermansson. Not much of interest contained it though. I did notice that they were offering a wine box of 6 wines for the Christmas period which looks interesting.

The contents are :

• Chateau de Bonhoste Blanc
• Dievole Rinascimento IGT
• Tommasi Pinot Chardonnay
• Tomassi Recioto della Valpolicella Florato
• Irony Cabernet Sauvignon (2 bottles)

The price is only 720 SEK and the order number is 604539-09 (from Systembolaget).

Website : Tegner Hermansson

VinUnic Newsletter December 2007

VinUnic have published the December 2007 edition of their Våra Viner newsletter.

Guigal's 2003 LaLa wines are unleashed on Sweden. Italy's Tenuta San Guido's Sassicaia 2004 and Guidalberto 2005, which I might buy, are also available. From California comes Shafer's Hillside Select Cab 2003 and Relentless 2004.

Website : VinUnic Våra Viner Nyhetsbrev December 2007

TN : Massaya Classic 2005, Vin Rouge, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

This wine was sealed with a screwcap. It was imported by Vinalliansen but no mention of the 2005 vintage appears on their website !.



This wine is a blend of 60% Cinsault, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Syrah.

Colour : Pale red/ruby

Aroma : Violets, blueberry, white pepper

Taste : Violets, liquorice, blueberry, smooth tannins, slight spice and white pepper on finish, thin moothfeel

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 77 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Massaya & Co
Website : Vinalliansen

Adopt a Vine at Three Choirs Vineyard

For 39 pounds it is possible to adopt a vine for a year at the Three Choirs Vineyards in Gloucestershire in the UK. This is a nice option if you intended to visit the UK and would like to do some vinous-related touring and visit a vineyard whilst there.

You will get :

• A certificate of adoption (which is valid for a year)
• A name plate on the vine (up to 20 characters)
  
• A glass of wine for two people to toast their vine
• 2 bottles of wine from a carefully selected list to take away
• Free entry to the vineyards
• Free wine tasting in the shop
• Guided tour of winery at 2.30pm
• 20% discount on wines bought from the shop

Website : Three Choirs Vineyards Shop

TN : Deakin Estate Reserve Sparkling Shiraz

There is no mention of any vintage on the label.

I served this wine chilled and really liked it but as it warmed up it lost its bite and fruit.

Dr Phil Spillman is Deakin Estate's winemaker. He joined the Wingara Wine Group from Villa Maria in New Zealand and, prior to that, worked at BRL Hardy and Chittering Estate. Craig Thornton has been Deakin Estate's vineyard manager since 2005.

The Deakin Estate property and its wines are named in honour of that visionary, Alfred Deakin. It was purchased in 1967 and then planted to premium wine grapes which were sold as fruit until 1980 when a winery facility was built. The Deakin Estate range was launched in 1994.

There is no mention of this wine on the Deakin Estate website !.

Colour : Deep black/purple

Aroma : Dark fruits, blackcurrants, blackberries

Taste : Fizzy but does not last that long, liquorice, dry, unsweetened bramble jelly

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 99 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Deakin Estate