TN : Heinz Schmitt Riesling 2003, Koewericher Laurentiuslay Auslese, Germany

Colour : Yellow, lemon

Aroma : Lemon, honey

Taste : Long finish, honey, lemon, orange, sugar syrup, lacking acidity

Alcohol : 8.5%

Price : 89 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Weingut Heinz Schmitt

TN : Ampeleia 2004, IGT, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy

This wine is a blend of seven grape varieties, Cabernet Franc 50%, Sangiovese 20% together with other 5 different varieties of Mediterranean heritage, Alicante, Carignan, Grenache, Marselan, and Mourvedre.

The planted area of the vineyard is 35 hectares. The average age of the vines is 15 years. The altitude of the vineyard varies between 200 and 600 metres above sea level. The yield per hectare was 18 to 25 hectolitres. There were 54,000 bottles produced. The wine was matured and aged for 16 months in oak barrels of which 40% were new.

There were 360 bottles of this wine available for purchase within Sweden in March 2008.

Colour : Dark red, purple

Aroma : Oak, cherries, herbs, chocolate, underlying tobacco notes

Taste : Toasty oak, oak tanins on finish, tobacco, cherries, red fruits, dark chocolate

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 257 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Ampeleia

TN : Moutain Sun 2006, Dry Red Wine of Peloponnese, Sereli Wines, Greece

This is 100% Agiorgitiko. The wine spent three to four months in French oak. The Semeli Winery was established in 1979 by George and Anne Kokotos. Semeli was the mother of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine.

Colour : Maroon/red

Aroma : Raspberries, strawberries, herbs, plums

Taste : red berries, red grapes, herbs, fresh, crisp, slight dry tanins on long finish

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 64 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Semeli Wines

TN : Chateau Ste Michelle, Dry Riesling 2006, Columbia Valley, USA

This wine was imported by VinUnic.

This wine is 100% Riesling. The grapes were picked at night to preserve freshness. It was fermented cool in stainless steel tanks.

The analysis of this wine at the winery showed that the total acidity was 0.71 grammes per litre, the pH was 3.11, residual sugar was 0.75 grammes per 100 millilitres, and the alcohol was 13.9%.

Colour : Lemon

Aroma : Lemon, pear drops, honey

Taste : Lemon, orange, peach, crisp, honey,slight mineral finish

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Chateau Ste Michelle
Website : VinUnic

TN : Pauillac 2001, Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Bordeaux, France

This wine was aged in French oak barriques for 11 months. 8% of the oak was new. The wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot.

This is the so-called third wine of this illustrious chateau but there is no mention of the producer on the labels, front or back; only "renowned second class growth".

Colour : Purple

Aroma : Blackcurrant, vanilla, green vegetables, red berries, violets, cedar

Taste : Long drying tanins on finish, cedar, thin, blackcurrant, vanilla, oak

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 189 SEK

Mark : C-

Website : Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

TN : Shottesbrooke Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Shottesbrooke Vineyards, McLaren Vale, Australia

This wine was imported by Primeur Vin AB.

Colour : Purple

Aroma : Herbs, blackcurrants, blackberry, eucalyptus

Taste : Blackcurrant, mint, vanilla, oak

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 114 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Shottesbrooke
Website : Primeur Vin AB

Vinkällaren Grappes Newsletter March 2008

Grappe have published their newsletter for March 2008. It can be downloaded from their website.

Website : Grappe Newsletter March 2008

TN : Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel 2005, Sonomo Heritage Vines, Sonomo County, USA

The winemaker was Eric Cinnamon. Rancho Zabaco wines bear the name of one of Old California’s earliest land grants – the Tzabaco Rancho.

Colour : Black/cassis

Aroma : Blackberry, herbs, slight pepper

Taste : Spice, blackberry, slight sweetness, dark berries, rich, long finish, mouth coating

Alcohol : 15%

Price : 145 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Rancho Zabaco

TN : Zaca Mesa Syrah 2003, Santa Ynez Valley, USA

This wine was estate grown and bottled. The vineyard blocks used for this wine were Chapel F, Cushman A, B and D, and Mesa A and F. Clay Brock was the winemaker. The grapes were harvested in early October, 8th to 18th, 2003. The wine is a blend of 98% Syrah and 2% Viognier. The wine was fermented in open topped bins and then spent 16 months in French oak barrels, 25% of which was new. the wine was minimally filtered and then bottled between 4th to the 9th March 2005. An analysis performed by the winery shows that the acidity is 0.57 grammes per 100 millilitres, the pH is 3.74, and the alcohol is 14.6%. 10, 693 cases were produced. Zaca Mesa have been making wine since 1972.

Colour : Black/purple

Aroma : Violets, blueberries, pepper, spice

Taste : Blueberries, raspberries, long white pepper finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 178 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Zaca Mesa

TN : Carabantes 2004, Syrah, Vina von Siebenthal, Aconcagua Valley, Chile

Chile's first wine was brought to the country in 1554 by a Spanish priest called Francisco de Carabantes. This wine is named in honour of this pioneer of Chilean viticulture.

The grapes were hand picked and the wine is unfiltered. This is a limited edition bottling of 17,992 bottles. It is a blend of 85% Syrah and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. This information is from the label though the winery's website states that it is only 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. The production was 1.6 Kg of grapes per vine. The vines were trained in double Gobelet trellising an dthe vineyard is 600 metres above sea level. Fermentation was in 150 hectolitre stainless steel tanks. The wine spent 12 months in a mixture of French and American oak of which 35% was new. The wine was bottles in October 2003. The analysis at the winery shows that the Tartaric Acidity was 5.14 grammes per litre (sulfuric) and the pH was 3.73.

The wine was imported by Carovin AB, Stockholm.

Colour : Purple

Aroma : Violets, red berries, blueberries, spice, herbs, mint

Taste : Sweet, slight toasty oak, blueberry, herbs, red berries, white pepper

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 178 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Vina von Siebenthal
Website : Carovin AB

TN : Marques de Arienzo Reserva 2002, DOC, Rioja, Spain

This wine is a blend of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano and Mazuelo. The grapes were harvested from 300 ha of mature vineyards in Elciego and Laguardia. The wine was bottled at Bodegas Domecq, Elciego, Spain. This was a 375ml bottle.

Colour : Red/brown

Aroma : Oak, slight sherry, spice, red fruits

Taste : Red fruits, oak, acidic, long finish

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 47 SEK

Mark : C-

TN : Montes Classic Series Merlot 2006, Colchagua Valley, Chile

This wine was aged in American oak for six months. It is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. All of the grapes were handharvested. The yield was about 8-10 tons per hectare (3-4 tons per acre). The wine underwent a light one soft pad filtration before bottling. Interestingly the alcohol level quoted in the information on the Hjo Grosshandel AB website (a PDF flyer) states that the alcohol is 13.5%



This wine was imported by Hjo Grosshandel AB.

Colour : Deep red/maroon

Aroma : Olive, slight spice, coffee, plums, dark fruits, oak

Taste : Coarse oak, vanilla, dark fruits, olive, slight initial sweetness

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 99 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Vina Montes
Website : Hjo Grosshandel AB

TN : Trapiche Malbec Single Vineyard, Vina Carlos Gei Berra, 2004, Lunlunta, Mendoza, Argentina

The chief winemaker was Daniel Pi.

Carlos Gei Berra is an agricultural engineer. The vineyard was planted in 1973 in Lunlunta, Maipu. It is situated at an altitude of 878 metres (2879 feet).

The harvest date was April 16th 2004. The average mean temperature during the ripening month realised 17.7 degrees with a thermal amplitude of 9 degrees.

This wine was imported by Fondberg &Co.

Colour : Dark deep purple

Aroma : Toasty oak, herbs, dark berries

Taste : Concentrated, mouth filling, dark berries, cherries, chocolate, herbs

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Mark : A

Website : Trapiche
Website : Fondberg & Co

TN : Erasmo 2004, Red Wine, Maule Valley, Vina la Reserva de Caliboro, Chile

This wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. This is the fourth version of Erasmo produced. The vines were planted in 1998 on the alluvial terraces of the Perquilauquen river. The wine is a collaboration between the consultant enologist Maurizio Castelli and the producer Francesco Marone Cinzano. The grapes were hand harvested between February 23rd and March 10th 2004. Fermentation was in stainless steel with a long maceration period. The wine was then aged for eighteen months in French oak barriques. Bottling took place in December 2005. The wine is unfiltered. An analysis of the wine shows the alcohol content is 14.1%, pH is 3.54, total acidity is 5.54 grammes per litre, and the residual sugar is 1.1 grammes per litre.

Colour : Cassis

Aroma : Oak, blackcurrant, violets, vanilla, licqourice

Taste : Blackcurrant, polished oak, licqourice, herbs

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 189 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Vina la Reserva de Caliboro

TN : Swedish Hill, Dry Riesling, 2006, Finger Lakes, New York, USA

This wine was imported by Andersson Wines International.



Colour : Pale yellow

Aroma : Floral, grapey, sweetness

Taste : Fruity, mineral, slight sweetness

Alcohol : 12.2%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Swedish Hill
Website : Andersson Wines

TN : Matariki Quintology 2002, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

This wine is a blend of 42% Merlot, 23.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 8.5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Syrah.

The wine was matured in fine grain French oak, from a selection of coopers,for 21 months. Approximately 40% was new oak whilst the remaining 60% was aged in seasoned 1, 2 and 3 year old barrels.

Winestate Magazine awarded this wine 4 Stars in the September/October 2006 Issue

It was imported by Modern Wines, Stockholm.

Colour : Purple, brown hues

Aroma : Oak, tobacco, red berries

Taste : Spicy finish, cedar, tobacco, hints of red berries and blueberries, sour acidic finish, lacking fruit

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Mark : D

Website : Matariki Wines
Website : ModernWines Sweden

Systembolaget New Wines for March 2008

The latest Varunytt from the Systembolaget detailing the new wines for March 2008 can now be downloaded.

Website : Systembolaget Varunytt Newsletter March 2008

TN : Les Fumees Blanches Sauvignon Blanc, 2007, Domaines Francois Lurton, France

This wine was bottled under screwcap.

Colour : Pale watery lemon/yellow

Aroma : Blackcurrant leaf, tropical fruits

Taste : Green blackcurrant leaf, lemon, minerally finish

Alcohol : 12%

Price : 67 SEK

Mark : C-

Website : Jacques & Francois Lurton

A Good Year

I finally ended up watching my copy of A Good year on DVD. It was much better than I expected since a lot review stated it was not very good.



Basically a high-up Stockbroker, Max, inherits a vineyard from his uncle. It turns out that Max spent a lot of his childhood visiting his uncle at the vineyard in Provence. He goes there when his uncle dies determined to sell the vineyard. A girl shows up from the USA claiming to be the daughter of Max's uncle. The wine produced on the estate stinks. Max meets up, nearly knocks her off her bicycle with his car, a local waitress that he falls in love with. In the end, Max fabricates a letter stating that his uncle leaves the vineyard to his "daughter" who just happens to have spent some time working in a winery in the USA. Max ends up giving up his job in London (and the possibility of a partnership in his firm) to go back to his love. The end of the film sees the daughter arguing with the local vigneron about how the wine should be made.

TN : Glen Carlou Gravel Quarry Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Wine of Origin Paarl, South Africa

According to the label this wine was handcrafted by David Finlayson.

The grapes were harvested on 15th March 2005. During fermentation, the wine spent 12 days in stainless steel tanks and then 7 days on skins. The wine was then aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak (Nevers MHT and Les Bertrange HT). The wine was bottles in January 2007.

The TA is 6.4 grammes per litre, pH is 3.68, and the residual sugar is 1.4 grammes per litre.

This wine won a double gold at 2007 Veritas awards.

Only 180 bottles were imported into Sweden.

Colour : Deep purple, cassis

Aroma : Blackcurrant, smoky oak, red berries, vanilla

Taste : Vanilla, blackcurrant, thin, minerals, red berries, acidic, coffee, chalky tanins, oak

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 179 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Glen Carlou