Vinkällaren Grappes Monthly Newsletter April 2008

For April 2008, comes the latest newsletter from Vinkällaren Grappe. Amongst the wines delivered this month include Ser Lapo from Marchesi Mazzei and Ingwe from Alain Moueix.

Website : Vinkällaren Grappes Nyhetsbrev April 2008

VinUnic Newsletter April 2008

VinUnic have just published their newsletter for April 2008. This month sees a couple of good low-end wines from Catena and a couple of high-end wines for South Africa's Vergelegen.

Website : Våra Viner Nyhetsbrev April 2008

Italian Wine Day for Consumers (Italiensk Vindag), Stockholm, March 29th 2008

I went to the Italian Wine Day for Consumers tasting last Saturday, 29th March 2008. It was held at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Stockholm and organised by the Nordic Wine Institute. It was very busy and sometimes very annoying to wait in queues for tasting whilst somebody waffled on about something irrelevant. Each person got a set of drinks coupons though nobody asked for them so it was unlimited pours.



The best wine of the night was a red from Tenuta Poggio Verano called Dromos 2004 which retails at 307 SEK. It was poured by the only winery representative I could see, Francesco Bolla; everybody else behind the tables were from importers.



Here's my scores, and notes where I wrote some, for the wines I tasted. I concentrated mainly on Tuscany as this is my favourite area of Italy :

A Wines
Brunello di Montalcino, 2002, Piccini, Tuscany, 219 SEK
Ilatraia 2005, La Brancaia, Tuscany, 358 SEK
Dromos 2004, Tenuta Poggio Verano, Tuscany, 307 SEK
Maronea 2004, Casa di Terra, Tuscany, 298 SEK
Poggio Querciolo 2004, Casa di Terra, Tuscany, 186 SEK

A- Wines
Castello di Fonterutoli Chianti Classico 2004, Marchesi Mazzei/Castello di Fonterutoli, Tuscany, 271 SEK

B+ Wines
Sormonno, Parmoleto, Tuscany
Ser Lapo Chianti Classico 2006, Marchesi Mazzei/Castello di Fonterutoli, Tuscany, 169 SEK
Brancaiai Il Blu 2004, La Brancaia, Tuscany, 389 SEK
Lamainone 2004, Merlot di Toscana IGT, Marchesi de Frescobaldi, Tuscany,, 315 SEK

B Wines
W... Dreams 2005, Jermann, Friuli-Venezia-Giula, 360 SEK, Chablis-like
Red Angel 2005, Jermann, Friuli-Venezia-Giula, 170 SEK
Fonterutoli Chianti Classico 2006, Marchesi Mazzei/Castello di Fonterutoli, Tuscany, 148 SEK
Brancaiai Chianti Classico 2004, La Brancaia, Tuscany, 199 SEK
Montesodi 2004, Chianti Ruffina DOCG, Marchesi de Frescobaldi, Tuscany, 379 SEK

B- Wines
Torre Testa IGT Salento 2004, Rubino, Apulien, 244 SEK
Castello di Ama Chianti Classico 2001, Castello di Ama, Tuscany, 269 SEK, brownish tinges, a little oxidised ?
Lucente 2005, Tuscany IGT, Luce Della Vite Frescobaldi-Mondavi, 205 SEK, a little oxidised ?

C+ Wines
Vintage Tunina 2005, Jermann, Friuli-Venezia-Giula, 360 SEK, this was more tropical fruits than the Were Dreams 2005
Brancaia Tre 2006, La Brancaia, Tuscany, 119 SEK
Il Cortono 2004, Tenimenti Luigi d'Alessandro, Tuscany, 169 SEK

C Wines
Moreccio 2006, Casa di Terra, Tuscany, 126 SEK
Casamatta Bianco 2006, Bibi Graetz, Tuscany

Website : Italiensk Vindag Vinkatalog March 2008

TN : Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Pinot Noir 2005, Atalayas Vineyard, Casablanca Valley, Chile

The vintage was hand harvested two weeks later than was scheduled. The grapes were put into 12 kg small cases and transported to the winery in refrigerated trucks. 100% of the must was pressed directly without skin contact. 73% of the grapes were hand destemmed. 27% of the grapes went through strict quality control before crush. The must underwent a cold maceration of 4 days at 10 degrees before fermentation. The wine was fermented in French oak vats at 25 degrees for two weeks. All of the blend was aged for 18 months: 73% in new French oak barrels amd 27% in used French oak barrels. The wine was bottled on the 5th March 2007 and 459 nine litre cases were produced.

Colour : Pale red/brown

Aroma : Toasty oak, stewed fruits, coffee

Taste : Toasty oak and spice on finish, stewed fruits, coca cola, cherries, slight chalky tannins

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 228 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Casa Lapostolle

TN : Chianti Classico Riserva Rocca Guicciarda 2004, DOCG, Barone Ricasoli, Tuscany, Italy

The wine was in a half bottle, 375 ml. It is 100% Sangiovese. The winemaker was Carlo Ferini. The fermentation temperature was 30 degrees. The maceration period was 16 days. The wine was matured for 20 months in barriques and 900 litre casks. It was bottled on 30th January 2007.



This wine was imported into Sweden by WineWorld.

Colour : Dark red/maroon

Aroma : Cherries, red fruits, oak, currants

Taste : Cherries, oak, dark chocolate hints, heat on finish, currants

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 69 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Barone Ricasoli
Website : WineWorld

TN : Beta Crux 2004, Red Wine, O Fournier, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina

This is a blend of 50% Tempranillo, 40% Malbec, and 10% Merlot.

The vineyards are situated in La Consulta, Pareditas, Et Cepillo in Mendoza. The vineyards are at an altitude of 1100 metres (3600 feet). The grapes were handharvested into 18 Kg (40 lb) boxes from the 5th to the 20th of April 2004. The must was fermented for 6 days in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 28 degrees. There was a maceration of 5 days between 6 and 8 degrees followed by 25 days at 24 degrees. Malolactic fermentation was in oak barrels. The wine was aged for 12 months in oak of which 80% was French and 20% was American. There were 80,000 bottles produced. The wine was bottled unfiltered.

A winery analysis showed that the alcohol was 14.7%, total acidity was 4.8 grammes per litre, and pH was 3.8.

Colour : Dark purple

Aroma : Oak, bramble jelly, violets, liqourice, mint

Taste : Heat, oak, bramble jelly, blackcurrant, after eight on finish, liqourice, mouth coating, concentrated, hard to drink more than one glass

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 147 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : O Fournier

TN : De Martino Gran Familia Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Maipo Valley, Chile

De Martino has existed since 1934.

The grapes came from a specific parcel of land in the vineyards planted in Isla de Maipo. The soils are light and sandy. The wine was aged in French oak barriques for 18 months.

The wine was imported by Domaine Wines, Stockholm.

Colour : Deep purple

Aroma : Blacurrant, vanilla, coffee, polished oak

Taste : Upfront blackcurrant, dominant oak, oak tannins on finish, heat, out of balance, too much oak, second glass was much better

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 239 SEK

Mark : C

Website : De Martino
Website : Domaine Wines

TN : Vina Maipo Reserva Especial Merlot Carmenere Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Vina Maipo, Rapel Valley, Chile

This wine was imported by Chris-Wine Sweden. There 6000 bottles of this wine available for purchase from the Systembolaget on March 1st 2008.

This wine is a blend of 60% Merlot, 25% Carmenere, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was matured in French oak for 9 months.

Colour : Dark purple

Aroma : Coffee, blackcurrant, white pepper, green peppers

Taste : Blackcurrant, coffee, mint, oak, liqourice

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 90 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Vina Maipo
Website : Chris-Wine Sweden

TN : Doennhoff Riesling Trocken 2006, Hermann Doennhoff, Nahe, Germany

On the label, the alcohol content is stated as 11% whereas in Systembolaget's March Varunytt it is stated as being 11.5%.

The grapes were harvested in October 2006 and the yield was around 50 hectolitres per hectare. The fermentation was slow, taking two to three months in large German oak and steel tanks. The winemaker was Helmut Doennhoff. There were 600 bottles of this wine available for purchase from the Systembolaget on March 1st 2008.

Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Orange, white grapes, minerals

Taste : Zingy minerals and lemon, slight rhubarb, long finish, simple

Alcohol : 11%

Price : 129 SEK

Mark : C

TN : BenMarco Expessivo 2004, Dominio del Plata, Mendoza, Argentina

The winemaker is Susana Balbo and viticulturist is Pedro Marchevsky.

This wine is a blend of 50% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah, 10% Bonarda, and 5% Merlot.

The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

BenMarco is Pedro's means son of Marco in Hebrew and with this wine he pays homage to his father.

The wine was imported by Arvid Nordquist AB.

Colour : Deep dark purple

Aroma : Dark berries, violets, blueberries

Taste : Violets, blackberry, concentrated, long finish, blueberries

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 169 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Arvid Nordquist
Website : Dominio Del Plata Winery

TN : Rivaner 2007, Karl H Johner, Baden, Germany

The grapes come from vineyards around Kaiserstuhl. This wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks and bottled under screwcap.

The wine was imported by Giertz Vinimport AB.

Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Yeast, dried pineapple, spice, orange

Taste : Yeast, pineapple, orange, lemon, mouth coating, long finish

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 99 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Weingut Karl H Johner
Website : Giertz Vinimport AB

TN : Tenuta Monteti Caburnio 2005, Tenuta Monteti. Tuscany, Italy

The entry in Systembolaget's March 2008 Varunytt for this wine states that it has 14.5% alcohol but the label states 13.5%. Tasting it leads me to believe the label is correct.

This wine is a blend of 60% Petit Verdot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Alicante, and 4% Merlot according to the Systembolaget. The technical sheet on Tenuta Monteti's website states that the wine consists of 68% cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 20% Alicante.

The vines are trellised as spurred cordon. There are 6600 vines per hectare and 49000 bottles were produced.

A winery analysis shows that the alcohol is 13.8%, dry extract is 31.4 grammes per litre, total acidity (tartaric acid) is 5.4 grammes per litre, pH is 3.77, and phenolic compounds (gallic acid) are 2613 milligrammes per litre.

Colour : Dark black cherry

Aroma : Spice, liqourice, blackberry

Taste : Spice, oak, liqourice, herbs, dark fruits

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 139 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Tenuta Monteti

Systembolaget New Wines April 2008

The latest Varunytt, detailing April's new wines, can be downloaded from the Systembolaget website. Also in April, a new catalogue is due out.

Website : Systembolaget Varunytt April 2008

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