Arboleda wines was born in 1999 as a joint venture of Robert Mondavi and Eduardo Chadwick. The name “Arboleda” in Spanish means “grove of trees” and is a tribute to the native Chilean trees that have been preserved within the vineyards that produce the Arboleda grapes. Since 2005, the Mondavi catastrophy, the project has been owned by Eduardo Chadwick.
The total acidity of the wine is 5.31 grammes per litre (tartaric acid), the pH is 3.55, and the residual sugar is 1.82 grammes per litre.
The grapes for this blend were planted in 1997 on the deep clay loam soils in the Colchagua Valley. Drip irrigation is used in this vertically positioned vineyard.
The grapes were hand-harvested in mid-May and transferred to a sorting table. The grapes were then transferred to stainless steel tanks for fermentation at 26 degrees to 30 degrees.
Regular pumpovers kept the cap moist for extracting the anthocyanins (color), tannins and aromas from the skins. Aerative pumpovers were repeated throughout the fermentation process to help with the polymerization of reactive tannins, eliminate all herbaceous traces and encourage color set. After a 25 day maceration period, the wine was racked directly to 45% new oak barrels (75% American and 25% French) and then aged for twelve months.
Colour : Black/cassis
Aroma : Blackcurrant, green peppers, vanilla, cherry
Taste : Oak, coffee, slight green pepper, violets, blackcurrant, blackberry, cold tea, long finish
Alcohol : 14.5%
Price : 99 SEK
Mark : B-
Website : Arboleda
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
TN : Arboleda Carmenere 2006, Eduardo Chadwick, Colchagua Valley, Chile
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 07:08 1 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
Monday, 20 October 2008
TN : Domaene Gobelsburg Gruener Veltliner 2007, Qualitaetswein Trocken, Schloss Gobelsburg, Langenlois, Austria
Schloss Gobelsburg is the oldest winery in the Danube region of Austria. It has a documented history going bacg to 1171. The chateau and the winery has been managed by Michael Mossbrugger since January 1996.
The vines were grown on terterian gravel and loess soil. The vines were trained in the Gyome system. The vineyard size was 6 hectares and the age of the vines was between 6 and 55 years. The yield was 50 hectolitres per hectare. The grapes were harvested at the end of October 2007. Fermentation and maturation was in stainless steel and the wine was bottled in January 2008.
The wine was imported by Primewine Sweden AB.
Colour : Lemon
Aroma : Orange marmelade, white pepper, pears
Taste : White pepper on finish, green apple, mandarin oranges, pears
Alcohol : 12.5%
Price : 89 SEK
Mark : C+
Website : Schloss Goebelsburg
Website : Primewine Sweden AB
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 07:32 0 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
TN : Morande Edicion Limitade Carignan 2004, Loncomilla Valley, Chile
The pH of this wine is 3.32, the total acidity is 4.45 grammes per litre, and the residual sugar is 1.59 grammes per litre.
Colour : Black/purple
Aroma : Blackberry, violets, nail varnish
Taste : Blackcurrant, blackberry, rosehip, nail varnish tang, nuts, long finish
Alcohol : 14%
Price : 189 SEK
Mark : D+
Website : Vina Morande
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 07:24 0 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
TN : Reserve Mouton Cadet 2006 Sauternes, Baron Philipe de Rothschild, Bordeaux, France
Colour : Yellow
Aroma : Honey, oranges, sugar
Taste : Oranges, lime, overwhelming sickly sugar cane, caramel, lacking acidity
Alcohol : 14%
Price : 115 SEK
Mark : C-
Website : Mouton Cadet
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 07:16 1 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
Friday, 17 October 2008
TN : Comic Strip Verdejo Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Bodegas Antano, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon, Spain
This wine was bottled for Enjoy Wines and Spirits AB.
The wine is a blend of 50% Verdejo and 50% Sauvignon Blanc.
Colour : Pale yelow
Aroma : White grapes, peaches, slight pineapple
Taste : Spritzy mouthfeel, peaches, very bitter finish
Alcohol : 12.5%
Price : 69 SEK
Mark : C-
Website : Bodegas Antano
Website : Enjoy Wines and Spirits AB
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 06:50 1 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
Thursday, 16 October 2008
Chateau Belgrave
Want a bargain classified-growth Bordeaux that is drinkable, and ageable for at least another 5 years, then try the 2004 Chateau Belgrave which has a permanent listing at the Systembolaget.
The importer of Dourthe wines into Sweden is VinUnic. Åsa Lindahl at VinUnic told me that they have a dozen cases of 2004 in their warehouse still and then the 2005 vintage will start to roll out. According to VinUnic the drinking window for the 2005 is 2010 till 2023+.
Confusingly both the 2004 and 2005 vintages have the same article number at the Systembolaget.
Website : VinUnic
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 06:44 0 comments
Systembolaget Ageing Recommendations
Ever wondered what the ageing classifications mean that the Systembolaget adds to each wine description in Varunytt. I asked Anna-Karin Ene at the Systembolage for a full clarification and this was her response :
No individual can assess when a wine is perfectly mature. There are too many variables to be taken into consideration when making such an assessment. The quality of individual customers' storage facilities may for example differ quite a bit, but more importantly the notion of when a wine is perfect depends on the taste of the individual consumer. This is why we are reluctant to give exact ageing recommendations.
Most wines today are made for early consumption and even wines from classical regions like Bordeaux, Rhône and Piedmont are today a lot more approachable at a younger age than they used to be.
For this reasons, most wines that we sell are categorized as "will not improve with ageing" (Vinner inte på lagring). This does not mean that we believe that they have to be consumed immediately after being purchased. With the exception of the simplest wines we do not believe that the wines change remarkably during the first year and many will last for a few years.
When we feel that a wine is pleasant to drink now but has not reached its (theoretical) peak, we categorize it as "can age" (Kan lagras). By this we do not mean that the wine requires ageing but that it probably will improve when aged.
Sometimes, but admittedly quite rarely we categorize wines as "needs ageing" (Bör lagras). These are wines that are so young and undeveloped and expected to improve with ageing that we feel it would be a shame to drink it directly after purchase.
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 06:32 0 comments
TN : Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Kenwood Vineyards, Sonoma County, USA
This wine was recalled by the Systembolaget due to quality problems but I managed to find it on the shelves of the Systembolaget in Tyresö Centrum. I have had much worse than this from the Systembolaget and can not understand why it has not been distributed.
This wine is made predominantly of fruit sourced from vineyards located in the Sonoma, Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys. It is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvingon, 8% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. Fermentation and skin maceration was performed in stainless steel tanks. The wine was aged for two years in French and American oak.
This wine was imported by BGS Vinhandel AB.
Colour : Blackcurrant
Aroma : Blackcurrant, cold tea, coffee, slight mint
Taste : Zingy blackcurrant, slight tangy undertaste, oack, milk chocolate, gripping tannins at finish
Alcohol : 13.5%
Price : 145 SEK
Mark : C
Website : Kenwood Vineyards
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 06:21 0 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Systembolaget New Wines November 2008
The latest Varunytt newsletter detailing new wines in Sweden for November 2008 can now be downloaded from the Systembolaget website.
Website : Systembolaget Varunytt November 2008
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 08:42 0 comments
TN : Chateau Puygueraud 2002, Cotes de Francs, Bordeaux, France
This wine is a blend of 55% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Malbec. All the grapes were crushed and then subjected to a three day cold maceration. Fermentation and maceration lates three weeks in stainless steel tanks. The wine spent 18 to 20 months in barriques of which 30% was new. Egg whites were used to clarify the wine which was not filtered.
Colour : Dark red
Aroma : Oak, coffee, blackcurrants, mint, herbs
Taste : Drying tannins on finish, blackcurrant, herbs, coffee
Alcohol : 12%
Price : 169 SEK
Mark : B-
Website : Chateau Puygueraud
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 07:13 0 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
TN : TastYwines Fruity Syrah Mourvedre 2007, Rose, Capeco International, Coteaux du Languedoc, France
This wine was imported by Chris Wine & Spirits.
Colour : Pale strawberry
Aroma : Strawberry, raspberry, herbs
Taste : Hints of raspberry, strawberry, cherry, some herbs, dry bitter aftertaste.
Alcohol : 13%
Price : 70 SEK
Mark : D
Website : Chris Wine & Spirits
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 07:08 0 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
TN : Grove Street Chardonnay 2006, Grove Street Winery, Sonoma County, California, USA
The grapes for this wine came from smaller vineyards growing a range of Dijon Chardonnay clones from the Russian River AVA and the Alexander Valley AVA.
This wine was imported by Tomp Spirits AB.
Colour : Straw, green hues
Aroma : Butter, toast, slight oak, nutts, orange, slight tropical fruits
Taste : Mango, butter, toasty oak, nutty, oranges, pears, caramel
Alcohol : 13%
Price : 109 SEK
Mark : B-
Website : Grove Street Winery
Website : Tomp Beer & Sprits
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 07:01 0 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
TN : Chateau de Fonbel 2000, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France
This estate is owned by Alain Vauthier of Ausone fame.
The vineyard of Château de Fonbel is located in the Saint-Emilion plain and covers 16 hectares. The soils are sandy-gravelly. Four grape varieties are grown, Merlot (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), Petit Verdot (7%) and Carmenere (3%).
Colour : Red
Aroma : Plums, cedar, cherries, chocolate, oak
Taste : Cherry, cedar, plums, drying exotic talcum powder tannins on finish, leather, earth
Alcohol : 12.5%
Price : 299 SEK
Mark : C+
Website : Chateau de Fonbel
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 06:54 0 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
Friday, 10 October 2008
TN : Weninger Blaufraenkisch Hochhaecker 2005, Weingut Weninger, Mittelburgenland, Austria
The vineyard soils are Chalybeate clay with high coarse fraction. The age of the vines was 36 to 37 years of age. The planting density was 4500 vines per hectare. The crop yield was 4000 litres per hectare. The grapes were harvested between 10th and 12th October 2005.
Vinification was done using native yeast fermentation in steel tanks, the must was pressed after 15 days of mash-state, then followed by a biological malolactic fermentation in a large oak barrels (90% for 17 months in big oak barrel and 10% in barrique). The total acidity is 5.6 grammes per litre and the residual sugar is 1.9 grammes per litre. The wine was bottled in January 2007.
Colour : Dark red
Aroma : Earth, violets, red fruits
Taste : Earthy, tangy acidity, spice, violets, red fruits
Alcohol : 13.5%
Price : 117 SEK
Mark : C
Website : Weingut Weninger
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 06:40 0 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
Ancre Hill Estates Harvest 2008
I spoke to Richard Morris of Ancre Hill Estates yesterday about this year's harvest. Ancre Hill Estates is locates near Monmouth in Wales.
He told me that the Triomphe will be harvested on Friday and the Seyval/Pinot Noir towards the end of the month. Apparently, the weather has been remarkably kind to them over last few weeks and the crop is looking good. Progress can be followed on their website.
Website : Ancre Hill Estates
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 07:20 0 comments
TN : Dr Loosen Riesling Spaetlese Bernkasteler Kurfuerstenlay, Mosel, Germany
Spaetlese means "late picked". All the grapes were hand-harvested. The must was cold fermented in steel tanks.
Colour : Pale straw
Aroma : White grapes, spice, peaches, oranges
Taste : White grapes, yeasty, jasmin, orange marmelade, peaches, pears, off-dry
Alcohol : 8.5%
Price : 109 SEK
Mark : C+
Website : Dr Loosen
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 06:58 0 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
TN : Red Nectar Cabernet Sauvingon 2005, Barossa Valley, Red Nectar Wines, Australia
Tammy Schutz is the proprietror and vigneron and Troy Kalleske was the winemaker.
This wine was imported by JPC Wines AB.
Colour : Black/red
Aroma : Blackcurrant, mint, oak, chocolate
Taste : Very lively acidity, blackcurrant, mint, vanilla, very fruity
Alcohol : 14.5%
Mark : B-
Price : 199 SEK
Website : Red Nectar Wines
Website : JPC Wines AB
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 07:08 0 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
TN : Altosur Malbec Rose 2008, Finca Sophenia SA, Tupungato, Argentina
"4000 feet high by the Argentine Andes" is the quote on the front label. All the grapes were hand-harvested by the end of February and beginning of March. The winemaker was Matias Michelini.
This wine was imported by PrimeWine Sweden AB.
Colour : Pale raspberry
Aroma : Raspberry, cherry, slight spice and white pepper
Taste : Slight spice and white pepper on finish, jellied raspberries and cherries
Alcohol : 12.5%
Mark : B-
Price : 65 SEK
Website : Finca Sophenia
Website : PrimeWine Sweden AB
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 06:50 0 comments
Labels: Tasting Note
Monday, 6 October 2008
Wine Quality Problems at Systembolaget October 2008
I just talked to Jakob Stenson at Systembolaget and three of the red wines launched for October 2008 have been recalled because of quality problems. The wines in question are Windsor Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Atelier Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, and Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon 2006.
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 11:56 0 comments
TN : Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Thelema Mountain Vineyards, Helshoogte, Simonsberg Mountain, Stellenbosch, South Africa
The wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon clone 46. The rootstock is 101-14, R110, and R99. The soil type is Hutton - decomposed granite. The vines were planed in 1988 and 1989. The planting density is 3200 vines per hectare. The trellising is Vertical hedge. The vines were pruned to 2-bud spurs every 15 centimetres. The yield was approximately 6 tons per hectare. Irrigation was supplementary drip. The grapes wer harvested between 26th March and 7th April. The grape sugar was on average 24.5 degrees Balling. The average acidity was 5.5 grammes per litre. The pH at harvest was on average 3.5.
The yeast used for fermentaion was Bordeaux red. The fermentation temp was about 26 to 28 degrees. The grapes were de-stalked, the berries were then hand sorted, crushed, pumped into stainless steel tanks, pumped over for 6 days, left for 5 days before pressing, and finally racked to barrel for malolactic fermentation. The wine was matured in wood for 20 months in 225 litre French oak of which 50% was new.
The finished wine has a residual Sugar of 1.6 grammes per litre, pH of 3.54, total acidity of 5.4 grammes per litre, and alcohol was 13.85% by volume.
This wine was imported by Nigab AB.
Colour : Blackcurrant/red
Aroma : Blackcurrant, chocolate, coffee, smoke, burnt toast, green vegetables
Taste : Red fruits, oak, drying tannins, burnt toast, slight mint, blackcurrant, mocha, green vegetables
Alcohol : 13.5%
Price : 199 SEK
Mark : B
Website : Thelema Mountain Vineyards
Website : Nigab AB
Posted by ANDY CHEESE at 07:29 0 comments
Labels: Tasting Note