TN : Prinz Tradition 2007 Rheingau Riesling Trocken, Qualtaetswein, Germany

This wine was imported by Blentarps Vinimport.



Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Honey, lime, minerals

Taste : Pineapple, lime, honey, minerals, green apples

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Weingut Hans Prinz

TN : Vina Tarapca Ex Zavala, Gran Reserva, Etiquete Negra, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Maipo Valley, Chile

This wine was aged for 12 months in Seguin Moreau oak barrels. The winery is part of the Southern Sun Wine Group. The wine is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Carmenere.

The wine was imported by Bibendum.

Colour : Deep blackcurrant

Aroma : Blackcurrant, coffee, liqourice, herbs, blackberry

Taste : Blackberry, blackcurrant, herbs liqourice on finish, toasty oak

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 149 SEK

Mark : A-

Website : Vina Tarapaca
Website : Bibendum

TN : Estate Selection 2006, Chakana Andean Wines, Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina

This wine is a blend of 80% Malbec, 10% Syrah, and 10% Petit Verdot. The Syrah was harvested in March and the Petit Verdot and Malbec in April 2006. The wine was matured in French oak barrels for 15 months. Only 6000 bottles were released.

On the label it states : The Yaguarete (Jaguar) considered "Lord of the Starred Night" was the wildest known animal. This image associates the Jaguar with the fantastic beings. Product of hallucinations combining the real with the imaginary.

This wine was imported by Prime Sweden AB.

Colour : Black/purple

Aroma : Tobacco, violets, blackberry, plums

Taste : Blackberry, tobacco, violets, plums, coffee, slight vanilla, structured, slight spice, toast, chewy tannins on finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 149 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Chakana Andean Wines
Website : Primewine Sweden AB

TN : Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Vin de Pays du Peleponnese, Domaine Skouras, Greece

The grapes for this wine were hand-harvested in August 2006. The must went through six days of maceration before alcoholic fermentation for 12 days at 25 degrees in stainless steel tanks.



Colour : Purple

Aroma : Oak, blackberry, spice, liquorice

Taste : Blackcurrant, coffee, liquorice, earthy, spice, herbs, oak

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 117 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Domaine Skouras

TN : Arboleda Chardonnay 2007, Eduardo Chadwick, Casablanca Valley, Chile

The total acidity of this wine is 6.28 grammes per litre (tartaric acid), the pH is 3.43, and the residual sugar is 3.02 grammes per litre.

The vineyards are located 20 miles from the Pacific Coast in the Casablanca Valley. The vineyard soils are composed of clay and sandy loam. The vineyard was planted in 1997 using 96, 458, and Mendoza clones of Chardonnay. The vineyard is drip irrigated and canopy management is done using Vertical Shoot Positioning. The grapes were picked during the first week of April 2007.

The temperature during the 2006-2007 season were relatively cold. The final heat summation showed that there were 1401 degree days which was 60 degree days lower than the average of the past 6 years. Bud break came 10 days early which fortunately did not expose the vines to frosts. The months of october and november were warmer than in a normal year. Although conditions were warmer early in the season, the subsequent ripening period was cold, and the average high temperatures for the final months (December through March) were lower than the historic averages.

The grapes were hand-picked very early in the morning and then brought to the winery in 12kg cases. All of the fruit was whole-cluster pressed gently and all juice was fermented in French oak burgundy type of barrels (30% new oak) between 14 and 24 degrees . Some of the lots were inoculated with selected yeasts, although a large proportion (45%) was fermented with wild yeasts that are naturally present on the grape skins. After ten months of ageing “sur-lie” to enhance complexity, the wine was fined and bottled on the January 28th 2008.



Colour : Lemon

Aroma : Toast, nuts, butter, pineapple, green apple

Taste : Toast, butter, pineapple, honey, grapefruit

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 109 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Arboleda

Burnt Rubber and South African Reds

There have been many postings and articles, Wine Anorak and Decanter for instance, on the supposedly burnt rubber taste that is tainting red wines from South Africa. I went back through my online tasting notes and found that this character was indeed present in 8 out of 15 wines. I would have to say that this really is a problem that it exists for both low and top end South African red wines.

Website : Burnt Rubber : the great South African wine debate

TN : Riesling Steinterrassen 2007, Weingut Rudolf Rabl, Langenlois, Kamptal, Austria

This wine was imported by Johan Lidby Vinhandel AB.



Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Minerals, pineapple, honey, lime, lemon, peach

Taste : Minerals, pineapple, lime, lemon, slight honey, grapefruit

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Weingut Rabl
Website : Johan Lidby Vinhandel AB

VinUnic Newsletter December 2008

VinUnic have just posted their newsletter for December 2008. It can be downloaded from their website. Highlights for this month include new wines from Tenuta San Guido and Shafer.

Website : VinUnic Våra Viner December 2008

TN : Viu Manent Reserva Cabernet Franc 2005, Colchagua Valley, Chile

The winery has been family owned since 1935.

The grapes were hand-harvested from the El Olivar Estate vineyard. The wine has been aged in French Oak barrels for 18 months.



The wine was imported by Vinia AB.

Colour : Black/blue/red

Aroma : Toasty oak, plums, blackcurrants, herbs, figs

Taste : Toasty oak, blackcurrant, herbs, long coffee finish, plums, damsons, green finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 89 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Viu Manent
Website : Vinia

Vinkällaren Grappe Newsletter December 2008

Vinkällaren Grappe have just released their newsletter for December 2008. It can be downloaded from their website. The nice thing about the reviews in this newsletter is that it includes drinking windows which is something that Systembolaget will not commit to.

Website : Vinkällaren Grappes Nyhetsbrev December 2008

TN : Orzada Cabernet Franc 2005, Odfjell Vineyards, Maule, Chile

Norwegian Armador (shipowner) Dan Odfjell founded the winery. Orzada is a nautical term for sailing against the wine before setting a direction.

This wine was bottled unfiltered.

There was no mention of the 2005 release of this wine on the Odfjell Vineyards website.



The wine was imported by Arcus Sweden AB.

Colour : Black/purple

Aroma : Toasty oak, blackcurrant, herbs

Taste : Dominating toasty oak, herbs, blackcurrant, milk chocolate, liquorice, drying tannins on finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Odfjell Vineyards
Website : Arcus Sweden AB

TN : A Lisa 2006, Bodega Noemia de Patagonia, Rio Negro Valley, Patagonia, Argentina

The estate where the grapes were grown is situated in Rio Negro Valley which is 620 miles south of Buenos Aires, 280 miles east of the Andes, and a further 1240 miles from Tierra del Fuego. It is located in the middle of the desert. The vineyards are influenced by the Neuquen and Limay rivers. The climate is dry. There is a maximum of 30% humidity and 7 inches of rain per year. This helps to keep the area free of diseases. During grape maturation, the temperature ranges from 28 degrees, during the day, to 9 degrees at night.



The wine is 93% Malbec and 7% Merlot. The Ph is 3.55 and there is 5.96 grammes of titratable acid.

Only 8900 bottles and 10 magnums were produced. The wine is bottled unfiltered.

This wine was imported by Amka.
Colour : Dark violets

Aroma : Blueberry, violets, savoury, raspberry liqcour

Taste : Raspberry licqour, savoury notes, concentrated, long finish, violets, blueberry, crisp

Alcohol : 14.3%

Price : 225 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Bodega Noemia de Patagonia
Website : Amka

TN : Cono Sur Reserva Riesling 2007, Bio Bio Valley, Chile

The winemaker was Adolfo Hurtado.



On the back label it is stated "CarbonNeutral delivery" and "Drinking a Cono Sur Wine is now Greener".

Colour : Pale yellow

Aroma : Lime, mineral, marmelade

Taste : Overwhelming petrol character, oily, lime, mineral, oranges, marmelade, green apple, dry

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 100 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Cono Sur

TN : Chateau Tayac 2000, Cru Bourgeois, Margaux, France

Colour : Dark plum

Aroma : Herbs, blackcurrant, raspberry, plum

Taste : Violets, talcum powder tannins, plum, cedar

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 195 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Chateau Tayac

TN : Beaujolais Nouveau 2008, Pasquier Desvignes, France

Colour : Black cherry

Aroma : red fruits, blueberry, ripe bananas, bubble gum

Taste : Acidic, green, thin, bubble gum, herbs, raspberry, strawberry

Alcohol : 12%

Price : 59 SEK

Mark : D

Website : Pasquier Desvignes

Samsung Wine Refrigerator RW13EBSS

I have just purchased a wine refrigerator for short term wine storage. It cost less than 2000 SEK at MediaMarkt in Nacka Forum, Stockholm which is by far the cheapest place to buy this model in the Stockholm area. It has place for 29 bottles. There are two preset temperature settings, one for red wine at 13 degrees and the other for white wine at 7 degrees though any custom temperature can be set. There is also inner light that can be switched on so the contents of the refrigerator can be seen without having to open the door. It also has a lock and key which stops the door being opened by accident.


Website : Samsumg Wine Refrigerator RW13EBSS
Website : Samsung Wine Refrigerator Rw13EBSS Instruction Manual

TN : Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau 2008, Cuvee Non Filtree, Pierre Dupond, France

Colour : Light murky cherry red

Aroma : Raspberry, strawberry, boiled sweets

Taste : Thin, weedy, herbs, lacking fruit, raspberry, bubble gum, acidic

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 73 SEK

Mark : D+

Beaujolais Nouveau 2008

Beaujolais Nouveau is here in Sweden. The Systembolaget launched two bottles on Thursday 20th November. They were :

• Beaujolais Nouveau 2008,Pasquier Desvignes, Alcohol 12%, Price 59 SEK

• Beaujolais Nouveau Villages 2008, Cuvee Non Filtree, Terroir et Talents, Alcohol 12.5%, Price 73 SEK

Website : Beaujolais Nouveau 2008 at Systembolaget, Pasquier Desvignes
Website : Beaujolais Nouveau 2008 at Systembolaget, Terroir er Talents

TN : Zuccardi Serie A Tempranillo 2006, Mendoza, Argentina

The grapes for this wine come from the Santa Rosa Vineyards located near Mendoza in Argentina.



No mention of this wine could be found on the Familia Zuccardi website.

The wine was imported by Philipson and Söderberg.



Colour : Red/purple

Aroma : Tobacco, dark fruits, savoury, violets, almonds

Taste : Tobacco, savoury, spice, oak, raspberry

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 72 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Bodega Familia Zuccardi
Website : Philipson and Söderberg

TN : Le Focaie 2006, Rocca di Montemassi, IGT, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy

Colour : Purple

Aroma : Blackcurrants, burnt toast, oak, violets, cherries

Taste : Burnt toast, cherries, violets

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 89 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Rocca di Montemassi