Fridge Magnet : Antinori Tignanello

Oz Clarke's Wine Guide on CD-ROM

I possess four versions of Oz Clarke's Wine Guide on CD-ROM and wondering why he doesn't produce another version; either online or on DVD with online updates. It could combine his Wine Atlas along with his Best Buys, Pocket Wine Book, Grapes and Wines, and Wine Atlas books. This would be a phenomenal resource.

The four versions I possess are depicted below.

This version was produced by Microsoft in 1995 and ran on MacOS System 7 or later, required 5Mb of memory and 2Mb of hard disk space :



This version was produced by Websters in 1997 and ran on MacOS System 7 or later, required 8Mb of memory and 1Mb of hard disk space :



This version was produced by Websters in 1998 and ran on MacOS System 7 or later, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 3.1, and Windows NT 3.51 or later, required 8Mb of memory and 1Mb of hard disk space on a Macintosh and 10Mb of hard disk space on a Windows box :




This version was produced by Dorling Kindersley in 1999 and ran on Windows 3.1, 95, 98, and NT, and MacOS System 7.5.3 or later, required between 8 and 32Mb of memory and 20Mb of hard disk space on a Windows box and 16Mb of memory and 6Mb of hard disk space on a Macintosh :



Website : Oz Clarke

Wine Blog Study

Do wine blogs matter ?

Tracy Rickman, a doctoral candidate at Auburn University is calling on all wine bloggers and wine blog readers to undertake a survey which will be used to obtain information on how consumers obtain and use information about wine.

Please help Tracy by taking the survey (see the URL link below).

Website : Wine Blog Study Survey

Systembolaget New Wines June 2009

The Systembolaget have published their latest newsletter detailing the new wines that will be available for June 2009. It can be downloaded in PDF format from the Systembolaget web site.

Website : Systembolaget Varunytt June 2009

TN : Peter Lehmann Barossa Cabernet Sauvingnon 2006, Australia

The label on this wine is the Queen of Clubs icon which symbolises the gamble that Peter Lehmann took when starting up his wine business. The Cabernet Sauvignon Queen image was painted by Michelle Wheadon.

This wine, 2006, is the third successive vintage of Barossa Cabernet.

Since 2003, Peter Lehmann Wines has been part of Hess Family Estates.

Colour : Red, cassis hues

Aroma : Cedar, blackcurrant, milk chocolate

Taste : Crisp, blackcurrant upfront followed by cedar and then milk chocolate and smooth tannins on a long finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 122 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Peter Lehmann Wines

Argentinian Wine Day (Argentisk Vindag) 2009

On 27th April 2009, the Argentinian Wine Day was hosted at the Hotel Hilton in Stockholm. The event was organised by the Embassy of Argentina in co-operation with the Nordic Wine Institute.

There were twenty exhibitors which are listed below :



My tasting notes and scores were :

A Wines

• Rolland Collection Val De Flores 2004

B+ Wines

• Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvingon 2005
• Catena Zapata Nicasia Malbec 2004 (very concentrated)
• Bodegas Universo Austral Finca Roja Rose 2007

B Wines

• Norton Privada 2006
• Norton Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
• Catena Chardonnay 2007 (Oak, pineapple, drinkable now but would benefit from some ageing to let oak integrate)
• Catena Alta Malbec 2004
• Andeluna Cellars Merlot 2006
• Rolland Collection Yacochuya 2004 (lots of oak, very concentrated, will this calm down ?)

B- Wines

• Fabre Montmayou Patangonia Malbec 2007
• Zuccardi Z 2005
• Norton Barrel Select Malbec 2004
• Altos Las Hormigas Colonia Las Liebres 2006
• Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Reserva 2006
• NQN Picada 2007
• Finca La Celia Furia Malbec Rose 2008

C+ Wines

• Caligiore Malbec Reserva 2006
• Finca La Chamiza Polo Amateur Malbec 2008
• Trivento Amado Sur 2006

C Wines

• Fabre Montmayou Grand Reserva 2005
• Altos Las Hormigas Malbec 2007 (too much oak)
• Bodega Atamisque Catalpa Malbec 2007
• Bodega Atamisque Catalpa Pinot Noir 2007
• NQN Colleccion Malbec 2005
• Telteca Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
• Telteca Gran Reserva 2005

C- Wines

• Tapiz Malbec Reserva (too much oak)
• Caligiore Staccato 2008

Weblink : Argentinian Wine Day 2009 Catalogue

Vinkällaren Grappe Newsletter May 2009

The May 2009 newsletter from Vinkällaren Grappe can now be downloaded from their website in PDF format.

Website : Vinkällaren Grappes Nyhetsbrev maj 2009

TN : Casa Patronales Rose Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2008, Central Valley, Chile

This was wine was packaged as a 3 litre bag-in-box. The filling date was 19/02/2009.



The wine is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot.



The wine was imported by Primewine Sweden.

Colour : Bright strawberry red

Aroma : Jellied strawberries and raspberries, herbs

Taste : Herbs, raspberries, strawberries, crisp, long fruity finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 185

Mark : B-

Website : Vina Casa Patronales
Website : Primewine Sweden AB

Center Party wants to allow direct sales of wine from Swedish vineyards

The Center Party wants to make the countryside more alive. One of the party's main proposals is that it wants to allow Swedish wine, spirits and beer producers to sell directly to consumers, writes Dagens Nyheter.

This comes from a manifesto for sustainable agriculture which is now published.

Previously, the Minister for Agriculture, Eskil Erlandson (C), announced that he wanted to see this opportunity for the Swedish producers of alcoholic beverages.

In an alcohol study, which was presented in spring, it was suggested, however, that it would not be allowed. However, the investigation was conducted by The Public Health Ministry whose responsible minister Maria Larsson has expressed a very different wish.

This is not the first time that the Center Party has proposed permission for direct vineyard sale. Already in 2007 the Agriculture Minister expressed high hopes producers around Sweden to be allowed to sell their alcoholic beverages directly to consumers.

Website : World of Wine News 29th April 2009

Pinot Noir at Lyngby Vingård, Sweden

Ola Johannesson has finally got hold of a small number, five, different clones of Pinot Noir for test planting. These clones are 115, 777, 512, 792 for SO 4 and 667 on the rootstock Fercal.

He will also try Saphir, that is approved in Germany, but not so widespread. Saphir is a cross from Geisenheim between Seyve Villard 1-72 and Arnsburger which in turn is a cross between two clones of Riesling. Its origin is that it does not ripen really early but instead has the good fungus resistance.

Website : Lyngby Vin

Thunevin Bad Boy 2005 & 2006 - When to drink ?

Seeing that Bad Boy 2005 was available to buy via the Systembolaget to-order range for 199 SEK, I asked Jean-Luc Thunevin about the drinking windows for the 2005 and 2006 vintages. This is what he said :

"2005 is certainly more powerful than 2006, but both can be cellared for at least 10 to 15 years. 2006 being made from a blend of 3 terroirs, is more fruit foward and will open earlier. Still, you could drink both now but I recommend to decant them for at least 1 hour, especially 2005."

TN : Atelier Syrah Cabernet Sauvingon 2007, Cavino, Vin de Pays de Achaia, Greece

This wine is a blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.



Cavino Winery was established in 1958 by Konstantinos Anastassiou. It initially grew and harvested its own grapes. However, in 1971, Cavinio made the decision to sell its' vineyards and produce wine from locally grown grapes.

Colour : Red, blue hues

Aroma : Smoky, blackberry, vanilla, oak, cherry

Taste : Smoky, blackberry, blackcurrant, vanilla, slight burnt taste

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 72 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Cavino

TN : Ramos Pinto Collection 2006, Duoro, Portugal

Casa Ramos Pinto was founded in 1880 by Adriano Ramos Pinto when he was only 21 years old. The grapes for this wine came from the Ervamoira and Bom Retiro estates in the Duoro. All of the grapes were hand-picked into small containers. The must was then vinified in granite tanks and stainless-steel
vats. French oak barrels were used during malolactic fermentation. After that, 40% of the wine remained in barrels and the rest went to age into two and three year old wine casks for 18 months. The wine was finished by fining with egg whites. The wine is a blend of 30% Tourigal Nacional, 30% Touriga Franca, and 40% Tinta Barroca. 60,000 750 ml bottles and 150 magnums were bottled in June 2008. The total acidity is 4.9 grammes per litre and pH is 3.6.

In 1911, Leopold Metilcovitz designed one of the posters in the Casa Ramos Pinto collection known as "Adam and Eve".

Colour : Dark red, blue hues

Aroma : Pepper, blackberry, blueberry, mint, liquorice

Taste : Gobs of upfront fruit, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, pepper, herbs, mint, liquorice, warmth, concentrated, tiring to drink

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 165 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Ramos Pinto

TN : Les Launes Rouge 2007, Crozes-Hermitage, Delas, France

This was a 375ml half bottle and is 100% Syrah.

Delas was founded in 1835 when Charles Audibert and Philippe Delas bought Maisons Junique, then a 40 year old winery. It was renamed Audibert and Delas. Philippe Delas had two sons, Henri and Florentin. The latter married the daughter of Charles Audibert. In 1924, the brothers succeeded to the founders and changed the name of the house to Delas Freres. After World War II, Florentin's son, Jean took over the reigns and was followed in 1960 by his son Michel. In need of capital, Michel approached Champagne Deutz. In 1977, Andre Lallier-Deutz, great-great-grandson of William Deutz, merged the two companies. In 1981, the house moved to its current premises in Saint Jean de Muzols, a small village located two kilometres north of Tournon. The winery building, set amidst the vineyards of the St. Joseph appellation, covers more than 3000 square meters. Delas Freres and Champagne Deutz were acquired by Champagne Louis Roederer in 1993. Andre Lallier retired from daily winery duties in 1996, and Fabrice Rosset, a 20-year executive with Roederer, took over the helm at both Delas and Deutz.



The current winemaker, Jacques Grange, joined Delas Freres on June 2, 1997. Jacques holds a degree in enology from the University of Dijon and has extensive winemaking experience, including a four-year stint at Chapoutier working directly with Michel Chapoutier on the 1991-1994 vintages.



Colour : Blueberry/red

Aroma : Spice, pepper, liquorice, blueberry

Taste : Blueberry and violets upfront, tartness, then white pepper followed by liquorice on finish

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 72 SEK

Mark : C+

TN : Tentation du Chateau Le Bourdillot 2006, White Graves, Bordeaux, France

This wine is a blend of 70% Semillion and 30% Sauvingon. It has been partly fermented in French oak barrels and then aged for 7 months in oak. It was bottled with a light filtering.

The wine won a gold medal at the Concours de Bordeaux Vins d'Aquitaine in 2007.



Chateau Le Bourdillot is an old wine producing estate that dates to at least 1818 and is located in the heart of the Graves region, southeast of the city of Bordeaux. The Chateau was aquired by the Haverlan family in 1906 and today fourth generation owner, Patrice Haverland manages the estate.

In 1958, a vine root was discovered in the vineyard in the form of Jesus Christ. This imate was affixed to a cross and blessed by the Bishop of Rhodesia during the 1959 Easter celebrations. This “Jesus of the Vines” is one of the curiosities of the estate.

Colour : Palish yellow

Aroma : Oak, minerals, lemon

Taste : Oak, crisp, minerals, lemon, nettles

Alcohol : 12%

Price : 105 SEK

Mark : B-

Growing Wine in Stockholm

I was interested to read about Erik Rudhe who has planted wine grapes in Tynningö in the outskirts of Stockholm. I, myself, am considering planting some grapes on a trial basis in my front garden in Tyresö (suburb of Stockholm); probably Solaris as this is available from Gutevin and may do well. Erik is a lawyer who became a winemaker in his old age. Erik has been, for the last 23 years, busy cultivating grapes on Tynningö which lies between Värmdö and Vaxholm.

Erik started in 1985 on becoming a pensioner. He had a friend who was working in Bordeaux. Erik asked him if he thought he could grow grapes on Tynningö and his friend replied yes. This encouraged Erik and things began. Where Erik grows grapes is favourable, he has them on steep walls. Whilst there is frost elsewhere, the heat from the sea rises and protects his grapes. Both white and black grapes are grown. Amongst the many grape varieties that he grows are Chardonnay, Muller Thurgau, and Pinot Noir. He also cultivates Muscat of Alexandria. One of his wines is named Milchbutter Badstube; the name alludes to the German Mosel wine Bernkasteler Badstube. Erik normally bottles about 30 bottles each year but this can double in a really good year.

Website : Vinodlaren på Tynningö

Bruce Cunningham, X Winery / Amicus Cellars

There was an Aussie, an Englishman, and an American in a Swedish Bar tasting Californian wines. Sounds like the beginning of a really bad joke !. On April 1st 2009, I met up with Bruce Cunningham and Brad Schultze at Berns Hotel in Stockholm. Bruce is the Director of Sales and Partner at X Winery/Amicus Cellars which is located in Napa, California. Brad is the Business Development Manager at Muram International AB. The meeting was kindly arranged by Brad.

X Winery is the core brand of Amicus Cellars. X Winery was started by Reed Renaudin in 2001; Reed is the winemaker and CEO. Amicus Cellars produces 15,000 cases a year for sale in fine-wine shops, restaurants and a downtown Napa tasting room. Amicus Cellars celebrates the connection between wine and friendship; "amicus" is the Latin word meaning "friends". X Winery symbolizes the crossroads of where innovative and traditional winemaking meet. Amicus Cellars is independently owned as has a staff of 8 persons. The initial impression of all their wines is the packaging which is eye-catching, modern, and suggests hi-tech. All of the wines are very drinkable and incredible value for the money.

During winemaking, X Winery uses enzymes for for increased juice extraction and cultured yeasts for better control during fermentation and specific aroma and flavour extraction. All of the bottles labels are silk-screened printed whereby the ink is applied directly to the bottle which is then baked.

We tasted (all prices are the suggested consumer price, in Swedish Kronor, as given by Muram International) :

• X Winery 2007 Lake County Sauvignon Blanc. The wine was made from 100% Musque clone and aged for 3 months in stainless steel drums. 148 SEK.

• X Winery 2006 X3 Tri-County Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes were sources from Lake County High Valley appellation, Sonoma County, and Yountville and St Helena in Napa County. 189 SEK.

• X Winery 2006 Red X. This is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Syrah, 12% Zinfandel, and 6% Petit Sirah. The grapes are 74% Lake County, 17% Paso Robles, and 9% Napa Valley. 148 SEK.

• X Winery 2007 Nova Vineyards Zinfandel. The Nova Vineyard was planted in the mid 1960s. It is located on the benchlands of Kelseyville in Lake County. The vineyard is cerified as organic. 222 SEK.

• X Winery 2005 Paso Robles Petit Sirah. This is a blend of 85% Paso Robles Petit Sirah, 10% Carneros AVA Syrah, and 5% High Valley AVA Cabernet Sauvignon. 248 SEK.

• X Winery 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot. 248 SEK.

• Amicus Cellars 2005 Napa Valley Special Blend. This is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. The grapes are 98% Napa Valley Spring Mountain and 2% Lake County. 436 SEK.

• Amicus Cellars 2005 Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes come from 96% Napa Valley Spring Mountain and 4% St Helena. This wine received 91 points from Robert Parker in December 2008. 580 SEK.
  

My personal favourites were the X Winery 2007 Nova Vineyards Zinfandel and the Amicus Cellars 2005 Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.

The X winery range of wines probably will not be in the Systembolaget ordinary range since they are too expensive for the price point. The Systembolaget has puts its buying on hold for the non-base programs for US wines for the time being. The X winery range would probably be submitted should the hold be lifted. It is forseen that Muram will be selling the range through restaurants and their wine club.

Gina Richmond is the winemaker and Christine 'Maclean' Adams (or Cmac for short) is the marketing guru and blog-engineer for X Winery. X Winery joined Twitter at the beginning of this year, 2009, and established a page on Facebook five months ago. Following company policy, Christine tweets at least three times a day and spends 20 to 40 minutes in social-network interaction : posting links to interesting stories, responding to posts by Twitter “followers” (now nearly up to 300 !) or Facebook “fans”, and uploading content on Facebook. “It is a whole new level of communicating with consumers that was not really there before,” she says. Cutting-edge communication fits well with the brand’s image as an innovator and with the company’s small staff and marketing budget.

Website : X winery / Amicus Cellars
Website : Muram International AB
Website : Bruce Cunnigham
Website : Bradford Schultze
Website : Christine Adams
Website : American Wine Club
Website : Wineries plug into Internet social networks, North Bay Business Journal, March 30th 2009

TN : Seghesio Zinfandel 2006, Sonoma County, California, USA

Edoardo Seghesio planted the first Zinfandel vineyard in Sonoma County's Alexander Valley in 1895.

The wine was bottled under screwcap.



This wine was imported by Johan Lidby Vinhandel.

Colour : Purple, blue hues

Aroma : Blackberry, dark fruits, oak, mint, chocolate, smells much better than it tastes

Taste : Burning bitter astringent oak alcohol finish, blackberry, mint, chocolate, slight liqcourice

Alcohol : 15.5%

Price : 165 SEK

Mark : C-

Website : Seghesio Family Vineyards
Website : Johan Lidby Vinhandel AB

TN : Two Tracks Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Wither Hills, Malborough, New Zealand

This wine was packaged in a 1.5 litre bag-in-box. It is made by Wither Hills and the winemaker was Ben Glover. Total acidity is 7.2 grammes per litre and the residual sugar is 5 grammes per litre.



This wine was imported by WineWorld AB.



Colour : Pale straw

Aroma : Blackcurrant leaf, lime, gooseberry, cut grass

Taste : Overwhelming cut grass and sharp gooseberry, blackcurrant leaf, bracing mouthwatering acidity, lime

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 179 SEK

Mark : C-

Website : Wither Hills
Website : WineWorld AB

TN : Ascender Cellars Shiraz 2008, Broken Plough Vineyard, Barossa Valley, Australia

This wine was packaged in a 1500ml (two bottle) bag-in-box. It is a blend of 95% Shiraz and 5% Petit Verdot. There was a pre-fermentation maceration for a week and then alcoholic fermentation was started at 28 degrees and then fell to 23 degrees. Pumping over was performed every seventh hour. One gramme per litre of French oak powder and American oak chips were added during alcoholic fermentation. Part of the wine was stored in two year old French and American barriques and part in steel tanks with American oak staves inserted.

Broken Plough Vineyard was founded in 2000 and is owned by Jim Moulardellis.

Colour : Deep purple

Aroma : Vanilla, oak, plum, blackberry, herbs

Taste : Liquorice and warmth on finish, blackberry, herbs, oak, vanilla

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 179 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Austwine