TN : Marks & Spencer Bordeaux Merlot 2009, Bordeaux, France

This wine was created for Marks & Spencer by Yvan Meyer. It is 100% Merlot.



Colour : Red, raspberry

Aroma : Plums, earth

Taste : Plums, earthy, cherry, spice on finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 7.69 British Pounds (Marks & Spencer, Cardiff, UK)

Mark : C+

TN : Prieur des Jacobins Les Jailes 2008, Maison Sichel, Bordeaux, France

I had this wine on a British Airways flight from Stockholm Arlanda to London Heathrow on Christmas eve. It came in a 187 ml PET screwcapped bottle.

Colour : Red/maroon

Aroma : Plums, earth, spice

Taste : Plums, earth, fruity, savoury note on finish

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : Free

TN : Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2008, The co-operative, Colchagua Valley, Chile

This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere. The wine was bottles by Vina Luis Felipe Edwards.



Colour : Dark blackcurrant

Aroma : Blackcurrant and toasty oak

Taste : Blackcurrant, plums, vanilla, harsh toasty oak

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 5.99 British Pounds (The co-operative, Worcester, UK)

Mark : C

TN : Ninquén Mountain Vineyard 2006, Vina Ninquén, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Founded in 1998, Ninquén is the result of the entrepreneurial spirit of its owners, brothers Eduardo and Hernán Gras and Cristián Hartwig who converted it in Chile’s first Mountain Vineyard. Ninquén (nin-ken) means “Plateau on a Mountain” in a native dialect and literally describes its geographic condition.



This wine received 92 Points from the Wine Advocate in May 2009 and a gold medal from the International Wine & Spirit Competition, 2009, in the UK. It is a blend of 65% Syrah and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon. The vines were trained on a VSP Trellis System. The soil type is clay and the age of vines was 11 years.

The grapes were subject to a cold soak lasting four days. The yeast used for alcoholic fermentation was PDM. The fermentation temperature was between 29 and 32 degrees. The fermenting must was pumped-over three times per day. The total skin contact wa 30 days. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

100% of the wine spent 21 months in oak. The oak used was 80% French and 20% American. 80% of which was new and 20% was second use. The residual sugar is 3.2 grammes per litre, the total acidity is 5.25 grammes per litre (as tartaric acid), and the pH is 3.50. 1,500 cases were produced. The winemakers were Hernán Gras and Paul Hobbs.


Colour : Black/blackberry

Aroma : Blackberry, blackcurrant, plums, mint, burnt toast, green pepper

Taste : Blackcurrant, blackberry, toast, drying grippy tannins and spice and earth on finish, green pepper, coffee

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 289 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Ninquen

TN : Trapiche Single Vineyard Malbec Vina Fausto Orellana 2005, La Consulta, Mendoza, Argentina

This wine is 100% Malbec. The grapes for this wine come from the La Consulta vinyard in San Carlos, Mendoza. The grapes are grown at an altitude of 990 meters above sea level and the vineyard is located at a latitude of 33º49’134’’ South. The age of the vineyard is 57 years. The row orientation is North to South. The trellis system used is low espalier. The vines are planted at a density of 5000 vines per hectare. The yield was 2600 kg per hectare. Furrow irrigation was used and the vines are planted on their own roots. The vineyard soil is alluvial, sandy soil with pebbles throughout.



The grapes were hand harvested into 20 kg plastic cases. Fermentation and maceration took place in in small concrete vats for a minimum of 23 days at 23-25ºC. Natural malolactic fermentation occured. Finally, the wine was aged 18 months in new French oak barrels. The total acidity is 6.15 grammes per litre and the pH is 3.56.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Plums, spice, oak, blackberry, herbs

Taste : Blackberry, plums, spice on finish, herbs, violets

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 245 SEK

Mark : A-

Website : Trapiche

TN : Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Noir 2009, Marlborough, New Zealand

The grapes for this wine are sourced from a number of vineyards in the Awatere and Wairau Valleys of Marlborough.



Colour : Raspberry

Aroma : Spice, strawberry

Taste : Soft, fruity, raspberry, strawberry, spice, coca cola

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 10.49 British Pounds (Sainsbury's 28th December 2010)

Mark : B-

Website : Villa Maria Estate

TN : Kaesler Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Kaesler Wines, Barossa Valley, Australia

Kaesler was established in 1893. This bottle was number 14142 of this vintage. The grapes for this wine were sourced from Matthew's block which was planted in 1985. The vineyard is adjacent to the winery. The vineyard soil is red brown loam over clay and then limestone rubble. The wine was matured in new, one, and two year old French oak for 15 months and bottled with no fining or filtration. This wine received 90 points from Jay Miller of The Wine Advocate.



The wine was imported by Divine AB.

Colour : Black/blackcurrant

Aroma : Coffee, blackcurrant, mint, liquorice, blackberry

Taste : Concentrated dark fruits, blackcurrant, blackberry, cherry liquor, mint, liquorice, oak on finish

Alcohol : 15.5%

Price : 269 SEK

Mark : A

Website : Kaesler Vineyards and Winery
Website : Divine AB

TN : Sankt Anna Riesling 2009, Weingut Sankt Anna, Pfalz, Germany

This wine was sealed with a screwcap.



This wine was imported by Mondowine Sweden AB.

Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Pineapple, green apples, lemon, oranges

Taste : Minerals, pineapple, green apples, lemon

Alcohol : 10.5%

Price : 49 SEK (375 ml bottle)

Mark : C

Website : Mondowine Sweden AB

TN : Tanbark Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Philip Togni Vineyard, Napa Valley, California, USA

This wine received 89 points from the Wine Advocate.

This wine was imported by Divine AB.

Colour : Dark blackcurrant

Aroma : Blackcurrant, sandalwood, coffee, oak

Taste : Dense, creamy, sandalwood, blackcurrant, cherry, spicy, grippy tannic finish, overoaked, warm harsh toasty oak finish, flabby

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 399 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Philip Togni Vineyard
Website : Divine AB

TN : Laberinto 2007, Vina Ribera del Lago, Georg Andersen y Cia Limitada, Maule Valley, Chile

This wine is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. Rafael Tirado was the winemaker. The wine was matured for 14 months in French oak.

This wine was imported by The Wineagency AB.

Colour : Dark plummy red

Aroma : Blackcurrant, plums, coffee, chocolate, herbs

Taste : Blackcurrant, plums, herbs, milk chocolate, grippy tannic finish with tobacco finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 195 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : The Wineagency AB

Argentiera 2005, DOC Superiore, Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy

This wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. The grapes come from an altitude of between 180 and 200 metres above sea level. The soil varies from sandy to clay in the vineyard. The yield was 5,000 kg per hectare. Harvesting started with the Merlot on the 15th September 2005. The Cabernet Franc was harvested during the last week of September and the Cabernet Sauvignon from the end of September until the 10th October.



All of the grape varieties were vinified separately. Alcoholic fermentation and maceration took place in stainless steel vats for about 25 to 30 days and a controlled temperature between 28 and 30 degrees. The wine was transferred to 225 litre French oak barriques (Allier and Troncais wood) where malolactic fermentation completed. The wine was then aged for 14 months in oak and then for a further 12 months in bottle before release.

Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Plums, blackcurrant, wood, spice, herbs

Taste : Concentrated, thick, mouth coating, blackcurrant, plums, over oaky, herbs, spice

Alcohol : 14%

Mark : B-

Website : Tenuta Argentiera Bolgheri

TN : Bad Boy 2005, Ets Thunevin, Bordeaux, France

The bottling of this cuvee produced 6666 cardboard boxes of six, or 39996 bottles. The wine is a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, from vines at least 40 years old in a terroir of clayey limestone. In the USA, this cuvee is known as Mauvais Garcon.



Colour : Dark plum

Aroma : Blackcurrants, plums, vanilla

Taste : Blackurrant, plums, cherry, wood, earth, drying grippy tannins, talculm powder texture on finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Ets Thunevin

TN : Craggy Range Sophia 2005, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

This wine is produced entirely from the Gimblett Gravels Vineyard nestled on the right bank of the Ngaruroro River. The wine is a blend of 62% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. The average brix at harvest was between 24.2 and 25. The production level was on average 62 hectolitres per hectare and all the grapes were handharvested. All of the grapes were 100% destemmed. Alcoholic fermentation was conducted using inoculated neutral yeast. The wine was matured for 19 months in French barriques of which 80% were new. The finished wine was both fined and filtered. The pH is 3.63 and acidity is 6.01 grammes per litre. The wine was released on the 1st June 2007. The vigneron was Steve Smith.



This wine was imported by Divine AB.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Plums, blackcurrant, spice, blackberry, chocolate

Taste : Fruity, blackberry, plums, blackcurrant, polished oak furniture, spice, grainy tannins

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 358 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Craggy Range Vineyards
Website : Divine AB

TN : Argento Chardonnay

There was no vintage date on this bottle of Argentinian Chardonnay that was served to me on a British Airways flight from Stockholm to London Heathrow just before Christmas. It came in a 187ml PET screwcapped bottle. I tried the wine on the return journey also to see how consistent the wine and myself were. The wine tasted more like a Sauvignon Blanc than a Chardonnay and was nettly with some lemon but not much else going on.

Price : Free
Mark : D+

TN : Chateau Pedesclaux 2004, Grand Cru Classe, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc.



Château Pedesclaux was created in the beginning of the 19 century, in 1810, by Mr Pierre Urbain Pedesclaux, a well-known wine broker of Bordeaux. In 1855, Château Pedesclaux was classified as a fifth great growth.

Colour : Purple/red

Aroma : Blackcurrant, plums, herbs, tobacco

Taste : Blackcurrant, plums, tobacco, cedar, herbs, grippy tannic finish

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 299 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Chateau Pedesclaux

TN : Ruedesheimer Berg Rottland Riesling Trocken 2009, Weingut Josef Leitz, Rheingau, Germany

This wine was sealed with a screwcap.



Colour : Pale yellow

Aroma : Mandarin oranges, honey, green apples, stone fruits

Taste : Bone dry, minerals, honey, pineapple, green apples and acid on finish

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 149 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Weingut Josef Leitz

TN : Craggy Range Single Vineyard Syrah Block 14 2007, Gimblett Gravels Vineyard, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

This wine was bottles under screwcap. The wine received 94 points from Wine Advocate in issue 184 (September 2009).



This wine was imported by Divine AB.

Colour : Black/purple

Aroma : Blackberry, blueberry, pepper, meaty

Taste : Blackberry, blueberry, spice, drying tannins and white pepper on finish, overwhelming stony minerals spoil this wine, thin texture

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 269 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Craggy Range
Website : Divine AB

TN : Mendel Malbec 2007, Mendoza, Argentina

All of the grapes came from a vineyard situated in Lujan de Cuyo at an altitude of 1000 metres. The vineyard was planted in 1928. The wine spent twelve months in new French barriques. 5500 cases were bottles. Roberto de la Mota was the winemaker.



I purchased this wine 16 months ago and maybe it was tasting better then. Some of the primary fruit seems to have faded.

Colour : Dark red, blue hues

Aroma : Blueberry, blackberry, herbs, oak

Taste : Fading blackberry, plums, oak, very drying finish with no fruit

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 169 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Mendel Wines

TN : Chateau Fourcas Dupre 2001, Listrac-Medoc, Bordeaux, France

This wine is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. This wine spent one year in oak of which one third was new.

The vineyards of Fourcas are mentioned on Belleyme’s map, a geographical engineer of Louis XV. In 1843, the lawyer Jean Baptiste Antoine Dupré, member of the Bordeaux Appeal Court acquired the vineyard and in 1844 Château Fourcas Dupré was born. The cellars, buildings and château were then completely renovated. Today, a new fully functional fermenting room and refurbished cellars for storing and packing complement the original ones. The chateau now belongs to a family-owned company managed by Patrice Pagès.

The vineyard of Château Fourcas Dupré is located on a crest of Pyrenean gravely soil at an altitude of 42 meters. It is an uninterrupted plot with an average density of 8500 vines per hectare.

Colour : Dark red, browning on rim

Aroma : Spice upfront, oak, coffee, plums, blackcurrant, milk chocolate, herbs

Taste : This wine smells better than it tastes. Spice, plums, sour cherry, developed talcum powder texture, herbs, thin, lacking fruit

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 159 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Chateau Fourcas Dupre

TN : Chateau Rollan de By 2004, Cru Bourgeois, Medoc, Bordeaux, France

This is a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and 10% Petit Verdot. Before fermentation, the grapes underwent a maceration for three days at 10 degrees. The must was fermented in stainless steel vats broaderthan higher (3.50 metres by 1.50 metres). After the fermentation, the wine was kept in the vats for up to three weeks before it was heated up to 30 degrees and put into oak barrels for twelve months. Traditional egg white fining and no filtration was used.

Ricardo Cotarella was the oenologist and Alain Raynaud was a consultant. The chateau was founded in 1989 and is now owned by Jean Guyon.

Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Cedar, plums, oak, green herbs, blackcurrant

Taste : Blackcurrant, plums, woody, underlying grippy tannins, excessive intrusive green tasting herbs

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 139 (375ml bottle)

Mark : D-

Website : Chateau Rollan de By