Wednesday, 4 May 2011

TN : Roodeberg White 2010, KWV, South Africa


This is a blend of 36% Chenin Blanc, 45% Chardonnay, 14% Sauvignon Blanc, 3.5% Viognier, 1% Semillon, and 0.5% Grenache Blanc grapes and sealed under screwcap. 55% of the blend was matured on oak for three months. The pH is 3.42, total acidity is 5.74 grammes per litre, and the residual sugar is 3.43 grammes per litre.



This wine was imported by Arvid Nordquist Vin och Sprithandel.

Colour : Pale yellow

Aroma : Buttered toast, mango, apricot, green apples, oranges

Taste : Oak, pears, mango, banana, green apple, creamy texture

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 79 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Roodeberg

TN : Bel Echo Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Clos Henri, Marlborough, New Zealand


Clos Henri is a vineyard development in Marlborough by Henri Bourgeois of Sancerre. The terroir is 80% Broadbridge Clay and 20% Greywacke riverbed. The planting density is 4400 vines per hectare and the yield is 7.2 tonnes per hectare or 54 hectolitres per hectare. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and then aged on fine lees for six months. Lees stirring is done to stabilise the wine naturally which enables fining of the wine only once before a light filtration and then sealing under screwcap.



The Bourgeois New Zealand vineyard was christened "Clos Henri", pronounced "Klo Enrie" for two reasons; first as a homage to the patriarch of the Bourgeois family, Henri and secondly its vineyard of special terroir, or "Clos". "Clos" is an old French word, representing an ancient custom of delineating a unique vineyard site by enclosing it in a wall or barrier. The Clos Henri site, with its untouched land, three soil types and unique hillsides, is also enclosed and thus the term "Clos" is used.

This wine was imported by Philipson Soderberg AB.

Colour : Pale watery lemon

Aroma : Tropical fruits, nettles

Taste : Tropical fruits, asparagus, nettles, long zingy acidic finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 159 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Clos Henri Vineyard

TN : FLD Riglos Gran Corte 2008, Bodega Riglos, Finca Las Divas, Tupungato, Uco Valley, Argentina


This wine is a blend of 50% Malbec, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. All of the grapes come from Finca Las Divas situated at 4000 feet above sea level. The grapes were harvested on April 29th 2008. 3824 bottles of this wine were produced. The wine spent 22 months in first use French oak barrels. The enologist was Pulqui Rodriguez Villa.



This wine was imported by Prime Wine Sweden AB.



Colour : Dark black/blackberry

Aroma : Herbs, plums, blackcurrant, spice, toast, vanilla

Taste : Dense sweet dark fruits singing high above mega toasty oak, vanilla, plums, blackberry, violets, herbs, liqourice on finish, could leave 1-2 more years for oak to mellow

Alcohol : 15%

Price : 279 SEK

Mark : A-

Website : Bodega Riglos

Monday, 2 May 2011

TN : Dr Loosen Riesling Beerenauslese 2006, Mosel, Germany


This wine was made from Riesling grapes that had been shriveled by Botrytis mold.



This wine won a Gold medal at the International Wine Challenge 2007.

Colour : Pale yellow

Aroma : Oranges, honey, barley sugar, lemon, pear

Taste : Sweet, oranges, lemon, honey, lime

Alcohol : 7%

Price : 119 (187 ml bottle)

Mark : B+

Website : Dr Loosen

TN : Dr Loosen Uerziger Wuerzgarten Riesling Spaetlese 2009, Mosel, Germany


Uerziger Wuerzgarten means "The Spice garden of Uerzig". The soils are weathered red volcanic and slate. The winemaker was Bernard Schug.



This wine was imported by VinUnic AB.



Colour : Pale watery lemon

Aroma : Honey, lemon, green apples, stone fruits

Taste : Sweet, honey, minerals, lemon, oranges, pear

Alcohol : 7.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Mark : A

Website : Dr Loosen

TN : Bolgarello Rosso Sangiovese 2009, IGT, Poggio Al Tesoro, Tuscany, Italy


This wine is a blend of 85% Sangiovese and 15% Syrah. The grapes come from Bolgheri and Maremma. The wine was bottled under screwcap.



This wine was imported by The WineAgency AB.

Colour : Black cherry

Aroma : Cherry, milk chocolate, mint, liqourice

Taste : Thin, sour cherries, cocoa powder, earthy acidic finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 75 SEK

Mark : D

Website : Poggio Al Tesoro

Wednesday, 27 April 2011

TN : La Parrina 2009, IGT, Gancia Parrina, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy


This wine is a blend of 30% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, and 10% Syrah.



This wine was imported by Interbrands Sweden AB.



Colour : Raspberry red

Aroma : Oak, vanilla, cherries, spice, liqourice, raspberry

Taste : Burnt toast, spice, vanilla, blackberry, raspberry

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 259 SEK (3 litre bag-in-box)

Mark : C+

Website : Gancia Parrina

TN : Solosole Vermentino 2009, Poggio Al Tesoro, Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy


This wine is 100% Vermentino from a selection of Corsican Vermentino clones. The grapes come from the Sondraie vineyard located at 25 metres above sea level. The vineyard soils are deep sand, gravel, and clay. The vines were trellised to the Guyot training system.



The name Solosole means "just sunshine".

This wine was imported by The WineAgency Sweden AB.

Colour : Pale yellow

Aroma : Oranges, peach, herbs

Taste : Oranges, peach, herbs, honey

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Poggio Al Tesoro

Monday, 18 April 2011

TN : Bolgarello Bianco Vermentino 2010, IGT, Poggio Al Tesoro, Tuscany, Italy


This wine was sealed with a screwcap.



This wine was imported by The WineAgency Sweden AB.

Colour : Watery pale lemon

Aroma : Mandarin oranges, lemon, almonds, pear

Taste : Pear, almond, lemon, bitter finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 75 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Poggio Al Tesoro

TN : Leths Have Pink ! Zweigelt Rose Trocken Klassik 2010, Weingut Leth, Fels am Wagram, Niederoesterreich, Austria


This wine was sealed with a screwcap.



This wine was imported by Domaine Wines & Spirits AB.

Colour : Salmon pink, copper

Aroma : Vanila, strawberry, oranges

Taste : Raspberry, strawberry, vanilla, oranges, very fruity, redcurrants

Alcohol : 12%

Price : 79 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Weingut Leth

Wednesday, 13 April 2011

TN : Louis M Martini Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Napa Valley, Californina, USA


Louis M Martini built the winery in the Napa Valley in 1933.



This wine was imported by Spendrups Bryggeri AB.

Colour : Dark blackcurrant

Aroma : Burnt toast, blackcurrant, mint, tobacco

Taste : Blackcurrant, burnt toast, coffee, cinamon on finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Louis M Martini Winery

TN : Kerastis Agiorgitiko 2008, Apostolos Lykos Winery, Peloponnesos, Nemea, Greece

This wine was imported by Concealed Wines AB.



Colour : Red, blue hues

Aroma : Spice, pepper, plums

Taste : Cinamon throughout, plummy fruit, liqourice on tangy finish

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 89 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Apostolos Lykos Winery

Monday, 11 April 2011

TN : Antu Ninquen Mountain Vineyard Syrah 2008, Colchagua Valley, Chile


Ninquen (nin-ken) means "Plateau on a Mountain". Antu means "sun" in Mapuche or "People from the Earth" language.



The Ninquen Mountain vineyard is located in Colchagua Valley. The soil is a thin blanket of clay over decomposed rock. The trellis system used is VSP. All of the grapes were handpicked on April 18th 2008 and then subjected to a four day cold soak. The yeast used for alcoholic fermentation was PDM. Three pump overs of two minutes per ton were done each day. The total skin contact was twenty three days. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered. All of the wine spent 18 months in oak of which 80% was French and 20% was American. 50% of the oak was new and 50% was second use. The residual sugar is 2.98 grammes per litre, the total acidity is 5.25 grammes per litre (measured as tartaric acid) and the pH is 3.53. 3000 cases were produced.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Blackberry, plums, tobacco, mint, milk chocolate, black pepper

Taste : Blackberry, mega tobacco on finish, plums, mint, milk chocolate

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 149 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Vina Ninquen

TN : Journey's End Bluegum Merlot Barrel Selection 2007, Stellenbosch, South Africa


The vineyard soils are predominantely granite with sandy top soil. 12035 vines were planted in 200 and 2001. The rootstocks used were 1010/14 and Ruggeri 140. 27.2 tons of grapes were harvested on the 26th February 2007 at an average yield of 2.4 tons per acre.



Thirty Six barrels of this wine were produced. The wine was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels with a small percentage ageing for a further time in American oak barrels. This wine won a double gold at the 2010 Michaelangelo international wine awards.



This wine was imported by Vinunic AB.



Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Dried fruits, raspberry, blackcurrant, liqourice, milk chocolate

Taste : Blackcurrant, raspberry, dried fruits, liqourice on warm finish, minerals, milk chocolate

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 155 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Journey's End Winery

Monday, 4 April 2011

TN : Chateau Desmirail 2004, Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux, France


This wine is classified 3rd Grand Cru Classe. It is a blend of 39% Merlot and 61% Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard consists of 30 hectares of deep quarternary gravel. The vines are planted at a density of 7600 vines per hectare. The average age of the vines is 30 years and the average yield is 45 hectolitres per hectare. All of the grapes were harvested between the 28th September and the 15th October.



Jean Desmirail founded the estate at the end of the 17th century. Chateau Desmirail is now ran by Denis Lurton who took over in 1992 at the then age of 33.

This wine was imported bhy VinUnic AB.

Colour : Red, blue and brown hues

Aroma : Cedar, blackcurrant, plums, tobacco

Taste : Cedar, tobacco, herbs, little fruit consisting of plums and blackcurrants, woody drying finish

Price : 289 SEK

Alcohol : 13%

Mark : C-

Website : Chateau Desmirail

TN : Les Lauzeraies Tavel 2010, Les Vignerons de Tavel, Cotes du Rhone, Tavel, France


This wine was sealed with a screwcap.



This wine was imported by Terrific Wines Sweden.

Colour : Raspberry pink

Aroma : Raspberry, strawberry, herbs, oranges

Taste : Raspberry, strawberry, herbs, spice, bone dry

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 95 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Les Vignerons de Tavel

TN : Chateau Marzy Grand Enclos de Riffat 2005, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France


This wine is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Plums, cedar, tobacco, blackcurrant

Taste : Horrible overwhelming stale tobacco, earthy, herbs, hints of plummy fruit, earthy, tangy finish

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 225 SEK

Mark : E

Wednesday, 30 March 2011

TN : Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Sonoma Mountain, California, USA


This wine was imported by Divine AB.



Colour : Dark blackcurrant

Aroma : Blackcurrant, plums, cedar, vanilla

Taste : Mega liqourice on finish, blackcurrant, mineral, cedar, toast

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 369 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Divine AB

TN : Chateau Haut-Mazeris 2004, Canon-Fronsac, Bordeaux, France


Capucine de Luynes is the manager of the vines of Château Haut-Mazeris, which have been in her family for four generations. The vineyard itself is located in the district of Saint Michel de Fronsac, on the highest slope of the region. The vineyard soil is clayey limestone. There are ten hectares of vines of which five hectares are in Canon Fronsac and five hectares in Fronsac. The grape varietals are Merlot 65 %, Cabernet Franc 15 %, and Cabernet Sauvignon 20 %. The average age of the vines 30 years old though a few vine stocks of Cabernet Sauvignon are
over 100 years old. The wine is aged in 30 % new barrels and 70 % one year barrels. Jean-Luc Thunevin is the consultant.



Colour : Blackcurrant, red

Aroma : Blackcurrant, plums, toasty oak, sandalwood

Taste : Blackcurrant, plums, fruity, drying tannins on finish, toasty oak, cedar, could leave a year or two more and try again to see if tannins integrate more or fade

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 269 SEK (Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Terminal 5 Duty Free shop)

Mark : B

Website : Ets Thunevin

Monday, 28 March 2011

TN : Castelgiocondo 2003, Brunello Di Montalcino, Marchesi De Frescobaldi, Tuscany, Italy


This wine is 100% Sangiovese. All of the grapes for this wine were handharvested during the last week of September and the first week of October 2003. The yield was 35 hectolitres per hectare.



Alcoholic fermentation took twelve days in stainless steel vats at a temperature of less than 30 degrees. The length of the maceration was 32 days. The wine was matured in Slavonian oak casks and French oak barrels.



This wine was rated three out of five stars by Decanter magazine and 90 points by Wine Spectator.



This wine was purchased as part of a three bottle case of the 2003, 2004, and 2005 vintages of Castelgiocondo from Finnair in-flight duty free on the Hong Kong to Helsinki route for 98 Euro.







Colour : Dark red,brown hues

Aroma : Blackcurrants, plums, wood, coffee

Taste : Wood, fruity, blackcurrant, plums, coffee, cherries, chalky tannic finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Mark : B