TN : Zweigelt Ente 2009 Trocken Landwein, Weingut Alter Bach-Hengl Heurigenbetriebs GmbH, Grinzing, Vienna, Austria

Taste : Thin, lacking concentration, boring and one-dimensional, some plum and cherry fruit with spice on finish

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 18 Euro (drunk at Alter Bach-Hengl Hueriger)

Mark : C-

Website : Weingut Alter Bach-Hengl

Weinbau und Heurigenschank Gsoels "Zum Berger", Grinzing, Vienna, Austria

I visited the Gsoels Huerigenschank in July this year (2012) and tried three wines :


Gruener Veltliner (1/4 litre) at 3,50 Euro
This was very acidic, very lemon, and tasted like a pot of white pepper had been poured into the glass.
Mark : C-

Grauer Burgunder Rose (1/8 litre) at 4,80 Euro
This was dry and had some berry fruit but was oxidised.
Mark : D

Che "Roesler" Trocken (1/8 litre), 12.5%, at 4,00 Euro
This had lots of cherry and plum flavour with some spice and black pepper
Mark : B-

Website : Weinbau und Heurigenschank Gsoels "Zum Berger"

Book : Grape-A-Hol

This book is written by Michael F. Spratt and Mark L. Feldman from Destuny Bay Vineyards in New Zeland. The book spends most of the time tryin to justify that we should be buying fine wines instead of grape-a-hol. Grape-A-Hol is fermented grape juice and alcohol: sounds like wine to me. I didn't get the point of this book really. Is it just Destiny Bay Wines complaining because they don't sell enough wine ? I Live in Sweden where all wine must be bought via the state controlled monopoly yet I have good access to a decent collection of good wines. Sure, the Systembolaget sell a lot of wines which are one-dimensional and no character but nearly all of them are drinkable and cheap so what is the problem. This book seems to be addressing a very small sector of the population who just like to drink wine which tastes ok. The want to pay an affordable price and it should taste ok. The reason people buy Grape-A-Hol instead of fine wine is the price; they can't afford to buy fine wine. Sorry guys, if you want people to buy fine wine then it has to be cheaper. What is fine wine anyway. The usual propoganda is used to describe fine wine in this book i.e. must come from one place, must be from a small producer etc etc. Who cares; fine wine is a wine that the drinker thinks is very good - it is a simple as that.

TN : Dr Heidemanns-Bergweiler Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese 2000, Dr Heidemanns-Bergweiler Wine International, Mosel, Germany

The sugar content of this wine is 40 grammes per litre.

Colour : Lemon, green hues

Aroma : Honey, oranges, mineral, petrol

Taste : Petrol, honey, oranges, mineral, off-dry

Alcohol : 8%

Price : 99 SEK


Systembolaget Number : 90586

Mark : B-


Website : Dr Heidemanns-Bergweiler

TN : Trinity Hill Viognier 2010, Trinity Hill, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

This wine was imported by Carovin AB.

Colour : Pale yellow, green hues

Aroma : Pineapple, oak, nuts, oranges

Taste : Apricot, pineapple, ornages, honey, oak, nutty

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 98142

Mark : B

Website : Trinity Hill

TN : Skalia Syrah Aghiorgitiko 2010, Domaine Skouras, Peleponnesos, Greece

This wine is a blend of Syrah and Aghiorgitiko. Domaine Skouras was founded in 1986 by George Skouras.

This wine was imported by Oenoforos AB.

Colour : Raspberry red, blackberry

Aroma : Spice, plums, blackberry, oak

Taste : Cinamon, plums, blackberry, black pepper on finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 76 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 98042

Mark : C+

Website : Domaine Skouras

TN : Siro 2007, Fattoria di Gratena, Tuscany, Italy

This wine was imported by Moestue Grape Selections AB.

Colour : Dark blackberry, brown hues

Aroma : Cherry, oak, cedar, herbs, milk chocolate


Taste : Cherry, vanilla, cedar, tobacco, lashing of oak

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 169 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 99459

Mark : C

Website : Fattoria di Gratena

TN : Le Fraghe Covina Rosato 2011, Le Fraghe di Matilde Poggi, Veronese, Italy

This wine is 100% Corvina and sealed with a screwcap. This wine was imported by Enoterra AB.

Colour : Bright strawberry pink

Aroma : Strawberries, cherries

Taste : Dry, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, tart

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 89 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 98043

Mark : C

Website : Le Fraghe di Matilde Poggi

TN : 1865 Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Vina San Pedro, Maipo Valley, Chile

This wine was imported by Pernod Ricard Sweden AB.

Colour : Dark blackcurrant

Aroma : Oak, plums, blackcurrant, blackberry, mint, coffee

Taste : Toast, blackcurrant, coffee, mint, plums

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 119 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 16672

Mark : C+

Website : Vina San Pedro

TN : Trinity Hill Syrah 2010, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

This wine was imported by Carovin AB.

Colour : Dark red/blueberry hues

Aroma : Blueberry, spice, minty, white pepper

Taste : Blueberry, spice, liqourice, herbs, blackberry, white pepper on finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 98143

Mark : B-

Website : Trinity Hill

TN : Fonterutoli Chianti Classico 2009, Marchesi Mazzei, Tuscany, Italy

This wine is a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 10% Malvasia Nera, Colorino and Merlo. The grapes for this wine come from five different vineyard sites located between 210 and 510 metres altitude. The vineyard soils are composed of limestone. All of the vines were trained to spur-cordon and guyot trellising systems. The vine density was 4,500 vines 7,500 vines per hectare. The age of the vines was between 11 and 24 years old. The grapes were hand-picked on September 2010.

The fermentation temperature was between 28 and 30 degrees. The period of maceration was between 16 and 18 days. The wine was aged for twelve months in 225 litre French oak barrels of which 40% were new. The wine was bottled in March 2011. There was a total of 345,000 bottles produced. The Total acidity is 5.85%.

This wine was imported by The WineAgency Sweden AB.

Colour : Plummy red

Aroma : Spice, milk chocolate, cherries, oak, floral, tobacco

Taste : Cherries, plums, milk chocolate, polished french oak, vanilla, herbs

Alcohol : 13.5%

Systembolaget Number : 32229

Price : 149 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Marchesi Mazzei

TN : Perez Cruz Limited Edition Syrah 2010, Vina Perez Cruz, Maipo Valley, Chile

The grapes for this wine come from the 13 hectare vineyard Fundo Liguai De Huelquen in Maipo. All of the grapes were hand harvested in the second week of April 2010. The must underwent one day of cold maceration and then fermentation for two weeks in steel tanks. The wine was matured for one year and four months on French oak. The winemaker was German Lyon.

This wine was imported by Terrific Wines AB.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Blackberry, liqourice, vanilla, blackcurrant, herbs

Taste : Blackberry, liqourice, vanilla, toast, green pepper, black pepper on long finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 119 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 94014

Mark : B

Website : Vina Perez Cruz

TN : Quara Torrontes 2011, Bodegas Felix Lavaque, Salta, Valles Calchaquies, Cafayate, Argentina

This wine was sealed with a screwcap. This wine was imported by Domaine Wines Sweden AB.

Colour : Pale yellow/lemon

Aroma : Lemon, elderflower, white grapes, honey, roses, peach

Taste : Lemon, elderflower, white grapes, honey, roses, peach, bitter finish

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 89 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Finca Quara

TN : Intimo Malbec 2011, Humberto Canale, Rio Negro, Patagonia, Argentina

This wine was imported by Future Wines Sweden AB.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Spice, milk chocolate, plums, blackberry, liqourice

Taste : Blackberry, coffee, plums, cocoa, spice and liqourice on finish, soft and fruity

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 77 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Humberto Canale

TN : Donna Maria Syrah 2009, Vina Falernia, Limari Valley, Chile

All of the grapes were hand-harvested into smal bins during the first two weeks of April 2009. The grapes were crushed and then underwent a cold maceration. The must was then fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged partially in French oak barrels for six months. This wine was bottled unfiltered. The winemaker was Giorgio Flessati.

This wine is a tribute to Maria Gramola Olivier who left northern Italy for Chile in 1951 with her husband and seven children.

This wine was imported by WineWorld AB.

Colour : Dark red, blackberry

Aroma : Herbs, meaty, spice, blueberry, milk chocolate, pepper

Taste : Blueberry, liqourice, plums, spice, white pepper on hot finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Vina Falernia

TN : Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Sonoma County, California, USA

This wine is a blend of 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Malbec.

This wine was imported by Amka Vinimport AB.

Colour : Dark blackberry red/blue

Aroma : Blackcurrant, mint, milk chocolate, oak

Taste : Very fruity, blackcurrant, mint, milk chocolate, structured tannic finish, leave 1-2 years to soften up a bit

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Kendall-Jackson

TN : Cassiopea 2011, Poggio Al Tesoro, Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy

This wine is a blend of 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot. All of the grapes for this wine were harvested on the 2nd and 3rd of September 2011. The grapes come from the Le Sondraie vineyard which is located at 25 metres above sea level. The vineyard soil is deep, with gravel and clay deposits. All of the vines are Guyot trained. The winemaker was Nicola Biasi.

This wine was imported by The WineAgency Sweden AB.

Colour : Bright strawberry pink rose

Aroma : Herbs, redcurrants, watermelon, strawberry

Taste : Strawberry, herbs, oranges, vanilla, zingy finish

Alcohol : 12%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Poggio al Tesoro

TN : Rolling Stones Forty Licks Merlot 2009, Wines That Rock, Mendocino Wine Co, Mendocino County, California, USA

The winemaker was Mark Beaman.

This wine was imported by Ward Wines AB.

Colour : Raspberry red, blue hues

Aroma : Raspberry, strawberry, herbs, vanilla

Taste : Fruity simple glugger, raspberry, blackcurrant, herbs and cedar on finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Wines That Rock

itWine Update April 2012

I talked to Christer Johansson (owner of itWine) who sent this picture of the state of his vineyard (April 29th 2012); the buds were still quite small at this time but progressing well.

Website : itWine
Facebook : itWine

TN : Catena Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Bodega Catena Zapata, Agrelo Appellation, Mendoza, Argentina

All of the grapes were hand harvested. The vineyard soils consist of nine metres of 30% sand, 40% silt, and 30% clay, over round rocks. The wine spent one year in a combination of French and American oak. The winemaker was Alejandro Vigil.

This wine was imported by Vinunic AB.

Colour : Deep blackberry


Aroma : Blueberry, blackcurrant, herbs, oak

Taste : Coffee, liqourice, blackcurrant, blueberry, drying tannins and herbs on finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 129 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Bodega Catena Zapata