Lindt Marc de Champagne Chocolates

These cost somewhere between 80 and 100 kronor here in Sweden for about 25 in a box. 7% of each chocolate is composed of marc de champagne. These taste of creamy milk chocolate and a warm alcohol (any fruit in the marc de champagne is canceled out by the yummy chocolate).

TN : Cameleon Malbec 2011, Jean Bousquet, Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina

This wine is made from organic grapes sourced mainly from vineyards in Tupungato at an altitude of 1200 metres above sea level, one of the highest points in Mendoza. It is 100% Malbec, and has been in contact with American and French oak during the fermentation and then aged for four months in the bottle.This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

This wine was imported by Vinia Sweden AB.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Spice, blackberry, vanilla, oak, herbs

Taste : Blackberry, blackcurrant, spice, herbs, oak, liqourice finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 39 SEK (375 ml)

Systembolaget Number : 6581

Mark : C

Website : Domaine Bousquet

TN : Alsace Vindag, 30th January 2012

These are my "very late" tasting notes from the Alsace Wine day tasting that was held on Monday 30th January 2012 at the Operaterrassen in Stockholm, Sweden.

Cave Jean Geiler

• Crement d'Alsace Brut Rose : (C)
• Grad Cru Wineck-Schlossberg Riesling 2008 : (B)
• Grand Cru Florimont Gewurztraminer 2010 : Burnt barley sugar, lemon (C+)

Domaines Schlumberger

• Grand Cru Saering Riesling 2007 : Citrus, minerals, smoky (C)
• Grand Cru Kesssler Gewurztraminer 2005 : Very sweet, lacking acidity (C)

Domaine Albert Mann

• Senteurs des Vignes 2010 : Bland (C)
• Riesling Cuvee Albert 2010 : Lemon, dry (C)
• Pinot Gris Cuvee Albert 2010 : Zingy (B)
• Pinot Noir Grand H 2009 : Strawberries, lean (C)
• Grand Cru Schlossberg Riesling 2010 : Citrus, minerals, long finish (B-)
• Grand Cru Furstentum Pinot Gris 2010 : (C+)
• Grand Cru Steingrubler Gewurztraminer 2009 : (C)

Domaine Gresser

• Pinot Blanc 2010, Saint-Andre : Floral,boring (C)
• Muscat d'Alsace 2010, Brandhof : Floral, minerals, fruity (C+)
• Pinot Noir 2010, Brandhof : Strawberry, thin, bone dry (C)
• Grand Cru Moenchenberg Riesling 2007 : (C)
• Grand Cru Wiebelsberg Riesling 2007 : Lots and lots of minerals (C)
• Grand Cru Kastelberg Riesling 2007 : Lime, minerals (C)

Kientz Rene Fils

• Riesling 2010 : (C)
• Gewurztraminer 2010 : (B)
• Grand Cru Winzerberg Riesling 2008 : Zingy lemon minerals (B)

S.A. Biecher

• Riesling 2009 : (C)
• Riesling Reserve 2008 : Zingy lime, lemon, minerals (C)
• Grand Cru Schoneberg Riesling 2010 : Lemon, lime, fruity, long finish (B)

Charles Wantz

• Muscat 2010, "M" Collection personnelle : (B)
• Pinot Gris "K" 2007  Collection personnelle : Minerals, boring (C)
• Gewurztraminer "O" 2006, Collection personnelle :Barley sugar, lacking acidity (C)

Domaine Michel Fonne

• Crement d'Alsace N.V. Rose : Dry, redcurrants, blackcurrant (B-)
• Pinot Noir 2008 "M" : Dry finish, fruity (C)
• Grand Cru Mambourg Riesling 2008 : (B)

Book : Vinguide Alsace, Per Warfvinge

This book is in Swedish but this doesn't stop it being an excellent small guide to the Alsace wine region.

The book describes the different grapes cultivated in Alsace, booking an appointment to visit a winery, how to read a wine label, the cru system, viticultural techniques, organic and biodynamics, sparkling wines, cycling through the region, and the history of the region. The last half of the book is dedicated to profiles of wineries in Alsace. All of this is packed into less than 200 pages and well worth it.

The book can be ordered direct from Per's website.

Website : Per Warfvinge

TN : Purple Angel 2008, Montes, Colchagua Valley, Chile

This wine is 92% Carmenere and 8% Petit Verdot. The wine spent 18 months in new French and American oak barrels. This wine received 93points from The Wine Advocate, 91 points from Wine Enthusiast, and 91 points from Wine Spectactor.

This wine was imported by Hjo Grosshandel AB.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Milk chocolate, tobacco, spice, blackcurrant, blackberry, coconut

Taste : Blackcurrants, blackberry, green pepper, tobacco, coconut, toast

Alcohol : 15%

Price : 399 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 91142

Mark : B+

TN : Boom Boom! Syrah 2011, Charles Smith Wines, Columbia Valley, Washington State, USA

This wine is 100% Syrah. This wine was released in June 2012. The total acid: is 63, pH is 3.46, and there is no residual sugar. The grapes for this wine came from three vineyards. The Art den Hoed vineyard stretches for 250 acres over the south slope of the Rattlesnake Mountains in the Yakima AVA at 1300 feet elevation. The Milbrandt vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA, planted beginning in 1998 by the Milbrandt Family, is comprised of well-drained, sandy gravelly soils deposited by ancient glacial floods. The Weyns vineyard is located in the Snipes Mountain AVA in the heart of the Yakima Valley with slopes facing in all four cardinal directions and an elevation that ranges from 750 to 1300 feet. This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

This wine was imported by Handpicked Wines Sweden AB.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Blueberry, raspberry, milk chocolate, white pepper, spice

Taste : Blackberry, plums, spice, white pepper on zingy finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 129 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 6714

Mark : B-

Website :  Charles Smith Wines

TN : Villa Antinori 2009, IGT, Marchesi Antinori, Tuscany, Italy

This wine is a blend of 55% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot och 5% Syrah. The harvested grapes were destemmed and given a soft pressing, and then fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The fermentation began a day after the crush and lasted between five and seven days; skin contact, instead, continued for eight to twelve days. Fermentation temperatures never went above 28 degrees centigrade for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese grapes in order to favor the extraction of color and soft tannins. In the case of the Syrah and Merlot grapes, temperatures were held to a maximum of 25 degrees centigrade in order to preserve the aromatic character of the varieties. The young wines went through a complete malolactic fermentation in October and November and then went into 60 gallon French, Hungarian, and American oak barrels and aged for a period of twelve months. The wine was given a further eight months of bottle aging before release.

This wine was imported by Sigva AB.

Colour : Dark blackcurrant

Aroma : Oak, cherry, tobacco, plums, herbs, milk chocolate

Taste : Oak, cherries, plums, herbs, tobacco

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 139 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 2300

Mark : B

Website : Marchesi Antinori

TN : Weisser Burgunder Novemberlese 2011, Weingut Steininger, Niederösterreich , Austria

Weingut Steininger is situated in the wine growing village of Langenlois in the Kamptal Valley. This wine was sealed with a screwcap. This wijne was imported by Arvid Nordquist Vin och Sprithandel.

Colour : Straw

Aroma : Stone fruits, pear, honey, lemon

Taste : Stone fruits, honey, pear, lemon, bitter finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 95 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 91209

Mark : C

Website : Weingut Steininger

TN : Eins Zwei Dry Riesling 2011, Weingut Josef Leitz, Rheingau, Germany

Josef Leitz was the Gault Millau winemaker of the year in 2011. This wine was sealed with a screwcap. This wine was imported by Johan Lidby Vinhandel AB.

Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Lemon, honey, peach

Taste : Lemon, dry, honey, minerals, lime, peach, zingy finish

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 99 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 5822

Mark : C

Website : Weingut Josef Leitz

TN : Val de Flores 2006, Michel Rolland Collection, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina

 .
The Val de Flores vineyard is ten hectares and is planted with Malbec which are more than fifty years old. The vineyard is situated at the foot of the Andean mountains at Vista Flores in South Mendoza. The vineyard soils is alluviums and deep silts.

This wine was aged for 14 months in new French oak barrels and bottled unfined and unfiltered. This wine was imported by Vinovativa AB.

Colour : Deep blackcurrant/blackberry

Aroma : Blackberry, blackcurrant, rapsberries, liqourice

Taste : Savoury, blackcurrant, blackberry, oak, liqourice bomb on finish

Alcohol : 15%

Systembolaget Number : 95022

Price : 399 SEK

Mark : B+

Website : Rolland Collection

TN : Esprit de Pavie 2008, Vignobles Perse, Bordeaux, France

This wine is 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 15% cabernet Sauvignon. This wine received 90 points out of 100 from Austrian wine magazine Falstaff. This wine was imported by Vinunic AB.

Colour : Dark blackcurrant/black

Aroma : Oak, earthy, some dark fruits in background

Taste : Very oaky, earthy, plums, redcurrants, rasping harsh drying tanins and alcohol on finish, decanted for an hour but not much fruit. No improvement after two hours in the decanter.

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 199 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 71932

Mark : D

Website : Vignoble Perse

TN : Paracombe Pinot Noir 2011, Paracombe Premium Wines, Adelaide Hills, Australia

The fruit for this wine was harvested over three picks from mid March to early April from the Drogemuller family vineyard with several different Pinot Noir clones. Vertical shoot canopy in the vineyard allowed sunshine into the vines and the yield was around two tonnes per acre. Open tank ferment with hand plunging obtained gentle extraction. Some natural yeast ferment along with up to 20% stalk contact added subtle tannin to this wine. The wine was aged for nine months in French Oak barriques. This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

This wine was imported by Johan Lidby Vinhandel AB.

Colour : Stewed strawberries, pale

Aroma : Strawberries, spice, toffee

Taste : Strawberries, raspberries, liqourice, toffee, spice

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 179 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 95290

Mark : B-

Website : Paracombe Premium Wines

TN : Promis 2010, Ca'Marcanda Angelo Gaja, Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy

This wine is a blend of 55% Merlot, 35% Syrah, and 10% Sangiovese. Ca'Marcanda is located in Castagneto Carducci in Bolgheri, in the Maremma. The estate was bought by Angelo Gaja in 1996 when vines were planted. The vineyard is composes of loam- and clay-rich terre brune, brown soils.

This wine was imported by Vinunic AB.

Colour : Dark red/blackcurrant

Aroma : Oak, vanilla, cherries, milk chocolcate, coffee, herbs

Taste : Oaky, vanilla, cherries, plums, herbs, tobacco, spicy finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 245 SEK

Systembolaget Number :  95252

Mark : C+

Website : Gaja
Website : Ca'Marcanda

TN : Domaine Ste Michelle Brut Sparkling Wine, Ste Michelle, Washington State, USA

This wine is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The winemaker was Rick Casqueiro. This wine was imported by VinUnic AB.

Colour : Sparkling, pale lemon

Aroma : Green apples, lemon, rich tea biscuits, oranges

Taste : Green apples, oranges, lemon, rich tea biscuits

Alcohol : 11.5%

Price : 99 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 7887

Mark : B-

Website : Domaine Ste Michelle

TN : Altos Las Hormigas Reserva Malbec 2009, Uco Valley, Argentina

This wine was imported by Arvid Nordquist Vin och Sprithandel.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Blackberry, blackcurrant, violets, plums, herbs, cherries

Taste : Blackberries, plums, black olives, coffee, cherries, herbs

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 92019

Mark : B

Website : Altos Las Hormigas

TN : Volcanes Pinot Noir Rosé 2011, Bodega Volcanes de Chile, Maipo, Chile

This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

This wine was imported by Future Wines Sweden AB.

Colour : Copper, orange, pink hues

Aroma : Redcurrants, herbs, strawberry

Taste : Herbs, redcurrants, strawberry, bright fruity, oranges, raspberry

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 79 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 99233

Mark : B

Website : Bodega Volcanes de Chile

TN : Trapiche Malbec Viña Jorge Miralles Single Vineyard La Consulta 2009, Bodegas Trapiche, Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina

The La Consulta vineyard is located at 970 metres and is eleven years old.

This wine was imported by Spendrups Bryggeri AB.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Tobacco, violets, raspberry, blackberry, blackcurrant, plums, mint, coconut

Taste : Raspberry, blackberry, tobacco, coconut, mint, plums

Alcohol : 15%

Price : 239 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 95274

Mark : B+

Website : Bodegas Trapiche

TN : Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Sonoma County, California, USA

The pH of this wine is 3.75, Titratable Acidity is 5.3 grammes per litre, and the residual sugar is 3.33 grammes per litre.

This wine was imported by Spendrups Vin AB.

Colour : Dark red, blue hues

Aroma : Blackcurrants, plums, mint, spice

Taste : Blackcurrants, plums, black cherry, vanilla, spicy and liqourice finish, good glugger

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 99 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 6533

Website :  Louis M. Martini Winery

TN : Ursprung 2011, Markus Schneider, Pfalz, Germany

This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Portugieser, and Cabernet Mitos. This wine was sealed with a screwcap. This wine was imported by Bornicon & Salming.

Colour : Dark red, blue hues

Aroma :  Blueberry, blackurrant, raspberry, herbs

Taste : Blueberry, raspberry, herbs, drying tannins on finish, lighter than the 2010 vintage

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Markus Schneider

TN : Clos de los Siete 2009, by Michel Rolland, Mendoza, Argentina

This wine is a blend of 53% Malbec, 17% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Syrah, and 1% Petit Verdot. All the grapes were harvested by hand. The yield was 34 hectolitres per hectare.

Colour : Dark raspberry red/purple

Aroma : Oak, plums, blackberry, raspberry, mint, white pepper, milk chocolate

Taste : Toast, plums, blackberry, mint, white pepper, savoury finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 159 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 91278

Mark : B