TN : The Mentors Shiraz 2009, KWV, Rainbow's End, Helshoogte, South Africa

All of the  grapes were harvested in March 2009. The yield at harvest was 4.5tonnes per hectare. The balling at harvest was 25.8 degrees. The grapes were harvested optimally ripe and were hand sorted in the cellar to ensure that only the best fruit was used for fermentation. The wine fermented naturally and alcoholic fermentation lasted approximately six days. During this time it was pumped over every four hours. The wine was pressed off skin before alcoholic fermentation was completed to prevent the extraction of hard and drying tannins. Malolactic fermentation lasted three weeks in the barrel whereafter the wine was racked and put back in the barrel for maturation. The wine was racked twice during its 18 months in barrels.

The wine was matured for 18 months in a combination of 85% French oak barrels and 15% American oak barrels; 70% of these barrels were new oak. A total of 2,130 bottles were produced. The wine was bottles in December 2009.

This wine has won several medals :

• Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2012 - Bronze
• Decanter World Wine Awards 2012 - Commented
• International Wine Challenge 2011 - Silver Medal
• Concours Mondial 2011 - Gold Medal
• Michelangelo International Wine Awards 2010 - Gold Medal

This bottle was part of a five bottle box entitled The Mentors.

This wine was imported by Arvid Nordquist Vin och Sprithandel.

Colour : Dark red, blue hues

Aroma : Spice, milk chocolate, blackberry, blueberry, white pepper, burnt toast

Taste : Burnt toast, oak, liqourice, raspberry, blueberry, spice, coffee, black pepper on finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 999 SEK (The Mentors Gift Box, 5 bottles)

Systembolaget Number : 72266

Mark : B

Website : KWV

TN : Chateau Cantin 2009, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France

This wine is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The residual sugar is 1.5 grammes per litre and the total acidity is 5.2 grammes per litre. Château Cantin takes its name from the Latin Cantio meaning singing, song.

 

Colour : Dark red, blue hues

Aroma : Cedar, oak, plums, blackcurrant, sweetness

Taste : All texture and structure and lacking fruit, cedar, plums, oak, blackcurrant, smells better than it tastes

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 209 SEK (Tallink Shops)

Mark : C-

TN : The Mentors Canvas 2008, KWV, Western Cape, South Africa

This bottle was part of a five bottle box entitled The Mentors.

This wine is a blend of 40% Shiraz, 24% Grenache, 19% Mourvedre, 14% Petit Verdot, 2% Cinsault, and 1% Tempranillo. The pH 3.45, residual sugar is 2.61 grammes per litre, and the total acidity is 5.94 grammes per litre. The wine spent 18 months in 50% new French oak barrels (a combination of 300 litre and 500 litre barrels). 6,260 bottles were bottled in December 2009.

This wine was imported by Arvid Nordquist Vin och Sprithandel.

Colour : Dark red

Aroma : Spice, burnt rubber, vanilla, liqourice, raspberry, blackcurrant

Taste : Burnt rubber, oak, spice, vanilla, liqourice, raspberry, blackcurrant

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 999 SEK (The Mentors Gift Box, 5 bottles)

Systembolaget Number : 72266

Mark : C

Website : KWV

TN : Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Semillon 2010, Waipara Valley, New Zealand

The Sauvignon Blanc was picked during April 2010.  Different parcels were harvested at separate times during the month to achieve a spectrum of ripe aromas and flavours.  The Semillon was left on the vines until the end of May 2010 to ensure optimum physiological ripeness.  These two varieties were fermented separately by their natural indigenous yeasts.  The Semillon portion was in old French oak barrels to help the wines texture without adding oak flavour.  Both varieties were then aged on their deposit of yeast lees (sur lie) for six months to fill out the palate, the semillon still being in barrels. This wine was finally sealed with a screwcap.

This wine was imported by JPC Wines AB.

Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Lemon, blackcurrant, leafy, orange, floor polish, peas

Taste : Lemon, peach, minerals, blackcurrant, leafy, long finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 149 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 97039

Website : Pegasus Bay

TN : Laborum Syrah 2005, Bodegas El Porvenir De Los Andes, Cafayate, Salta, Argentina

This wine is 100% Syrah. The grapes were estate grown at Finca Río Seco, Cafayate, located at 1,750 metres above sea level. The yield was five tons per hectare. The grapes were picked during the second half of March 2005. The must underwent a cold maceration period of two days before fermentation for fifteen days at a temperature of 23 degrees. The total acidity is 5.25 grammes per litre and the pH is 3.52. This wine is one of a limited edition of 12,655 bottles. This wine was aged in a combination of half American and half French new oak barrels for one year. Laborum means "From Work" in Latin. The wine received 91 points from The Wine Advocate.

This wine was imported by BraVin Sverige AB.

Colour : Dark red, brown hues

Aroma : Raisins, raspberries, blueberry, milk chocolate, mint, spice

Taste : Mint, milk chocolate, raisins, blueberry, raspberries, long spicy finish.

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 95390

Mark : B

Website : Bodegas El Porvenir De Los Andes

TN : Ridgeview Bloomsbury 2010, English Quality Sparkling Wine, Ridgeview Estate, Sussex, England

This wine is a blend of 61% Chardonnay, 27% Pinot Noir, and 12% Pinot Meunier. The winemakers were Mike and Simon Roberts.

Ridgeview’s trade mark MERRET™ is in honour of Englishman Christopher Merret. In 1662, he presented a paper to the Royal Society in London which documented the process of making traditional method sparkling wines. This was 30 years before the technique was documented in champagne. To celebrate Merret’s achievements Ridgeview has kept a London connection when naming it's range of wines.

This wine was imported by Triplus Vinhandel AB.

Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Rich tea biscuits, peach, crusty bread, lemon, honey

Taste : Apples, rich tea biscuits, lemon, peach

Alcohol : 12%

Price : 227 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 96359

Mark : B

Website : Ridgeview Wine Estate