TN : Mad House Riesling 2011, Jeanneret Wines, South Australia, Australia

This wine was imported by Multibrev AB.

Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Honey, lemon, green apples

Taste : Dry, lemon, honey, pear

Alcohol : 11.5%

Price : 189 SEK (3 litre Bag-In-Box)

Systembolaget Number : 6474

Mark : C

Website : Jeanneret Wines

TN : Emma Zuccardi Bonarda 2010, Familia Zuccardi, Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina

 This wine is 100% Bonarda and the winemaker was Sebastian Zuccardi.

 This wine was imported by Philipson Söderberg AB.

Colour : Dark blackberry

Aroma : Herbs, plums, blueberry

Taste : Blueberry, plums, blackberry, vanilla, talcum powder herby finish

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 149 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 95101

Mark : B

Website : Familia Zuccardi

TN : Les Terrasses Rosé 2011, Villa Vallambrosa, Provence, France

This wine is a blend of 45% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, and 10% Mourvedre. This wine was imported by Vinobele AB.

Colour : Pale copper/pink/orange

Aroma : Oranges, jellied strawberry, lemon, herbs

Taste : Dry, orange peel, herbs, jellied strawberries

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 159 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 98135

Mark : B

Website : Villa Vallambrosa

TN : Wieninger Pinot Noir Select 2009, Wieninger, Vienna, Austria

The grapes for this wine came almost exclusively from the sites of the Wiener Bisamberg; one vineyard lies on the Nussberg. The Bisamberg soil consists of light, sandy loess over massive limestone, while the Nussberg soil is comprised mainly of weathered shell-limestone; also over massive limestone. The grapes were destemmed and the must was then filled into modern punch down fermentation tanks.  The must was immediately cooled so that fermentation did not begin for some days (cold maceration). After five days, spontaneous fermentation with natural yeast began; this lasted, with moderate temperature control, for approximately seven days. Following the fermentation and another short maceration, the must was pressed and filled into Burgundian barriques; 25% of them new. As with the Chardonnay, the lees of the Pinot Noir were stirred in regular intervals, with the wine having extended contact with it. After twelve months, the first racking was made, then after a total of 28 months, the barrique maturation was completed and the wine was then blended into a large barrel. Bottling took place one month later without fining or filtration. The total acidity of this wine is 5.1 grammes per litre and the residuak sugar is 1 gramme per litre.

This wine was sealed with a glass stopper.

This wine was imported by Gullberg by Stockwine AB.

Colour : Red

Aroma : Oak, strawberries, wild strawberries, plums, spice

Taste : Spicy, oaky, strawberries, wild strawberries, plums

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 219 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 73496

Mark : B-

Website : Wieninger

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+