TN : The Mentors Grenache Blanc 2010, KWV, W.O. Paarl, South Africa

 The pH of this wine is 3.03, the residual sugar was 2.77 grammes per litre, the total acidity is 3.03 grammes per litre. The harvest, middle of February 2010, at yield was 30 tons per hectare. The wine was matured for six months in oak (15% second and 85% third fill). This wine was sealed with a screwcap. 5,300 bottles were produced. The wine was bottled in October 2010.

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

This wine was imported by Arvid Nordquist Vin och Sprithandel.  

Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Oak, lime, oranges, honey, spice

Taste : Oak, lime, minerals, bitterness on finish

Alcohol : 14%

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

Systembolaget Number : 72266

Mark : B-

Website : KWV

TN : Louis M Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Napa Valley, California, USA

The winemaker was Michael Martini.

This wine was imported by Spendrups Bryggeri AB.

Colour : Dark red, brown hues

Aroma : Cherries, blackcurrant, raisins, tobacco, herbs

Taste : Raisins, cocoa powder, cherry, blackcurrant, tobacco, mint, grippy tannins on finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 199 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 6723

Mark : C

Website : Louis M Martini Winery

TN : Chateau Routas Rouvière Rosé 2012, Rouviere Plan, Coteaux Varois en Provence, France

This wine is a blend of 45% Cinsault, 20% Syrah, 35% Grenache. The vines are planted on clay/calcerous soil. The average age of the vines is 15 years. The grapes were gently destemmed, cooled, and pressed. 8% of the Syrah went straight into for primary and malolactic fermentation. The Cinsault, Grenache, and remaining Syrah were fermented in stainless steel tanks and blocked from malolactic fermentation. were aged separately for three months and blended prior to bottling. This wine was sealed with a screwcap. The winemaker was Jean Louis Bavey.

This wine was imported by PWP Import AB.

Colour : Pale copper

Aroma : Herbs, redcurrants, oranges, blood red grapefruits

Taste : Blood red grapefruits, oranges, redcurrants, minerals, herbs

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 115 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 95454

Website : Chateau Routas

TN : Domain Road Pinot Noir Rosé 2012, Domain Road Vineyard, Central Otago, New Zealand

This wine was sealed with a screwcap.

This wine was imported by JPC Wines AB.

Colour : Strawberry, copper

Aroma : Strawberry, raspberry, redcurrants, herbs

Taste : Strawberry, raspberry, redcurrants, peaches, herbs

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 149 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 90390

Mark : B+

Website : Domain Road Vineyard

TN : Montes Cherub Rosé of Syrah 2012. Montes Wines, Colchagua Valley, Chile

The vineyard yield was eight tons per hectare (3.2 tons per acre). The wine was completely unoaked. This wine was sealed with a screwcap. 7,000 cases were produced. The total acidity is 3.8 grammes per litre, residual sugar is 3.99 grammes per litre, pH is 3.08, volatile acidty (C2H402) is 0.44 grammes per litre, and the free SO2 is 0.031 grammes per litre.

This wine was imported by Hjo Grosshandel AB.

Colour : Bright strawberry/cherry

Aroma : Oranges, cherries, ribena, herbs

Taste : Cherry, blackberry, herbs, oranges

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 99 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 95272

Mark : B

Website : Montes Wine

TN : Syrah Le Pousseur 2010, Bonny Doon Vineyard, Central Coast, California, USA

This wine is 100% Syrah. The grapes for this wine come from the Alamo Creek (57%) and Bien Nacido (43%) vineyards. At the time of bottling this wine contained 43 parts per million total SO2 and 27 part sper million free SO2. The total acidity is 6.6 grammes per litre and the pH is 3.63. This wine was sealed with a screwcap. 1,016 cases were produced. The label artist was Bascove.

On the back label it states : "La syrah," the French say—syrah is deeply and elementally feminine—is perfumed elegance. Enchanting and capitvating rather than overpowering, it disarms by its strangeness. Like Borge's Zahir, syrah makes an indelible impression. One will wander the world till the end of one's days, its sublime, haunting fragrance gradually displacing all thoughts and memories, including the knowledge of one's own name.

This wine was imported by Moestue Grape Selections AB.

Colour : Dark red, blue hues

Aroma : Blueberry, blackberry, violets, herbs, lavendar

Taste : Blueberry, blackberry, lavendar, white pepper

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 195 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 99211

Mark : C+

Website : Bonny Doon Vineyard

TN : Heinrich Blaufränkisch Leithaberg 2010, Weingut Gernot Heinrich, Burgenland, Austria

This wine was sealed with a glass stopper.

This wine was imported by Gullberg by Stockwine AB.

Colour : Dark red/blue hues

Aroma : Spice, plums, liqourice, violets, oak, blackberry, blueberry, herbs

Taste : Spice, herbs, blueberry, raspberry, liqourice finish

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 169 SEK

Systembolaget Number : 97086

Mark : B-

Website : Weingut Gernot Heinrich

TN : Pezat 2010, Bordeaux Supérieur, Château Teyssier, Bordeaux, France

The kernel for Pezat is a vineyard planted literally a pace outside of the Saint Emilion Appellation; towards the river from Château Teyssier near to Branne. Previously this large vineyard consisted of high trellised vines planted three metres apart, the norm in Entre-des-Mers where grapes are machine picked.

Planting down the middle of the rows gave the same density as a vineyard in Saint Emilion. Additionally, on the original vines, a sucker-per-vine was allowed to grow. At which stage the original vine was cut off, almost halving the height of the vines down to what one would expect from a hand-picked vineyard in Saint Emilion. The vines are now pruned on the ‘double guyot’ system. The secondary shoots are removed and the vines deleafed and bunch-thined. The grapes are handpicked and vinified as the other wines of the Chateau; to the standard of a Saint Emilion Grand Cru.

This wine was imported by Tryffelsvinet AB.

Colour : Dark red, blue hues

Aroma : Plums, spice, blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, herbs

Taste : Blackberry, spicy, blueberry, plums, herbs, talcum powder like tannins, liqourice on finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 139 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : JCP Maltus

TN : The Big Zin White Zinfandel Rosé 2012, ViniMundi, I.G.T Puglia, Italy

This wine was imported by The Wine Team.

Colour : Bright strawberry

Aroma : Herbs, strawberry, raspberry

Taste : Off dry, jellied strawberries and raspberries, herbs

Alcohol : 11.5%

Price : 179 SEK (3 litre Bag-In-Box)

Systembolaget Number : 74943

Mark : C