Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, Grape Radio Show, Number 143

Here are some comments that I sent in response to the Grape Radio interview with Stephen Tanzer, who I have to confess I don't bother to follow as, so far, I don't think he is any better than anybody else.

I would like to see more of the low scores published. i am not that interested in wines of over 90 points as they are too difficult to find and too expensive mostly. It is more important to me not to buy a stinker of a wine. Why are these top reveiwers not publishing more of the bad scores ? Are they afraid of annoying the producers who they may rely upon to be allowed to taste their top wines ?

Website : Grape Radio

If You Could Wave A Magic Wand, Grape Radio Show, number 171

This was my magic wand wish submission to Grape Radio.

My wishes :

1. It would be possible to sample any wine before buying a whole bottle. This is already possible in some places e.g http://www.decanter.com/news/131883.html but it should be universal.

2. Fine wine would be cheaper

3. Wine reviewers e.g. Parker, Decanter, Wine Spectator, etc publish reviews in full with scores for every wine they review - even the ones that get -1 out of a 100. They seem to be scared to do so - maybe because they fear they will not be allowed to get the wine for free to review the next year. For me. it is more important to not buy a crap wine than to buy a really good one. I would rather have something drinkable than not.

Website : Grape Radio

TN : Merlot 2006, Vin de Pays d'Oc, South of France, Laroche

This wine was bottled under screwcap.

Colour : Purple

Aroma : Coffee, raspberry, spice, cherry

Taste : Red fruits, spice, oak, slightly too acidic

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 73 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Laroche

The Wine of Frederic Magnien, Grape Radio Show Number 185

I just sent in some comments on the latest show posted up on Grape Radio :

Great show; though Pinot yet again !

Interesting conversation about terroir and winemakers. I think all winemakers obliterate the terroir no matter what they do e.g. even the simplest things such as choosing to cool the must down (and to what temperature) affects the expression of terroir. Don't forget the role of viticulture in obliterating terroir. How many vineyards have you seen where the grapes grow wild ? All things such as fertilisers, trellising, canopy management, disease management, when to pick, etc, all effect (obliterate ??) the expression of terroir. Let's face it, if there is a bad year where there is an large outbreak of at least one form of "bad" rot then surely the best expression of the terroir would be to include all those rotten grapes (and bottle it in a magnum for Jay :-)

I am not sure that I agree with the comment that the winemaker has a duty to let the wine reflect the vintage though. Let's say in 2004, a winemaker produces a stunning wine that I really like. If in 2005, he decides to do his best to let the finished wine reflect the vintage then he/she may produce a wine that i don't like as much as the 2004. In this case, I would have preferred the winemaker to work some magic and produce another 2004 again.

Website : Grape Radio

TN : Castillo de Molina, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Reserva, Curico Valley, Chile

This wine was produced and bottled by Vina San Pedro, Molina, Chile.

Colour : Dark cassis

Aroma : Blackcurrant cordial, oak

Taste : Blackcurrant, dark fruits, rough toasty oak finish, hot

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 89 SEK

Mark : C-

Website : Vina San Pedro

TN : Marchigue Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, Chile

This wine was produced and bottles by Vinedos Errazuriz Ovalle. It was imported by Sydamerikaviner AB.

Colour : Bramble jelly

Aroma : Blackcurrant, toasty oak

Taste : Blackcurrant/ribena, toasty oak, coffee, raspberry

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 178 SEK

Mark : B+

Website : Vinedos Errazuriz Ovalle
Website : Sydamerikaviner AB

TN : Pisoni, Vignetti delle Dolomiti, Rosso 2006, IGT, Italy

This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Nero. It was imported by Italmondo AB.

Colour : Purple, brown hues

Aroma : Violets, raspberry, smoke, thyme

Taste : Violets, strawberry, smoke, oak tints, cherry, thyme

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 77 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Italmondo AB

TN : Fre Chardonnay 2006, Sutter Home Winery, California, USA

This is a de-alcoholized wine.

The ingredients listed on the label are Chardonnay wine, grape must, natural flavourings, and preservatives (Sulfur Dioxide, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzonate).

Colour : Pale yellow

Aroma : Grapey, lemon, orange

Taste : Grapey, lemon. citrus, orange, long finish

Alcohol : < style="font-weight: bold;">Price : 41 SEK

Mark : B

Website : Sutter Home

TN : Arn de Gotha Rouge, Les Vins d'Arn Magnusson, Grand Vin de Bordeaux, Chateau Le Faure Rouge 2006, Bordeaux, France

Colour : Dark purple/red

Aroma : Dark fruits, slight oak

Taste : lean, thin, soft, dark and red fruits, chalky tannins

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 88 SEK

Mark : D

Website : Arn Magnusson
Website : Granqvist Vinagentur

TN : Arn de Gotha Blanc, Les Vins d'Arn Magnusson, Grand Vin de Bordeaux, Chateau Le Faure Blanc 2006, Bordeaux, France

This wine was imported by Granqvist Vinagentur, Tidaholm

Colour : Yellow/lemon

Aroma : Fruit drops, lemon

Taste : Lemon, fruit drops, long finish, mouthfilling

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 88 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Arn Magnusson
Website : Granqvist Vinagentur

TN : Syrah, Verna's Vineyard, 2003, The Ojai Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, USA

This wine was produced and bottled by Helen and Adam Tolmach.

This wine was imported by Divine AB.

Colour : Black/purple

Aroma : Violets, red fruits, dark fruits, concentrated ribena, slight spice

Taste : Mouth coating, smooth tanins, red fruits, spice, slight white pepper

Alcohol : 15.5%

Price : 299 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Divine AB

Website : The Ojai Vineyard

TN : Neil Ellis Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Stellenbosch, South Africa

This wine was imported by V&S Wines, Denmark.

This wine is a multi-vineyard blend from the Jonkershoek Valley and Firgrove area. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The soil is decomposed Granite and Sandstone. The grapes were harvested between 27th of February and the 18th of March 2004. The yield was 6 - 8 tons per hectare or between 40 hectolitres per hectare and 52 hectolitres per hectare. The grapes harvested between 23.5ºB to 26.0ºB, total acid 6.7 g/litre to 9.0 g/litre, and pH 3.2 to 3.4. Fermentation was initiated in stainless steel fanks and underwent a series of pump overs until dry. Futher maceration allowed before drawing off and light pressing. This wine spent 16 months in French oak barrels of which 40% were new. The wine was bottled in September 2005 after egg white fining and light filtration. An analysis gives alcohol at 14.0%, residual sugar at 1.7 grammes per litre, total acidity at 6.0 grammes per litre, and a pH of 3.7.



Colour : Cassis

Aroma : Red fruits, tangy, oak, slight vinegar

Taste : Tangy, oak, toast, dull blackcurrant, metallic

Alcohol : 14 %

Price : 155 SEK

Mark : D

Website : Neil Ellis Wines

Systembolaget New Releases February 2008

The February 2008 Newsletter for Systembolaget is now available for download.

Website : Varunytt February 2008

TN : Enrique Foster Terruno Malbec 2005, Vistalba, Mendoza, Argentina

The grapes for this wine come from the Lujan de Cuyo, Lunlunta, Perdriel, Tupungato, Vistalba and Vista Flores areas. The winemaker was Mauricio Lorca.

This wine was imported by Heba Trading AB.

Colour : Deep black cherry/purple

Aroma : Dark fruits, oak, toast

Taste : Violets, dark fruits, long toast on finish, oak, vanilla, warm mocha, mouth coating

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 119 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Heba Trading AB
Website : Bodega Enrique Foster

TN : Mendel Unus 2004, Boedga Mendel, Mendoza, Argentina

The vineyard is situated in Lujan de Cuyo at 100 metres, 3280 feet, and was planted in 1928.

The wine is a blend of 70% Malbec and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The case production was 3646 cases (six packs). The wine was oak aged for 16 months in new French oak barriques. The winemaker was Roberto del la Mota.

The wine was imported by Primewine.

Colour : Deep cassis/red

Aroma : Violets, coffee, dark fruits, spice, rich

Taste : Violets, heat, dark fruits, blackcurrant, spice, coffee, concentrated, soft tannins on finish

Alcohol : 14%

Price : 199 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Primewine
Website : Mendel

TN : Ventisquero Queulat Carmenere Gran Reserva 2005, Maipo Vallet, Chile

This wine is a blend of 85% Carmenere and 15% Syrah.

On the back label is stated "The legend tells the story of an enchanted city in Southern Chile built in Gold and filled with valuable treasures. Although the city was never found, something magic was uncovered, a beautiful hanging snowdrift named Queulat".



Colour : Black, cassis

Aroma : Dark fruits, blackberry, slight oak

Taste : Lots of blackberry, slight green pepper, chocolate, liqourice on finish

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 102 SEK

Mark : B-

Website : Ventisquero

TN : Fabre Montmayou Grand Vin 2004, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina

This wine is from the winery's oldest vineyard which was planted in 1908.

All the grapes were handharvested and the wine was finished in 100% French oak fro 16 months. 12960 bottles were produced.

The wine was imported by Bornicon & Salming.

The Fabre Montmayou winery was the first homemade wine cellar built in Argentina by the group Domaine Vistalba in 1992. The winery was built in the area of Vistalba – Lujan de Cuyo at 1.150 meters of altitude, just by the 15 first hectares of Malbec that were bought in the same area.

The winery is 20 kilometres south from Mendoza. It can be visited and details can be found on the website (tours are available in English).

Colour : Black/red

Aroma : Violets, oak, dark fruits, spice

Taste : Oak, dark fruits, savoury notes, concentrated, mouth filling, lacking acidity/flabby
Alcohol : 14,5%

Price : 189 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Bornicon & Salming
Website : Domaine Vistalba

TN : Cabardes 2004, Sacha Lichine, Vins sans Frontieres, France

This wine is a new world blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 20% Syrah, and 10% Grenache.

Colour : Dark ruby

Aroma : Earth, dark fruits, spice

Taste : Earth, dark fruits, acidic, thin, soft tannins

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 112 SEK

Mark : C-

Website : Sacha Lichine

TN : Tre Rose, Renaio, Chardonnay di Toscana 2006, IGT, Tenimenti Angelini, Italy

Tenimenti Angelini, a family owned group of Tuscan estates, was created in November of 1994, with the acquisition of three historical Tuscan wineries: Azienda Agricola Val di Suga in the town of Montalcino, Tenuta Trerose in the town of Montepulciano and Fattoria San Leonino in the town of Castellina in Chianti. Currently the estate is comprised of 415 hectares, between the three properties, with 173 hectares of vineyards divided as follow: Val di Suga, 100 hectares, with 55 hectares under vine; Tenuta Trerose, 170 hectares with 70 under vine and San Leonino 100 hectares with 45 under vine.

Colour : Yellow

Aroma : Green apple, pear drops, pineapple, slight oak

Taste : Butter, slight oak, muted pear, muted green apple, muted pineapple

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 106 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Tenimenti Angelini

TN : High Constantia Cabernet Franc 2001, Constantia Valley, South Africa

This wine was grown and bottled in the Constantia Valley.

High Constantia is being restored, under David van Niekerk and Bob de Villiers, to its former wine-making glory.

This wine was imported by Kvalitetsviner i Sverige.

The nose was really great on this wine but it was let down by the taste; the fruit seemed to be fading and it was well past its' best.

Colour : Black/brown/cassis

Aroma : Perfumed, blackcurrant hints, pencil, talcum powder

Taste : Floral, talcum powder, dark fruits, tangy

Alcohol : 13.5%

Price : 219 SEK

Mark : C

Website : Kvalitetsviner i Sverige