Vinothèque du Léman, Ferney-Voltaire, France

I whizzed pass this wine shop in ferney-Voltaire, France, and unfortunately did not have time to visit. I also got all of my wines from Geneva and local wines from Carrefour. However, it looked interested with its large wine bottle sign outside on which were written lots of famous names.



Website : Vinothèque du Léman

Bag-in-Box in France

Whilst on holiday in France and Switzerland this summer, I visited the local Carrefour in Ferney-Voltaire in France. Trundling down the aisles, I happened to notice quite a lot of bag-in-box wines. Though not as popular as in Sweden, this trend seems to growing. My last time in a French supermarket was three years ago in Bordeaux where I visited a couple of supermarkets, including Auchan, and bag-in-box was virtually non-existant. Will bag-in-box take over the everyday wine drinking market in France in the same way it has in Sweden ?

TN : Balavaud Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2009, Appellation Vetroz Grand Cru Controlee, Jean-Rene Germanier SA, Valais, Switzerland

The vines used to produce the grapes for this wine are planted on alluvial soil and shingle soil. The grapes are unclustered and the skins are left in the juice during extended fermentation. The wine are lightly pressured. The wines undergo a second fermentation and removing of carbon dioxide. Extracts and tannins are concentrated by must extraction (20%) before fermentation. The acidity is 4.4 grammes per litre.



Urbain Germanier planted his first vineyards and founded the winery in 1886. Today two young oenologists from the 3rd and 4th generations, Jean-René Germanier and Gilles Besse produce the wines.



Colour : Raspberry red, brown hues

Aroma : Raspberry, strawberry, oak, vanilla

Taste : Strawberry, raspberry, coca cola, spice, oak

Alcohol : 13%

Price : 21.90 CHF (Duty Free Paradise tax free shop Geneva airport)

Mark : B-

Website : Jean-Rene Germanier SA

TN : Julius Pinot Noir 2009, Appellation Valais Controlee, Familie Pierre-Alain Mathier, Vins et Vignobles Julius SA, Valais, Switzerland

This wine was aged in oak barrels.



Colour : Raspberry red, brown hues

Aroma : Red fruits, oak, vanilla

Taste : Oak, vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, spicy

Alcohol : 13.2%

Price : 32.90 CHF (Duty Free Paradise tax free shop Geneva airport)

Mark : B

Website : Familie Pierre-Alain Mathier Vins et Vignobles Julius

TN : Casa Marin Miramar Vineyard Riesling 2008, Lo Abarca, D.O. San Antonio Valley, Chile

Vina Casa Marin was founded in 2000 and is owned by Maria Luz Marin. It is locate din the San Antonio Valley close to the Pacific ocean only two miles from the coast.

This wine was sealed with a screwcap.



This wine was imported by Wineworks AB.

Colour : Pale lemon

Aroma : Petrol, honey, green apples, lemon, lime

Taste : Bone dry, honey, petrolly, lemon, mineraly, long acidic lemon and lime on finish

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 179 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Vina Casa Marin

TN : Domaine de Collavery Rose 2010, Coteaux d'Aix en Provence, France

Domaine Collavery is located in Saint Cannat 20 kilometres west of Aix en Provence. Bernard Monnier, a retired doctor, manages the domaine.

This wine was sealed with a screwcap.



This wine was imported by Stellen Kramer AB.

Colour : Orange, salmon pink

Aroma : Redcurrant, oranges, leafy

Taste : Redcurrants, vanilla, oranges, leafy, raspberry

Alcohol : 12.5%

Price : 79 SEK

Mark : C

TN : The Chocolate Block 2009, Boekenhoutskloof, Western Cape, South Africa

This wine is a blend of 67% Syrah, 14% Grenache, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cinsault, and 2% Viognier. 765 barrels of this wine were produced.



This wine was imported by Hjo Grosshandel AB.

Colour : Deep purple

Aroma : Plums, spice, blackberry, milk chocolate

Taste : Concentrated and fruity, blackcurrant, toast, plums, violets, overwhelming mulled wine spices, melting milk chocolate texture. Tastes like sucking a mulled wine spice bag.

Alcohol : 14.5%

Price : 259 SEK

Mark : C+

Website : Boekenhoutskloof

TN : Stone Valley Rose White Zinfandel 2010, California, USA

This wine was vinted and cellared by Bear Creek Winery, Lodi, California, USA.







Colour : Bright raspberry pink

Aroma : Oranges, strawberry, spicy

Taste : Raspberry, strawberry, lemon, oranges, off dry

Alcohol : 10.5 %

Price : 170 SEK (3 litre Bag-In-Box)

Mark : C