Some more wine please

KWV Chardonnay 2010

2011-04-25T10:18:00.001-07:00

I always have white wine in my fridge, especially during summer. The sun sets here after 9pm at the moment, and it's not yet summer. So when it's as warm as it's been this last weekend, I like to relax and have a glas of white wine. My favourite at the moment is Chardonnay, and there's two I pick. The one is the KWV and the other is the Drostdy Hof, but more about the Drostdy Hof another time.

Tonight it was roast on the menu, with potatoes and spinach leaves. Usually a good meal for a red, but because of the fantastic weather, the heat, and the sun which seems to never go down up here in the north, the pick was the KWV Chardonnay.

It's not as yellow as you would expect, and the smell is not as strong, but the taste is unmistakably Chardonnay. A slightly wooded dry white wine, fresh and fruity with tropical and citrus flavours. It has to however be very cold.

69kr is a bargain if you ask me. Have a look at Systembolaget, nr.7055.

Uruka Tannat 2008

2011-04-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

What a find, thanks to the South African winemaker Riaan van der Spuy. The wine is called Uruka, and the name is made up of the three first letters of the word Uruguay and the last two letters from the word South Africa in Afrikaans, "Suid Afrika". I have never heard of the grape Tannat, until I drank the wine, but apparently it is the most commonly used grape in Uruguay.

The colour is blood red to brown. The fragrance on the nose is very much like Shiraz, but with some liquarice mixed with white chocolate, if you can picture that. There's also a smell of spices with creamy caramel, oak and a hint of plums. It smelt fantastic. Really my kind of wine. The taste was chocolate and oak barrels and very peppery. The end tones raised the taste a lot, so instead of fading, it lasted a long time in your mouth.

For this wine we tried Lamb chops and Risotto with Funnel Chanterelle. It was a really great fit. A creamy red wine with Risotto.

The price is 89kr at Systembolaget which is a bargain.

Le Donne Dei Boschi 2009

2011-03-02T04:58:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 9

I'm all for sparkling wines, and experimenting with it, but this wine is too sweet for me to be taken seriously. It only has 5% alcohol content which makes me wonder what the wine maker was thinking when they created it. If you're looking for a low alcohol alternative for a sunny afternoon, then give it a try, if you don't think the price is too much.

Panel's rating: 2,7 out of 5

Price: 98SEK

Country: Piedmont, Italy

Grape: Brachetto

Colour: Light red

Nose: This wine has a youthful, lightly perfumed scent, with hints of cherries, strawberries and herbs.

Taste: Very sweet with hints of berries (Cherries and Strawberries).

Wine Tasting number 9

2011-03-02T03:10:00.000-08:00

Last Friday we had our ninth wine tasting. This time there was 6 friends, and we tasted 7 wines. The winner for the night was clearly the 2009 Australian Shiraz, called Lionheart of the Barossa, from Dandelion Cellars, which not only tasted fantastic but had a really well designed label. The Italien wine Trabucchi d'Illasi Valpolicella Le Mariette 2009 was in second place and the Portuguese wine Meia Pipa 2008 in third.

Le Donne Dei Boschi 2009

Nottage Hill Riesling 2009

Simonsig Chardonnay 2010

Meia Pipa 2008

Trabucchi d'Illasi Valpolicella Le Mariette 2009

Dandelion Vineyards Lionheart of the Barossa Shiraz 2009

Domaine du Vieux Lazaret 2008

Saskia Chenin Blanc Viognier 2009

2011-02-14T12:38:00.000-08:00

If you have some extra cash or would like to buy someone a really good bottle of wine as a gift, then see if you can find this bottle. Called Saskia, and is from Miles Mossop Wines in South Africa. It's a blend of 71% percent Chenin Blanc and 29% Viognier. The wine is named after Miles (Winemaker) and Samantha Mossop's daughter, Saski-Jo. I love the way they write on the label, that this wine capture the character of a mischievous young daughter.

According to the Miles, the wine is an intensely complex wine with aromas of toasted almonds, honeysuckle, limes and white peach. There are hints of tropical fruits such as mango and pineapple which are interwoven with stunning spicy aromas of flint and white pepper.

For me the smell was so intense, as if you'd cut through a huge mellon and stuck your nose right in the middle. The colour is a golden yellow with hints of green.

He carries on to say that the palate is full and rich, mirroring the nose with flavours of toasted almond brioche, apricots and peach. A rich mid palate accentuated by a creaminess and finishing with a long textured mouth-feel and a vibrant acidity. The blend is beautifully balanced with no dominant varietal or notes.

Our food pairing tonight was lasagna, made with homemade fresh pasta sheets, paired with a simple green salad and Fresh Mozzarella. I loved the spiciness off the food with the softness of the wine, especially the Vionier aftertaste. According to the winemaker you should try it with seared yellowfin tuna marinated in wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger served on wilted spinach and aromatic basmati rice or crayfish bouillabaisse.

A fantastic wine. A bit pricy at 189SEK, but really worth a try, you won't be disappointed.

Here's the link to Systembolaget and to Mossop Wines if you'd like to read more.

50 Creative Wine Labels

2011-02-01T05:27:00.000-08:00

If you're into wine label design, have a look at Creative Fan, as the profile 50 Creative Wine Labels. My favourite is to the left.

L'Hereu de Raventós i Blanch Reserva 2007

2010-11-27T09:23:00.000-08:00

I've said it before that I'm a fan of Cava and last night we tried a new Cava a friend found at Systembolaget, the local liquor store. If you don't know Cava, then let me see if I can help out. As you have an area in France called Champagne, so too is there an area in Spain called Catalonia, which makes Sparkling wines. If the wine is from that area, then it's allowed to be called a Cava. Read this article for more information on Cava.

If you like Brut, then try this Cava. Typically dry, typically fresh and a mix of winter apples on the nose. The taste is a mix of yellow apples and grapefruit. Very good indeed. Living in Sweden, I now get to try a lot of wines from other countries, which also means getting to know grape varieties I've never heard of. This Cava is a blend of 60% Macabeu, 20% Xarel-Lo and 20% Parellada.

Now it's not always we make food that suits a Cava or Sparkling Wine, but there are nights when nothing but a good Cava will do. Last night we made Alfredo Pasta, with baby Spinach, cream and Parmesan, accompanied by thin shaved beef wrapped around button mushrooms, dipped in flour, then fried. Such a lot of flavours mixed with a very dry Cava was really great.

Not bad for 99kr, see Systembolaget.se

Lat 42 Rioja 1999

2010-11-13T02:33:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite wines of all times it has to be said. Had it the first time more than two years ago, when we tasted the 2001 vintage during the first wine tasting, where it scored 3 out of 5, then we tasted the 2002 vintage during the third wine tasting, where it scored 4 out of 5 and again the 2002 vintage during the fourth wine tasting, where it scored 3 out of 5.

This however is the 1999 vintage. I found it by chance at the beginning of the year, and bought ten bottles, of which this was unfortunately the last one. It's not often you find an 11 year old wine for close to 80kr, which is as good as this one. It's very woody and such a wonderful smell. I will admit that it's not everyone's cup of tea, but if you love Pinotage from South Africa, then you'll love this. Dark, and very bold.

For this wine we made a traditional lamb dish from South Africa called Biriyani. Originally from Malaysia, but have krept into the South African culture over a very long time. Lots of spices, mixed with the lamb, basmati rice and lentils, served with fresh coriander. The wine lasted long after dessert was done, and is fantastic after the meal all by itself as well. If you're into Spanish wines like I am, try this, but be careful, it is a bit wild. Tame it by making a spicy lamb dish like Biriyani.

Here's the link to Systembolaget. They currently have only the 2003 vintage in stock, which I have not yet tasted.

Below you can see that the cork is a little mouldy, not because the wine got air, but just because it's so old. 11 years. You can also see that in the colour of the wine. More brown than red. All the tannins are gone, yet the wine remains powerful in the nose and the taste.

Flat Roof Manor Shiraz Mourvèdre Viognier 2008

2010-10-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

South Africa, here we come. I have a friend who always tries and finds a wine from South Africa that I haven't had. Today was another surprise from a well known wine farm in South Africa called Uitkyk, called Flat Roof Manor. The wine is named after one the Cape's three surviving, two storied, flat roofed 18th Century houses near Stellenbosch.

I wrote a month ago about a wine from the Darling district North of Cape Town that was a blend of Shiraz and Mourvèdre. This wine however is a blend of three well known grapes in the red grapes Shiraz and Mourvèdre, along with the white grape Viognier. Estelle Lourens, the winemaker, did a fantastic job. Those three grapes work really well together, the peppery, dry Shiraz mixed with earthy, fruity Mourvèdre and a dash of floral Viognier. It's smooth and very round in your mouth, with a long after taste of flowers and pepper.

To match this wine tonight, we thought we'd make a very traditional South African dish called Bobotie. It arrived with the Indonesian, malay slaves in the 1700s along with a host of new spices. This dish is excellent with yellow rise and raisins. The spices mixed very well with this wine, however, I'd like to try some more meatier dishes with the wine in the future.

Another bargain at 89kr, have a look atSystemBolaget.se

Zonnebloem Shiraz 2008

2010-10-11T12:40:00.000-07:00

I have said this before, that after Pinotage, comes Shiraz. Well for me anyway. Tonight was roast night. Had a large piace of roast, rolled in ground pepper and rough salt after cooking, with butternut and mixed vegetables, roasted in the oven on the side. Butternut is a very much overlooked vegetable and so easy to cook.

With this meal we had a bottle of Zonnebloem Shiraz 2008. I thought the peppery meat would go well with a wine which is known to taste of pepper and spice. The first thing with this wine is the smell of fruit and spices, and then some more fruit on the taste, mixed up with hints of barrel and pepper. Some say coffee too, but that one is not what I tasted. The mix of pepper on the meat worked well with this wine, and made the vegetables taste sweeter. I would really like to age this wine for 5-8 years to see the potential, it would probably turn out fantastic.

Although there's a lot of wines competing for attention in this price range, it's worth a try. 82kr is well worth it, have a look at SystemBolaget.se

Masi Campofiorin 2007

2010-10-09T12:13:00.000-07:00

Wine and Mexican food has never really in my mind worked well together. The problem is I love wine and I love Mexican food. I've tried all kinds of variations on the theme, and have never succeeded, until tonight. Mild Burritos with mince & beans, baby spinach, cheese and medium salsa. Make sure it's medium, otherwise you won't taste this wine, or any wine for that matter, which means you'll end up settling for an ice cold beer instead.

I recently received two of these bottles of wine for my house warming party. I've never had this one specifically, but have had two others in the Masi range. What makes this wine special is that it's double fermented, which affects the taste. To make a long story short, I'll quote from the label: "Campofiorin. Double Fermentation - Ripasso. Exclusive Masi 'Supervenetian' wine made since 1964 by refermenting red wine produced from freshly picked grapes from the Verona area with a percentage of semi-dried grapes of the same style. This doble fermentation technique gives wines greater concentrations of colour and aromas with a bigger structure and a longer life."

This very dark ruby red wine, for me, didn't have such a strong, or should I say too strong aroma. What it did have though was a lot of cherries in the taste. Very spicy and very good. It was soft and smooth, and had a long after taste. It made an excellent companion for our Burritos. It helped that the food was mild though. The grapes in the wine are 70% corvina, 25% rondinella och 5% molinara.

The price is very reasonable at 105kr, have a look at SystemBolaget.se

Hamelin Bay Shiraz 2008

2010-09-16T10:32:00.001-07:00

More spicy food calls for more spicy wine in this Shiraz, except that this wine is oh so smooth. Take white pepper and mix it with chocolate and vanilla and you'll get the picture. Full bodied with that typical spicy aroma you can expect from a Shiraz.

The wine is from the Five Ashes Vineyard at Karridale, Margaret River's southern most wine district. That's Australia for those that didn't know. The crest is the Welsh wyvern, and the motto, Esse Quam Videri, means to be, rather than seem to be. So true in today's wine world, where you can buy something and get something completely different. This wine however, delivers what it promises, classical Shiraz characteristics.

The food for tonight to go with this wine is spicy chicken skewers and butternut.

Cape Crown Cuvèe Brut Sauvignon Blanc

2010-09-12T08:36:00.001-07:00

Since spending a week in Barcelona two years ago, I have gotten stuck drinking Cava as my bubbly of choice. Love the wild Spanish wines and Cava is no exception.

Here however a friend bought me a bubbly from South Africa. A Cuvèe Brut and the grape is Sauvignon Blanc. South Africa's Sauvignon Blanc wines are mostly crisp and fruity, with flavours of green peppers and grass. Here too that's no true, except it is a bubbly. A little dry but smooth, with an exceptionally long after taste.

If you like the white wines from South Africa, you'll love this wine. Best of all it's only 69kr at Systembolaget. Definitely on my list the next time I need a bubbly.

Food wise we're making black Marlin, fried with a Yakitori sauce, tempura vegetables and for desert, apple pie with Swedish apples and whipped cream.

Lomond Syrah 2008

2010-09-11T10:36:00.001-07:00

Shiraz has always been a favourite for me. Spicy, peppery and smokey. This wine from Cape Agulhas in South Africa is no exception. Tonight we're having it with Pesto Pasta and chicken fried in pepper. Talk about bringing out the pepper taste in the wine. Along with lots of pepper it is also very spicy with hints of fruit. Lots of flavour in your mouth, especially with food.

The wine is well worth a try and not expensive at all at 89kr. Especially if you're a Shiraz fan.

Cape Agulhas is the most southern tip of Africa and the wines made in the area are heavily influenced by soils and climate in the area.

Babylon's Peak Shiraz/Mourvédre/Grenache 2008

2010-09-10T09:47:00.001-07:00

It's that grape again. Mourvédre. This time in a wine, I've never had, from South Africa. It's called Babylon's Peak. Lots of cinnamon, and fynbos characters, spicy and some dark fruit. Lots of spicy Shiraz on the nose. It's got a bit of strong taste in the beginning with real red wine taste in the end. You know the one where you look at the glass and say, geepers, this is really good red wine. Which this is.

Babylon's Peak is a boutique private cellar, tucked away in the highest weathered granite slopes of the Paardeberg Mountain, north-east of Cape Town. The Basson family produces this wine on the Nooitgedacht farm.

Hercules Paragon Sauvignon Blanc 2009

2010-09-05T11:13:00.000-07:00

I'm still on my South Africa hunt for wines that I haven't had before and especially that I have never heard of before. Here we have one of them. It's called Hercules Paragon, and tonight we had the Sauvignon Blanc. It's good if you're into crisp white wines with tastes of Goosberries and tropical fruits. Lots of fruit on the nose and the taste is very fruity indeed with sour and sweet tones thrown into the mix.

We had the wine with Chicken fillet and Risotto with freshly picked Yellowfoot mushrooms. In Swedish the mushrooms are called trattkantarell, but in English they're called Yellowfoot, winter mushroom, or Funnel Chanterelle. Perfect fit for this wine with so many flavours already in the mix.

The name Hercules Paragon is very interesting because it's from the 17th century. When Hercules van Loon was granted a farm by Simon van der Stel his first concern was to establish the best vineyards in the valley. Being a man with flair, determined to be a symbol of excellence, he gained the nickname Hercules Paragon. And so today we have a wine named after him.

Darling Cellars Shiraz Mourvedre

2010-08-30T14:51:00.000-07:00

Don't ask me why, but lately I've been delving back into some South African wines, especially those I haven't had before. This one from Darling Cellars falls into that category, especially with a blend of Shiraz and Mourvedre. An unusual blend, as Mourvedre is not a popular or well know grape
variety in South Africa. It is usually used to make strong and dark red wines, as well as the odd Rosé. The grape originates from France.

This wine however has a typical South African smell or nose to it. The spicyness of the Shiraz, blended with the pepperiness of the Mourvedre. An elegant wine with soft, ripe fruit flavours and a subtle hint of oak on the aftertaste. I had it together with a Sirloin steak dipped in course salt and ground pepper, cut up into a salad of baby spinach, mixed with Avocado, sweet peppers and cucumber. It was delicious together. The wine is really soft and well worth a try.

Darling Cellar is an hours drive north of Cape Town on the cool West coast of South Africa. The soild in the area are granite based and bush vines are used to grow the grapes. See the wine online on systembolaget's website.

Van Loveren Chardonnay 2009

2010-08-03T08:20:00.001-07:00

I was introduced to this wine here in Sweden by a very close friend. She always liked saying Van Love in hushed tones. And that I do. Love this wine. Chardonnay is for me usually a wine to have with food. Not this one so much. This is your typical, with friends on the grass, chatting and laughing, waiting for the sun to set, wine.

Fruity, lovely aromas and a lingering taste of citrus, smokey and nutty tones. You won't be disappointed. Van Loveren or if you wish Van Love.

Had a lot of Van Loveren wine in South Africa, but mostly reds. I was pleasantly surprised to learn they have come to Sweden.

See the wine online at Systembolaget

Wine Production

2010-07-14T00:50:00.001-07:00

Moving back to just loving wine

2010-04-12T05:57:00.000-07:00

Finally it seems as if wine production is moving back into the hands of those who love making wine, instead of those who love making money.

The problem is there's just too much really bad wine on the market, produced by those not in it for the love of wine, but more the love of money. Sure, wine lovers who produce fine wines make money, and rightly so, but the difference is that they're in it for the long term. Those that are in it for the money look at it in the short term and will move on to the next money making thing as soon as it comes along.

It's not just Australia who has this problem, but most wine producing countries, including France, Italy and South Africa. Let's hope the situation sorts itself out soon, so the wine quality starts improving, but as the guys from Monocle said, until then I'm willing to help drink the left overs.

- Posted using BlogPress for the iPhone

Best Chardonnay

2010-01-10T02:23:00.000-08:00

If you can get your hands on this Chardonnay from Meerlust, then buy it. It is the best in my opinion by a long shot. Think very wooded, aged and powerful. I have never had it with food though, as I love enjoying it by itself, ice cold.

Systembolaget sells the Meerlust Rubicon, but I've not seen the Chardonnay in Sweden yet. If you have, please let me know. This bottle is from my collection in South Africa.

Wine by numbers

2009-11-23T01:04:00.000-08:00

Wine by numbers, with a digital content twist.

It's an interesting debate when you have old school wines on the one side vs. technological innovation on the other. The one cannot be without the other. By old school I mean wine in glas bottles, with a lable and a cork, made in a traditional way. Technolical advancement is usually anything that challenges the status quo. As written by Springwise.com "Dutch startup 94wines is now bringing a new technological twist to the table, so to speak, by offering a line of numbered and colour-coded wines that can be personalized with digital content."

"Launched a week ago, 94wines offers a line of French wines in which each variety is indicated by a number and a bottle colour rather than a name linked to its maker, vintage or region. Consumers begin by taking a short quiz of six questions regarding their likes and dislikes. That, in turn, produces their personal WineID, which can then be used to guide their choices from among the company's series of wines. The use of numbers and colours makes wine preferences easy to remember, while personal ID profiles allow friends to see each other's preferences for gift-giving purposes."

There's more to read on Springwise.com.

The sixth wine tasting with Poolia

2009-05-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

All the previous wine tastings have always been with friends, or people that I've met more than once before. The sixth wine tasting however was with a recruiting company called Poolia, where a friend of mine works. We were 12 people in total, a mix of Poolia employees and their partners. We only tasted six wines for the night, but all in all I thought it went really well, or so it usually does after the first two wines.

The wines we had were from Argentina, Chilé and South Africa and all of them were single variety wines, meaning no blends. Two bottles of Merlot to start off with, then a Malbec and three bottles of Pinotage in the end.

I am as you may know a Pinotage fan, when it's done in the traditional way. I am not a fan of some of these new styles of easy drinking Pinotage wines you find on the shelves these days. Pinotage is supposed to be strong, dark and heavy and not everyone is supposed to like it, at first that is. You need to sweeten it a bit with food or cheese, because only then does it start to grow on you, to the point of loving the smell and the taste. The highlight of the night was a bottle of Pinotage from South Africa called Cafe Culture. This Pinotage however is very easy drinking and smells like mocha coffee. You can read more about my thoughts on the wine here, because it is a wine that most loved at the start and hated at the end of the night.

The other wines for the night were really good, and my favourite was a bottle of Anura Merlot 2007. Really smooth and very creamy.

Casillero del Diablo Merlot (2008)

2009-05-29T06:22:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 6

I would not buy this wine if I had 70SEK to spend, just because there's nothing special about it. There's a lot more available in this price range that's better quality. Have a look at other wines we've tasted in the 70 - 80SEK price range. If you want another wine from this producer, try the Cabernet Sauvignon, much better, and scored 3 1/2 stars during the 4th wine tasting.

Panel's rating: 2,65 out of 5

Country: Chilé
Grape: 100% Merlot
Price: 70SEK

Colour: Dark, blue red colour.

Nose: Fruity aroma with barrel character, hints of plums, vanilla, grass and liquorice. Fruit-forward with distinct blackberry and plum notes, and delicate traces of vanilla and toast. Very well-integrated wood.

Taste: Very fruity wine with barrel character, hints of plums, liquorice and vanilla. Smooth, good body. Balanced, ripe tannins and a delicious long finish.

Anura Merlot (2007)

2009-05-29T05:39:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 6

An elegant bottle with a really nice label. My favourite wine, during the sixth wine tasting. I think it was really smooth with a sort of creamy finish. I would open this wine while cooking a creamy pasta dish, because I think it's really good by itself, but should be really good with pasta in particular.

Panel's rating: 3,39 out of 5

Country: Simonsberg, Paarl, South Africa
Grape: 100% Merlot
Price: 99SEK

Colour: Dark red colour.

Nose: Large, fruity, smoky aroma with barrel character, hints of plums, green pepper, dark chocolate and liquorice. Hints of herbal and violet aromas are folded in layers of dark chocolate.

Taste: Very fruity, smoky wine with barrel character, hints of plums, green pepper, dark chocolate, liquorice and coffee. The wine has loads of ripe blackberry, red berry and blackcurrant flavours. This full-bodied, well balanced wine and has a long lingering flavour or berries and mint leaves.

Argento Malbec (2008)

2009-05-29T04:56:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 6

Malbec is starting to become a wine that is appearing more and more on my wine tasting radar. So far we've tasted 3 Malbec's, and they've all scored between 3 and 3 1/2 stars. Not excellent, but OK. If you're a Malbec fan, I'd recommend this wine because it was really good. Not fantastic, but with the right meal, who knows...

Panel's rating: 3,48 out of 5

Country: Medoza, Argentina
Grape: 100% Malbec
Price: 79SEK

Colour: Dark, blue red colour.

Nose: Very fruity aroma with hints of barrel, blackberries, herbs and pepper. Deep dark violet in colour and offers powerful aromas of blackstone fruit and notes of chocolate.

Taste: Very fruity taste with hints of barrel, blackberries, grass and vanilla. Blackberry and black currant fruit is complimented with a touch of sweet spice and leads into a lingering finish with ripe velvety tannins.

Some more info: The word Argento, meaning silver in Latin, is often used colloquially in Argentina to refer to a thing or a person that is quintessentially Argentine.

Cafe Culture Pinotage (2008)

2009-05-29T03:06:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 6

In short, buy this wine. Not because it is the best wine, but because it's so interesting and like a chameleon it changes the whole time. At first, the smell is fantastic. Imagine walking into a coffee roastery, layers of Mocha coffee that lingers in the air. Then moving onto the taste, which is deep, rich, creamy and really smooth. The wine was loved by all and was the first wine to almost score 4 1/2 stars. Pinotage however, is not supposed to be easy drinking. It's supposed to be strong, dark and powerful and should take a while before you get used to it. That's the reason I love Pinotage.

The problem with this wine is that it gets too much too soon. Way to much. From loving it in the beginning most hated it in the end, and most I believe won't buy it again. The coffee smell and taste becomes overpowering, and I'm scared people will think that this is what all Pinotage wines are like. Having said all of that, buy it and try it and let me know what you think. It surely is interesting.

Panel's rating: 4,24 out of 5

Country: South Africa (KWV)
Grape: 100% Pinotage
Price: 89SEK

Colour: Dark, blue red colour.

Nose: Large fragrance with distinctive character of toasted oak barrels, hints of coffee, dark berries and smoke.

Taste: Wine has distinctive character of coffee-caramel, sweet and hard toasted barrels, hints of tar, smoke and cherries. This rich and juicy Pinotage has concentrated ripe fruit and mocha flavours.

Some more info: Launched in 2007, to be a Pinotage that's based on coffee characters, or more closer to the point, Mocha. This accounts for its mocha and chocolate flavours – the richness of coffee beans, the smoothness of creamy chocolate and the freshness of ripe fruit. ”

Jacobsdal Pinotage (2004)

2009-05-29T02:24:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 6

Here we have my favourite wine in the world. OK not really but I love it. This is what a Pinotage is supposed to smell and taste like. It's a 2004 vintage, so 5 years in the bottle only made it so much better. We've tasted it before during wine tasting 1, where it also scored 4 stars. Have this wine one night with a cheese platter of strong blue vein cheeses and some preserves, just to bring the best out of it, you won't be disappointed.

Panel's rating: 3,84 out of 5

Country: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Grape: 100% Pinotage
Price: 110SEK

Colour: Deep ruby, garnet.

Nose: Large, slightly developed, fruity, burnt aromas with hints of barrel, tobacco, plums and meats. Plum and cherry. Subtle oak and vanilla spice.

Taste: Something developed, lightly smoked, tasteful wine, with hints of barrel, tobacco, tar pastilles and plums. Mulberry, raspberry and hints of cedar. No rough edges with fresh succulent fruit and great tannin structure.

Stellenzicht Pinotage (2006)

2009-05-29T01:35:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 6

During wine tasting 5 we tasted the Double gold Veritas award winning Stellenzicht Golden Triangle Shiraz (2005) which didn't score so high with the panel. This time around it was their Pinotage, which managed 4 stars. During the Veritas 2008 awards which is South Africa's premier award ceremony, no less than 6 wines from this farm scored bronze medals or better, including this wine, which scored a Silver medal. Really quality wines from a fairly unknown South African wine farm. If you can get your hands on a wine from their Cellar Master release, then buy some. It's really fantastic wines and still fairly well priced.

Panel's rating: 3,94 out of 5

Country: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Grape: 100% Pinotage
Price: 110SEK

Colour: Dense, blue red colour. Dark ruby colour.

Nose: Very fruity, slightly smoky aroma with barrel character, elements of dark berries, plums and chocolate. Mulberry fruit with rich plum, blackcurrant and earthy aromas.

Taste: Very tasteful, fruity, slightly smoky wine barrel character, plums, herbs and chocolate. Darker berry flavours on the mouth- filling palate with oak and fruit seamlessly integrated. The solid tannin structure and sturdy acidity will allow this wine to improve with further maturation.

Just how much wine?

2009-05-11T03:48:00.000-07:00

Have you ever driven past a wine farm, looked at the endless vineyards and wondered to yourself just how much wine they produced or how many bottles of wine per vineyard you're looking at? Perhaps how many litres? Maybe you've looked at a wine bottle and wondered how many grapes it took to make that bottle? Here's a simple way for you to do the maths, no matter what you're looking at:

1 grape cluster = 1 glass
75 grapes = 1 cluster
4 clusters = 1 bottle
40 clusters = 1 vine
1 vine = 10 bottles
1200 clusters = 1 barrel
1 barrel = 60 gallons
60 gallons = 25 cases
30 vines = 1 barrel
400 vines = 1 acre
1 acre = 5 tons
5 tons = 332 cases

The fifth wine tasting

2009-05-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

Viva South Africa. That's what the night was all about. The theme was South Africa, so those attending were only alowed to buy wines from South Africa.

I often get asked which South African wines I would recommend here in Sweden and I really struggle because I don't have a lot of answers. The reason you see, is that when you're in South Africa, you're exposed to so much more wines at so much more afforable prices. I have however been trying more of the South African wines available here in Sweden and this night was especially good for that. There's eight good wines to try, although I should mention that none of the wines scored 4 stars. I found this very surprising.

We started off outside in the sun with a very good Sparkling wine called Pongrácz and strawberries. This was followed by one really good crisp white wine and six red wines. It really made me miss home.

Pongrácz Brut

2009-05-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 5

If I buy Champagne, or more correctly, Sparkling wine here in Sweden, this is what I buy. It has a lot to do with the fact that it comes from South Africa, but more so with the fact that it's a really tasty well balanced sparkling wine, with just the right amount of bubbles. We had this with strawberries out in the garden as it's a brut and very dry and the strawberries compliment it really well. Serve nice and chilled.

Panel's rating: 3,47 out of 5

Country: South Africa - Berg Kelder
Grape: 37% Chardonnay and 63% Pinot Noir
Price: 109 SEK

Colour: Light yellow colour.

Nose: Youthful, fruity fragrance with little bread smell, elements of apples and nougat.

Taste: Dry, slightly roasted flavor with hints of apples, nougat and grapefruit.

Neethlingshof Sauvignon Blanc (2008)

2009-05-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 5

South African white wines remind me of summer, sitting on the grass under the trees and pinics. This wine is no exception. Crisp and full of flavour. One of my favourites. It's not a wine that's made for drinking with heavy meals, but a good salad, a fruit bowl or a light lunch outside in the sun would be perfect. It's flavours are a mix of green peppers (Paparika), grass and asparagus, which sounds weird, but is worth a try.

Panel's rating: 3.27 out of 5

Country: South Africa - Stellenbosch
Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Price: 80 SEK
Colour: Light yellow colour

Nose: Youthful scent, aromatic fragrance with hints of nettle, gooseberry, kiwi, asparagus, and lime.

Taste: Dry, very fresh, aromatic flavour with a hint of nettle, gooseberry, kiwi and green marmalade balls

Porcupine Ridge Syrah (2008)

2009-05-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 5

According to the wine maker, this wine is called the "Wild One", because it is powerful and full bodied with concentrated flavours of Black Pepper, Raspberry, Mulberry and liquorice. It's not one of my favourites, because it's a bit over-powering and not real value for money at 98SEK a bottle. If I was going to spend that amount I would opt for their Porcupine Ridge Merlot, which is much smoother and tastier.

Panel's rating: 3,16 out of 5

Country: South Africa - Franschoek
Grape: 100% Shiraz
Price: 98 SEK

Colour: Dark purple colour.

Nose: Large, savoury, slightly smoky aroma with barrel character, elements of blackberry, violet, laurel and liquorice.

Taste: Tasteful, savoury, smoky wine with barrel character, elements of blackberry, violet, laurel and liquorice.

Allesverloren Tinta Barroca (2007)

2009-05-01T06:23:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 5

Tinta Barroca is a Portuguese red wine grape that is grown primarily in the Douro region with some plantings in South Africa. It's a common blending grape in Port wine while in South Africa it is normally made into a varietal. It's a fairly unknown variety in South Africa, so it's not very common. It took some getting used to for me, because it's not a taste that fits the regular South African palate, but has since been a regular purchase of mine. It goes really well with meat dishes that have lots of flavours. Do not try it as a stand along wine with your favourite book, because you'll be disappointed. This wine needs a busy kitchen with lot of action around it, lots of colours and lots of flavours.

Panel's rating: 3,36 out of 5

Country: South Africa - Swartland
Grape: 100% Tinta Barroca
Price: 109 SEK

Colour: Purple.

Nose: Fruity, spicy, slightly burnt aroma with a hint of barrel, cherry, liquorice and grass.

Taste: Fruity, spicy, slightly burnt taste with hints of barrel, plums, cherries and liquorice.

Graham Beck Pinotage (2008)

2009-05-01T05:26:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 5

This wine has been tasted before during the 2nd wine tasting, and really disappointed. This time around however it was a tad better with everyone commenting favourably on it. Graham Beck is one of South Africa's best wine makers, but he also knows a thing or two about markting, and that's where this wine comes in. Selling it purely off the knowledge of his good name, which isn't always a good thing. I still think this wine needs some time to rest before it's consumed, perhaps 3-5 years. At the moment it's like a naughty child that needs to sit in the corner for a while until it matures a little.

Panel's rating: 3,69 out of 5

Country: South Africa - Robertson
Grape: Pinotage
Price: 75 SEK

Colour: Blue purple colour.

Nose: Fruity, smoky aroma with a hint of barrel, forest berries and herbs.

Taste: “Ripe cherry, strawberries and plums on the nose with ripe red berry fruit and spices on the palate. A full structured and well balanced wine with an elegant mouthfeel and silky soft tannins”. Youthful, fruity, clear and smoky flavor with hints of barrel, forest and grass.

Neethlingshof Cabernet Sauvignon (2004)

2009-05-01T04:29:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 5

Aaahh... Cabernet Sauvignon, that trusty wine that never disappoints. Here's another good example of one, full of flavour, full bodied, long after taste. If I were to guess, I'd say a chicken dish or pasta. Open the bottle 3 hours before you have it to calm the flavours down a bit and give the wine a chance to breathe. Try it before you eat, as well as during the meal, to see just how a wine can change. It's was also fantastic just by itself, with strong barrel flavours that seem to just linger forever.

Panel's rating: 3,64 out of 5

Country: South Africa - Stellenbosch
Grape: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: 89 SEK

Colour: Dark purple colour

Nose: Large, fruity, slightly smoky aroma with barrel character, elements of blackberry, blackcurrant and herbs.

Taste: Tasteful, fruity, smoky wine with barrel character, elements of black currant, licorice and herbs.

Allesverloren Shiraz (2007)

2009-05-01T03:31:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 5

This wine was really close to scoring 4 stars, and was the best wine for the night of the 5th wine tasting. It's smoky and there's that barrel smell and taste that I think appeals to so many red wine drinkers. A good wine for red meat dishes, because it has all the right elements to compliment the food. It's not over-powering, yet full bodied with a taste that slows you down, so you can really enjoy every sip.

Panel's rating: 3,7 out of 5

Country: South Africa - Swartland
Grape: 100% Shiraz
Price: 99 SEK

Colour: Red blue colour

Nose: Fruity, slightly smoky aroma, elements of the barrel, blackberries, rmynta and vanilla.

Taste: Fruity, slightly smoky wine, elements of the barrel, blackberry, mint and vanilla.

Stellenzicht Golden Triangle Shiraz (2005)

2009-05-01T02:46:00.000-07:00

Wine tasting 5

This is a multiple award winning wine in South Africa. Double-gold Veritas and the Wine Magazine gold winner. I really enjoyed it, but not more than say the Allesverloren Syrah we had on the same night. Don't get me wrong though, in a tasting of just Shiraz wines, this wine will score in the top ten every time. It's really worth a try, to see what South African award winning wines taste like. Here's a list of all the other wines that also scored double gold in 2008, as well as a link to the Veritas website, so you can see how the wines were judged.

Panel's rating: 3,57 out of 5

Country: South Africa - Stellenbosch
Grape: 100% Shiraz
Price: 110 SEK

Colour: Dark red blue colour.

Nose: Very fruity, slightly smoky aroma with barrel character, plums, pepper, nuts and chocolate.

Taste: Very fruity, smoky flavour of barrel character plums, peppermint and liquorice.

The fourth wine tasting

2009-02-27T10:09:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting four was a strictly work affair with my new work colleagues and their partners. The theme was back to random, which meant they could bring what they wanted and especially what they liked. None of the wines were from the same country and included Australia, Spain, South Africa, Bulgaria, Argentina, Chilé, Italy and Germany. The grapes were also totally different. I would say it was a good mix and the wines were really of a high quality. The blind tasting made it interesting in that regard, with so many different smells and tastes, as oppose to Wine tasting 2, when all the wines were fairly similar, from France and Italy.

Kloster Eberbach Kabinett Rieling (2006)

2009-02-27T08:19:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 4

Every now and then there's a wine that surprises. Just when you have decided that it cannot be any good because the label is weird and the bottle is a strange shape and an ugly green colour it catches you off guard with its clear colour, wonderful smell and fantastic taste. This wine just got better and better throughout the night, which means it should be good with a meal. I am a fan of Riesling together with some hand made dark chocolate for a quite night at the fire or on your balcony looking at the sunset.

Panel's rating: 2,75 out of 5

Price: 96SEK
Country: Germany
Grape: 100% Riesling

Colour: Light yellow color

Nose: Scent fragrance with hints of green apple, mineral and citrus

Taste: Semi-Dry, very fresh, youthful flavor with hints of pear, green apples and citrus.

Terreno Chianti Clissico (2006)

2009-02-27T07:36:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 4

I'm not a fan of Chianti yet, but what I've heard is that you need to watch out what you buy, because as good as this wine can be, just so can it be really terrible. I'm also surprised when we don't finish all the wine in one night, and this wine was one that was left. I had it again the next day and it was as if I was drinking a different wine. This means that the wine does not want anything complex around it, perhaps just by itself or with a simple dish. I would decant the bottle in the future, because the wine seems to need a lot of air for it to settle down properly.

Panel's rating: 2,56 out of 5

Price: 89SEK
Country: Italy
Grape: 90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo

Colour: Dark colour, red blue

Nose: Spicy, fruity aroma with hints of barrel, cherry, chocolate and herbs

Taste: Spicy, fruity taste with barrel character, elements of cherries, herbs and dark chocolate

Casillero del Diablo Carménère (2007)

2009-02-27T06:17:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 4

This wine has one of my favourite labels and a very interesting history along with it. I really like Spanish wines and this one from Chilè is no exception. Strong flavours and bold characters. Would be excellent with a spicy dish of meat perhaps.

Panel's rating: 3,28 out of 5

Price: 70SEK
Country: Chilè
Grape: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Carménère

Colour: Dark, purple colour

Nose: Fruity aroma with roasted barrel character, elements of black currant, green pepper, grass and coffee

Taste: Fruity, slightly spicy taste with hints of toasted barrels, black currants, grass, sweet licorice and coffee

Masi Tupungato - Pasto Doble (2007)

2009-02-27T05:28:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 4

Here's a wine that was in a single word, weird. The label is plain with a sort-of hand written label and plain green colouring. On the night is was just so, so and scored 3 stars from everyone. There was half a bottle left when the night was done, which does not happen often. I tried the wine exactly a week later and it was fantastic. Smooth and very tasty. This for me just means that the wine didn't breathe enough when we had it. I would buy this bottle again, but decant it about 3-5 hours before having it. Not sure it'll work with a meal though, but perhaps some snacks and a night of playing cards.

Panel's rating: 3,09 out of 5

Price: 89SEK
Country: Argentina
Grape: 62% Malbec, 30% Corvina och 8% Merlot

Colour: Dark, purple Colour

Nose: Very fruity, spicy aroma with barrel character, elements of dark cherry, plum, licorice and tobacco

Taste: Fruity, spicy wine barrel character, plums, dark cherries, herbs, licorice and tobacco

Allesverloren Tinta Barroca (2007)

2009-02-27T04:50:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 4

Allesverloren is a very well known wine farm in South Africa that produces really good quality wines. My favourite is their Cabernet Sauvignon that has been aged between 5-8 years. This Tinta Barroca grape is not a well known variety but will stand tall amongst the better known wines such as Shiraz or Merlot. The flavours are not what you might expect, but midway through your glass it is surely to become a favourite.

Panel's rating: 3,51 out of 5

Price: 109SEK
Country: South Africa
Grape: 100% Tinta Barroca

Colour: Purple

Nose: Fruity, spicy, slightly burnt aroma with a hint of barrel, cherry, licorice and grass.

Taste: Fruity, spicy, slightly burnt taste with hints of barrel, plums, cherries and licorice.

Sophia Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)

2009-02-27T03:30:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 4

It was the second time that this wine appeared at a wine tasting, and both times people were surprised by it. Not so much by the price, of just 52SEK, or that it comes from Bulgaria, but that it was really good. I'm a fan of Cabernet Sauvignon and this wine is on my list for the future. The label needs some work, as it appears cheap, but other than that I would recommend this wine for a night with friends watching movies or playing poker.

Panel's rating: 3,13 out of 5

Price: 52SEK
Country: Bulgaria
Grape: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Colour: Red blue to Ruby colour which harmonises with its taste and aroma.

Nose: Strong, slightly burnt aroma with hints of plums, grass and sweet liquorice. Well-balanced aroma of red and blue fruits.

Taste: Well structured and markedly nippy taste. Strong, slightly burnt taste with hints of dark berries, grass and sweet liquorice. Ruby red wine with excellent fruit character.

Treasures Shiraz (2006)

2009-02-27T02:41:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 4

This wine is a new one to Systembolaget, but I haven't seen it since. It is still on their system though. A really fantastic all round wine. Smooth, well structure and if I should venture a guess, then I'd say it should be really good with a grilled meat dish with baked potatoes. It just felt like such a wine from the first taste, because of the strong barrel carachter in the smell and taste. It was loved by everyone at the tasting and for only 89SEK a real bargain.

Panel's rating: 3,83 out of 5

Price: 89SEK
Country: Australia
Grape: Shiraz

Colour: Dark red colour.

Nose: Very fruity aroma with barrel character, elements of blackberries, plums, spices and rubber.

Taste: Very fruity taste with barrel character, elements of blackberry, plum, spices, rubber and vanilla.

Lat 42 Rioja Gran Reserva (2002)

2009-02-27T01:54:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 4

Here's that wine again. It's been at 3 wine tastings now and there's such a mixed response from it every single time. This time it only scored 3 stars. Most people, however, love this wine and that includes me. The 2002 is really good and still such a find at 79SEK. I've said before, that this wine needs food, because it has a really strong smell and taste, with overall strong carachters, which feels overpowering if not tamed down with some food. Try a spicy Spanish dish or perhaps some Tapas, it work together really nicely. For glasses, try the smaller of these 3 from Granit.se for a traditional Spanish wine glass feel.

Panel's rating: 2,96 out of 5

Price: 79SEK
Country: Spain
Grape: 100% Tempranillo

Colour: Ruby colouring

Nose: Clear vanilla, mature, slightly synthetic, Plump fragrance of ripening tone, vanilla barrel tones and dried fruit.

Taste: Vanilla and dill, long, ripe, very Rioja for money, mature, drink now but can be saved, strawberry flavours, a veneer of vanilla and tobacco-spice.

The third wine tasting

2009-02-20T13:46:00.000-08:00

The third wine tasting was held with a totally new group than the first two. I decided not to add a theme to this tasting, just to see what kind of wines we end up with. No theme meant they could buy whichever wines they wanted, from any country and in any price range.

In the end we ended up with 2 white wines and 7 red wines, from Italy, South Africa, USA, Spain and Bulgaria. All in all a really fantastic group, and I hope we get together for another tasting really soon.

Ruffino Orvieto Classico (2007)

2009-02-20T13:45:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 3

I am slowly but surely starting to discover a taste for Italian red wines, because it's not often that I get to taste Italian whites. Here's one that I thought was pretty good, and worth a try for a summer barbecue or a picnic. Needs to be really cold though.

Panel's rating: 10.88 out of 20

Price: N/A
Country: Italy
Grape: Grechetto 50%, Procanico 30%, Verdello 10%, Canaiolo bianco 10%

Colour: Straw yellow

Nose: Fresh and fragrant with delicate flowery notes of meadow flowers and clover accompanied by fruity hints of green apples and greengages.

Taste: Fresh and harmonious with good body and an aftertaste reminiscent of citrus fruits.

Inzolia Chardonnay (2007)

2009-02-20T13:40:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 3

Here's a wine that uses clever marketing to sell itself. There's two words on the label, "Inzolia" and "Chardonnay". Most people don't know what Inzolia means and assumes this is a Chardonnay, which it isn't. There's only 25% Chardonnay in here, the rest or 75% is Inzolia, which is also a grape variety. This wine is not worth it. Rather drink water.

Panel's rating: 8.12 out of 20

Price: 67SEK
Country: Italy (Sicilia)
Grape: 75% Inzolia, 25% Chardonnay

Colour: Light yellow color

Nose: Youthful, fruity aroma with hints of pear, peach and melon. Youthful, fruity aroma with hints of mango, peach and melon.

Taste: Dry, very fruity taste with hints of peach, melon and grapefruit. Fine acidity and length. Dry, very fruity taste with hints of mango, peach and grapefruit.

Robert Mondavi Zinfandel (2006)

2009-02-20T13:33:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 3

Here's a blended wine that consists mainly of Zinfandel, but also contains five other varieties. I'm not sure if the winemaker wanted to create a complex wine or had grapes left that he needed to use. This wine however has some very complex flavours and scored 4 stars from everyone at the wine tasting. Another good American wine and worth a try.

Panel's rating: 14.88 out of 20

Price: 82SEK
Country: USA
Grape: 77% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, 4% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec and Petit Verdot

Colour: Colour is deep and dark, not quite inky: the sort of colour of a ripe black cherry.

Nose: This wine has a deep, soft bramble berry character with a dash of spice and a pinch of black pepper. The aromas and flavours are so lush and concentrated that they never seem to end, just linger and linger.

Taste: Vibrant wild black raspberry, cranberry and blackberry character, with nuances of hibiscus tea, orange zest, allspice and heirloom rose. Jam, spicy taste with hints of barrel, the forest, herbs and vanilla.

Coto de Imaz Rioja Reserva (2004)

2009-02-20T13:26:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 3

One of the better Riojas on the market, but a bit pricey if you consider the Lat 42 Rioja for 79kr. I did however still love this wine, just because it is a complete wine with a wonderful bouquet and full flavours in the mouth.

Panel's rating: 14.94 out of 20

Price: 102SEK
Country: Spain
Grape: Tempranillo 100% from the Rioja Alta

Colour: Brick-cherry red
Nose: Aroma with slight hints of oak standing out over the ripe fruit. Developed, spicy fragrance with hints of barrel, plums, chocolate, leather and vanilla.

Taste: Tasty, tannic, fresh fruit. Pleasant to drink. Mature, perfumed Tempranillo fruit with round, complex flavours from long-aging in American oak casks. Developed, spicy taste with hints of barrel, plum, cherry, chocolate, leather and vanilla.

Sophia Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)

2009-02-20T13:20:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 3

Europe is one of the oldest wine producing regions in the world, but as soon as you ask people to mention some wine producing countries in Europe, they mention Spain, Italy or France. Here's a wine from Bulgaria and in a word, Fantastic. Don't let the price put you off. This wine is superb in all ways and worth a try.

Panel's rating: 12.38 out of 20

Price: 52SEK
Country: Bulgaria
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Colour: Red blue to Ruby colour which harmonises with its taste and aroma.

Nose: Strong, slightly burnt aroma with hints of plums, grass and sweet liquorice. Well-balanced aroma of red and blue fruits.

Taste: Well structured and markedly nippy taste. Strong, slightly burnt taste with hints of dark berries, grass and sweet liquorice. Ruby red wine with excellent fruit character.

Rioja Bordón Reserva (2004)

2009-02-20T13:14:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 1

Wine's from Rioja in Spain has become one my favourite wines since moving to Sweden, where I have access to wines from all over the world. This one is no different. Full of flavour and absolutely delicious. My rule for Tempranillo is however still to rather have it with food, than alone.

Panel's rating: 13.88 out of 20

Price: 89SEK
Country: Spain
Grape: 80% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha and 10% Mazuelo

Colour: Brick red colour. Red ruby colour with a deep iridescence tile.

Nose: Fragrance mature, spicy fragrance with hints of barrel, dried fruit, leather, dill and leaf rot. Nose is intense and rich in spices and balsamic nuances.

Taste: Taste ripe, spicy taste with hints of barrel, dried cherries, leather, dill, cocoa and leaf rot. Its entry on the palate is soft and velvety. This wine is delicious and ample.

Turning Leaf Cabernet Sauvignon (2008)

2009-02-20T12:31:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 3

This is probably only my third or fourth American wine I've had in my life, so I don't really have an opinion on their wines. This one however was good. Really good. A typical weekend wine when you have some friends over and you haven't planned too much. It's got a good flavour and some really interesting characteristics.

Panel's rating: 14.06 out of 20

Price: 79SEK
Country: USA
Grape: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% other

Colour: Dark, Purple colour

Nose: It's delightful, with notes of black cherries, oak and brown spice. Very fruity aroma with hints of black currants, grass and vanilla.

Taste: Very fruity taste with hints of blackcurrants and vanilla. A full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon red wine offers complex and rich layers of dark berry and plum flavours, accented by vanilla, and spice.

Graham Beck Pinotage (2008)

2009-02-20T12:26:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 2

I was really disappointed by this wine. I've written before that Pinotage is my favourite grape variety, because I like the strong wines it produces. This wine however lacked that strong flavour I was looking forward to. Graham Beck however is one of South Africa's best wine makers and I'm sure there's more to this wine. I'm buying another bottle soon which I'll try with some blue cheese and fig preserve, perhaps then I'll discover its true character.

Panel's rating: 10.88 out of 20

Price: 74SEK
Country: South Africa
Grape: Pinotage

Colour: Blue purple colour

Nose: Fruity, smoky aroma with a hint of barrel, forest berries and herbs.

Taste: “Ripe cherry, strawberries and plums on the nose with ripe red berry fruit and spices on the palate. A full structured and well balanced wine with an elegant mouthfeel and silky soft tannins”. Youthful, fruity, clear and smoky flavor with hints of barrel, forest and grass.

Lat 42 Rioja Gran Reserva (2002)

2009-02-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 3

I really love this wine. The 2001 was my favourite find of 2008 and now the 2002 is even better. This wine does however change character a lot and I would recommend this wine with food. It has a strong flavour and needs strong food to tone it down and compliment it.

Panel's rating: 15.43 out of 20

Price: 79SEK
Country: Spain
Grape: 100% Tempranillo

Colour: Ruby colouring

Nose: Clear vanilla, mature, slightly synthetic, Plump fragrance of ripening tone, vanilla barrel tones and dried fruit.

Taste: Vanilla and dill, long, ripe, very Rioja for money, mature, drink now but can be saved, strawberry flavours, a veneer of vanilla and tobacco-spice.

The second wine tasting

2009-01-31T12:30:00.001-08:00

The second wine tasting has come and gone as fast as the first one did. For the second one the theme was Europe. The group was only allowed to buy wines from one of the 27 countries that form part of the European Union, which includes all of the following: , Åland Islands, Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Norway, Mayen Islands, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City.

The strange thing was that everyone arrived with only wine from France and Italy. Perhaps it says something about the other countries on the list? Perhaps it was just an easier decision? One positive from the night though was that three out of the eight wines were ecological.

Claps Sauvignon Blanc Sequals (2007)

2009-01-31T11:10:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 2

I'm not sure the three and a half stars really give enough credit for this wine. It was really fantastic, and should be if you're looking at spending 80kr for a bottle of white. I do however believe there's better wines on the market for much less. I would however buy this wine again, for a picnic in the park and on warm summers day. I was surprised to learn that this wine comes from Italy, and not somewhere like Australia or South Africa.

Panel's rating: 3,6 out of 5

Price: 80SEK

Country: Italy

Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Colour: A light yellow tone to clear, Very light, A cold greyish yellow, A clear yellow with a hint of gold, Bright and soft yellow with a little hint of turqouise, Light yellow with a little green, Light yellow.

Nose: A lot of citrus and floral mixed, Pears and peaches with some elder flowers, Fresh and fruity with a hint of citrus, Peaches and passion fruits, Tropical fruits with hints of lemons, Sweet citrus mixed with pear marmalade and gooseberries with some tropical fruits.

Taste: Thick on the tongue and hard to destinguish, Crisp, Dry and crisp, Dry and light, Crisp and peachy.

Dolce Vita Monica di Sardegna (2006)

2009-01-31T11:09:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 2

This was actually one of my favourite wines for the night, yet many said it was so-so. The Monica grape was totally unheard, and is one of only a handful grapes which are equally good as a table grape. It's relatively new on the market, yet I would recommend it for being a relatively good ecological wine.

Panel's rating: 3,1 out of 5

Price: 67SEK

Country: Italy

Grapes: 100% Monica

Colour: Ruby, Dark scarlett, Thick ruby, Purple

Nose: Cinnamon mixed with leather and raisins, Very earthy, Raisin bagels, Sharp and very rustic, A little resin and ripe fruit, Lots of cellar and barrel

Taste: A strong beginning of cherries with a very short after taste, Rustic and very strong in the beginning but settles too quickly, Peppery, Sharp with a sort of burning peppery taste mixed with figs, Strong cinnamon flavours with high acidity, Smooth finish.

Chateau Pech-Latt Corbieres (2007)

2009-01-31T11:08:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 2

I'm not sure why, but there's a lot of really terrible ecological wines on the market. This one is one of them. There's a lot of hoops you have to jump through to be able to call your wine ecological. I don't know why anyone would jump through all of them just to put a wine like this on the market.

There's a lot of good ecological wines on the market, and cheaper than 70kr.

Panel's rating: 2,1 out of 5

Price: 70SEK

Country: France

Grapes: Carignan, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre

Colour: Purplish tones, Scarlett with purple tones, Blue red, Purple red, Ruby, Purple.

Nose: Warm and simple, Very strong with warmish tones and a bit mettal, Warm iron with alcohol and raisins, Soft, A little metallic.

Taste: Sweet berries, Very strong alchohol, Bitter, Strawberries, Rasberries with light acidicy and liquirice, Smooth and resberries, Sweet and smooth with a light taste of rasberries.

Vinea Corvina Veronese (2006)

2009-01-31T11:06:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 2

My favourite wine for the night and definitely on my shopping list again. Especially when we're planning to cook something really special with friends. I've never heard of the Corvina grape before this night and was very impressed with the wine. Well structured. I also really like the bottle design. Simple and elegant. A superb wine and highly recommended.

Panel's rating: 3,6 out of 5

Price: 80SEK

Country: Italy

Grapes: 100% Corvina

Colour: Brown red and rusty, Dirt red, Brown rusty red, Deep rusty red, Brwon red.

Nose: Raisins, plums and spices, Very spicy, Nutty, Earthy, Almonds with hints of barrel, Figs.

Taste: Sour and hints of cherries, Long after taste and full in the mouth, Cherries and a bit bitter, A tad bitter with berries and vanilla, Sour cherries, Fig marmelade and sour cherries, Barrel characteristics and hints of orange peel.

Farnese Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (2005)

2009-01-31T11:05:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 2

This wine was also tasted at the first wine tasting, and although it scored a little lower this time, it was still the winner for the night. 85kr for a fantastic wine that's soft, smooth and basically and excellent wine. If you haven't tried this wine before, then buy it. You won't be disappointed. We tasted this wine during the first wine tasting as well, and also received 4 stars with a score of 4,2 out of 5.

Panel's rating: 3,8 out of 5

Price: 109SEK

Country: Italy

Grapes: 100% Montepulciano

Colour: Deep red scarlet, Very dark red, Scarlet to blue red, Very deep red with pink undertones, Scarlet,

Nose: Floral and earthy, Cherries and vanilla, Dark cherry chocolate, Smells of a garden, Jasmine, fruity and a bit yeasty, Liquorice and flowers, Oak barrel with a smell of flowers and vanilla, Full-bodied with a smell of oak and vanilla.

Taste: Smooth, chocolate with hints of cherries and plums, Soft taste that lingers forever, Pepper and vanilla, Alcohol taste with cherries and vanilla, Liquorice, Dark cherries, Spicy and velvety smooth.

Chateau de Seguin Grand Vin Bordeaux (2007)

2009-01-31T11:04:00.001-08:00

Wine tasting 2

I've written about this wine before (Read here), when I had it at a new years party with some excellent cheese. I was very impressed then and vowed to buy it again. However the second time around it was not the same story. It only scored 2,6 out of 5, which shows that not everyone loved this wine. It lacked character and tasted weak. Perhaps I'll buy it again and judge it a third time with a good meal, just to be fair.

Panel's rating: 2,6 out of 5

Price: 89SEK

Country: France

Grapes: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc

Colour: Brownish purple, Brown red, Brownish tones,

Nose: Raisins, warm plums, cedar and blackberries, Minty, Warmish and strong, Citrus, Warm smell, Sharp and fruity, Plums, Warm cider,

Taste: A very round taste, Coffee and cherries, Short taste of green peppers and pencil shavings, Short after taste, Cider and grass, Butterscotch and grass with hints of barrel.

Letizia Sicilia Syrah (2006)

2009-01-31T11:04:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 2

After Pinotage, Syrah or Shiraz is my next favourite wine variety. I think it's because the wine has such interesting characteristics. So many winemakers can get the best out of this grape variety, and the same with this wine. Well balanced, well structure with a long after taste that's spicy and warm. Worth a try if you're a Syrah fan.

Panel's rating: 3,5 out of 5

Price: 85SEK

Country: Italy

Grapes: 100% Syrah

Colour: Scarlet, Brownish red, Deep dark red.

Nose: Sharp, Figs and very mellow, Young spirited.

Taste: Spicy, juicy and warm, Alcohol with hints of spice and liquorice, Sharp, Figs with spices and some vanilla, Lots of character, Hot and juicy.

Millésime Parallèle "45" (2006)

2009-01-31T11:03:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 2

I nearly bought this wine for the tasting, but in the end settled for wine number 4, the Corvina. I really expected more from this wine though. So did Alex, who bought the wine. 3 out of 5 still rates as a wine that's better than most. I would not buy this wine in the future, but would love to try it again one day.

Panel's rating: 3,1 out of 5

Price: 89SEK

Country: France

Grapes: 55% Grenache and 45% Syrah

Colour: Dark red, Dark purple-brown.

Nose: Liquorice and cherries but very smoky and earthy, Strawberries, Cigarette paper and very earthy, Smooth, Citrus.

Taste: Smooth with hints of cherries, Strawberries, Cherries with hints of tar.

Boira Sangiovese (2007)

2009-01-26T06:19:00.000-08:00

As I've spoken about before, I tend to buy South African wines because I know more about them, than say Italian or French wines. So my point of reference is usually South Africa. My little sister however, has a totally different point of reference, which has nothing to do with the country, the grape or anything like that. Her point of reference is from an ecological point of view, or wines that are made in an environmentally friendly way. That is what she searches for when she's out buying wine.

She always has a new wine at home that falls into this category, that she's willing to share, and her drive to only buy ecological wines, has made me think about it more and more. I believe it's where we all should move towards. So far I've tried 6 different ecological wines from various countries, and have to be honest, they all still have a long way to go before they can be called great wines.

This weekend we had this one, called Boira. It's from Italy and made from the Sangiovese grape. It has so far been the best ecological wine I have had to date. We had it after a meal of Roasted pepper soup as a starter and then a tomato pesto pasta as the main meal. I really thought it was fantastic after the meal, as some wines tend to be and would recommend this wine if you, like my little sister, would like a good wine that's also an ecological wine.

Here's some tasting notes from the guys over at The Week, Wine Club. Bright red wine, almost Pinot Noir in colour, with rich burnt fruit flavours. Luscious well-balanced pure red wine with good minerality. A class example of what really good organic red wine should taste like—it feels very good—and is. Perfect for lunch or those rare outdoor dinners.

Chateau de Seguin

2009-01-02T02:08:00.000-08:00

Coming from South Africa, I tend to drink mostly South African wine. It's most likely the same when you're from another wine producing country like France, Italy or say Agentina, that you tend to drink the wines from your own country. I don't think it's always necessarily that we think our countries make the best wines. Perhaps it is that we don't know enough about the other country's wines to make an informed decision when we buy, and hence just go with what we know. There is the language barrier to consider as well, with labels in Italien, French or Spanish, then the thousands of different grapes and the list goes on.

In Sweden we're lucky, in that Systembolaget, the government owned liquor outlet has wines from every wine producing region in the world, so they pretty much do a lot of the decision making on your behalf. I tend to still choose from what I know, but lately I've been introduced to other wines from other countries and I've started to look for some that I know now, when I'm out shopping. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, a grape variety from Italy or Bordeaux, a blend from France are my current favourites.

This new year I tried another wine from France, from a farm called Chateau de Seguin. The wine is called Chateau de Seguin Grand Vin De Bordeaux 2006. We had it with some really strong French cheese and the wine came across very smooth, with a taste that lingers in your mouth. Exactly what I want from a wine, with the South African Pinotage being my usual favourite.

Here's what the wine maker has to say: "This is our regular prizewinning wine, which is made acording to the best winemaking methods by our professional staff. It was the first wine made by the Carl family after they bought the Château de Seguin. The wine has aged for 6 months in oak barrels. and is bottle 18 month after the harvest."

My rating: 4/5, just perhaps because we've had lots of wine the whole night, and it stood out from the crowd. I'm going to put it into my basket next time I'm wine shopping to see what it's like the second time around.

The first wine tasting

2008-11-29T11:20:00.000-08:00

The first wine tasting has come and gone, and it was fantastic. I learnt so much, and was introduced to so many new wines and new tastes. Just to recap, we were 8 people, which meant 8 wines. Each person gave me a bottle of wine of their choice one week before, which I then "prepared" for the night, after reading up on them a bit. A blind tasting of 8 bottles of wine. The wines were from Australia, Germany, Argentina, Spain, France, South Africa and Italy. The prices ranged from 58kr to 105kr and we tasted 2 whites and 6 reds.

The night was also one where we had fantastic home baked bread and excellent cheeses to accompany each wine and give the taste buds a break in between each bottle. You can read more about the format here. Here's the "esteemed" panel, deliberating during the night.

Lindemans Chardonnay Bin 65 (2007)

2008-11-29T11:08:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 1

This was a good wine to start with. Most guessed correctly that it was a Chardonnay. When tasted, most agreed it was very full in the mouth and very smooth. Personally I prefer a Chardonnay with a lot more attitude and a longer after taste.

Panel's rating: 3,4 out of 5

Price: 59SEK
Country: Australia
Grape: Chardonnay

Colour: Straw | Gold, clear-yellow | Light golden yellow | Clear golden yellow.

Ruppertsbergen Riesling (2006)

2008-11-29T11:07:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 2

This was definitely the surprise of the evening and not everyone guessed correctly what it was. A really fantastic Riesling from Germany. It scored very highly, and is on my list to buy for a special occasion. I've always enjoyed fancy dark chocolate and Riesling together on a quite evening.

Panel's rating: 3,3 out of 5

Raza Malbec (La Riojana) (2007)

2008-11-29T11:06:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 1

Real value for money and finally an acceptable ecological wine.

Lat 42 Gran Reserva Rioja (2001)

2008-11-29T11:05:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 1

This wine is my choice for best buy of 2008. Fantastic aromas and a very smooth, deep taste that lingers on. Just my kind of wine. It does change character depending on when you have it, before a meal, with a meal or after a meal. I recommend it with an exceptional cheese. A properly matured wine at a very good price.

Panel's rating: 3 out of 5

Farnese Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (2005)

2008-11-29T11:04:00.001-08:00

Wine tasting 1

This wine was everyone's favourite of the night, with no score lower than four. A good solid red wine. Exceptional aromas of flowers and berries. Smooth. Mellow. Just perfect.

Panel's rating: 4,2 out of 5

Bourgogne - Couvent des Jacobins (2005)

2008-11-29T11:03:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 1

Another winner on the night, but one that I'm afraid most forgot shortly afterwards. It had everything and yet lacked that little something to make it memorable. I am buying this again though to have with a meal, because I find it intriguing and love the label story about Dionysus or Bacchus.

Panel's rating: 3,4 out of 5

Price: 105SEK

Country: France

Jacobsdal Pinotage (2004)

2008-11-29T11:02:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 1

My wine collection consists 50% just out of Pinotage, that's how much I love it. It is by far my favourite wine. Jacobsdal is one farm in South Africa that produces proper Pinotage wines, the other is Beyerskloof. I prefer strong, dark wines that feel as if they come from the deepest darkest parts of the barrel. Pinotage is that for me. The thing with it though is that because it's such a strong wine, you need to smooth it out a bit, with some blue cheese and fig preserve. The best way to enjoy this wine.

Panel's rating: 4 out of 5

Price: 105SEK

Country: South Africa

Copertino Denominaxione di Origine (2001)

2008-11-29T11:01:00.000-08:00

Wine tasting 1

Here's another surprise for the night, that no one could guess right. My guess is because it's also a properly aged wine, that gives it all the right characteristics. Although it still has strong smells on the nose, it is soft and round in the mouth. Exceptional value for money.

Panel's rating: 3,4 out of 5

Price: 66SEK

Country: Italy

An elevated taste

2008-11-25T05:45:00.000-08:00

I grew up in South Africa, and have lived in Cape Town from ten years. The one thing I've learnt, is that there's too much wine in the world, to know everything about them all, never mind having enough time to taste them all.

South Africa has its well known grapes, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc for the whites, and then Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage for the reds. There's a lot more, but these are the ones you find on most shop shelves, and the ones I know a little about. At least what they taste like. South Africans for instance only drink South African wine. There's so much of it, that there's not a lot of space for importing wine. So we're not really exposed to wine from other parts of the world. Since moving to Sweden however, I have been exposed to wine from every country that produces it.

I've had wine from Chile, Argentina, Hungary, China, Australia, Germany, USA, France, Spain Italy and countless others. The thing that I struggle with now, is to remember the names of all the grapes. There's so many, and so many blends. So a lot more has been added to the equation, than what I've been used to back home. So I am busy studying up a bit on all the new grapes, wine estates and names, and read all the wine reports I can find my hands on.

Here's one that I have in my Men's Journal magazine this month. The first wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon from Smith-Madrone in the Napa Valley, the second is a Malbec from Calomé Estate and the third is a blend of Shiraz and Viognier from Philip Shaw. We have some Viognier in South Africa, but it's mostly used to add to a blend, but I have not seen any Malbec. It is popular, and I've tasted it here in Sweden a couple of times, but it's not one of my favourites I need to add.

What I have learnt about it so far, is that it is originally from Argentina, and is now grown around the world. It was named after the peasant who introduced it to France and is one of the six grapes allowed into a blend of Bordeaux.

4 days left

2008-11-25T05:24:00.000-08:00

I'm getting really excited about the first wine tasting I've organised for Saturday night. We'll be eight people and I'll be getting the bulk of the wine tonight. It should give me enough time to prepare them, and read up a little on each one. I've already received one bottle, and covered it, because the tasting will be a blind tasting, and no one will know what they're drinking, obviously only that it is either red, or white. There'll be a lot of guessing on the night, I think.

Blind Tasting

2008-10-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

It seems as if it is all set for the first wine tasting on the 29th of November. For now I am keeping it small, just 8 people, but I think 10 people should be perfect. Here's the idea.

Each person who will attend, buys one bottle of wine, either white or red, and gives it to me a week before the event. The reason for this is to give me time to prepare all the bottles, because the wine tasting will be a blind tasting. This means, you won't see any labels, or know anything about the wine, beforehand, or during the event. We'll start with the white wines first, then move onto the reds. Each person will also have some paper and a pen, where they will write their thoughts on each wine they tasted. They will also need to guess the country, the variety, the estate/farm and of course the year. Each wine will also receive their rating out of 5.

This we do for all the wines, until right at the end, when we reveal the labels. It'll be interesting to see if the "owners" could guess the right wine they bought, when they drink it in a blind tasting.

At the end of the night, each person goes home with a list of wines they may never have tasted, as well as their thought on the wine, which will help them a bit, when buying wine the next time.

First wine tasting

2008-10-19T05:46:00.000-07:00

It looks like the first wine tasting will be scheduled for the last weekend in November here in Gothenburg. I want to start with a closed group of 10 friends first, just to see how it goes, then I'll publish the results here, and move on to the next one, which looks set to happen before the end of the year. I'm really excited.

I'll publish the format and the rules in this coming week, so you can try it with some of your friends.

In the beginning

2008-10-12T14:10:00.001-07:00

Where to begin? I'm from South Africa, or more specifically, I lived in Cape Town, for 9 years, before moving to Gothenburg in Sweden. I really like drinking and talking about wine. There's so much to learn.

When I moved to Sweden, I realised that the apartments in Sweden is not the ideal place to store wine, and that not a lot of my friends here, have wine stored away, as they do in South Africa. Most people tend to just go to the liquor store and buy what they need, then drink it either the same night, or the same weekend. You don't often find really old wines in people's homes. It's basically the last vintage or the one before that.

What Sweden does have though, is one of the biggest selections in the world to choose from. Their liquor store is called System bolaget and is state owned. They have wine from every country that produces wine. South Africans mostly drink South African wine, and the choice is basically grape variety and wine farm. Not here. Here you add country into the equations as well. So the choices are huge. A bit too much choice if you ask me. Sometimes I feel like a kid in a candy store, not knowing where to start and what to buy.

One thing I do miss is wine tastings. Here you have no chance to taste the wine before you buy it. You have to go on what others have said and their recommendations. With that in mind, I have decided to start a wine tasting group, with my friends, so we can taste more wines than we regularly do, and have a wider range of wines we "know", before we buy. But more on that later.