OUR BEST BUY & RECOMMANDATIONS SECTON
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Sometimes you just want something that you know very well and that you are certain is good. This week we have gone for a wine that is a classic example from probably the most famous wine region in the world, Burgundy.  P.A. Larson was established in Norway again, 175 years after it first started to import wine to Norway. In 1847 Per Andreas Larsen established an import firm in Oslo and it was very successful until the Vinmopolet started in 1922 and import and sales of wines became more difficult. Now the name has been born again and you can read a really good article here about the background and the people behind the new bottles.  It is the famous Burgundy producer Albert Bichot who blends the wines we get to Norway and the three wines we have now are based on their great competence. We are really lucky to have these wines in the Vinmonopolet and they are flying off the shelves and people love them. It is easy to understand why, great quality Burgundy wines will always have buyers and these are no different. Tasting notes: P.A. Larsen Coteaux Bourguignons 2022 - 209,90 kr
Smells of spring, sweet strawberries and hints of raspberry. Nice, soft and mellow in the mouth, like taking a handful of ripe strawberries and munching on them with joy. A great wine to enjoy with friends or just to to enjoy when in need of some comfort.
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 If you’re having pork/ribbe this holiday season, here’s your companion. It will also be a much appreciated gift or you could just enjoy it on your own. This is the top wine - the flagship from renowned producers Selvapiana, in the heart of Tuscany. Only made in great vintages and crafted using 100% Sangiovese grapes. Sourced from their best vineyard «Bucerchiale», this is a clean, classic and delicious representation of what a Chianti can be. Drink now or cellar for 7-8 years. Tasting Notes
This week's wine comes from a famous mountain in France and one that we have visited several times, mostly for it*s connection to the Tour de France, but also to sample the great food and good wine from here.  Probably our most fun time visiting Mont Ventoux was our trip to the little village Brantes at the bottom of the mountain. Here we spent a day foraging and cooking with the women of the town. Our choice of wine for this week comes from the same area. Bonpas Ventoux Grande Reserve is made from 20% Syrah and 80% Grenache and is a lovely wine at a fantastic price.  Tasting notes: Bonpas Ventoux Grande Réserve des Challières 2021 - 144,90 kr
Deep red colour. Red berries from the forest and mild spices on the nose. Good acidity, red berries and full-bodied tannic structure enhanced by lovely hints of spice and impressive length. Serve at 17°C with all types of red and white meats, preferably grilled.  It’s rare to get fully ripe Argentinean Malbec at Vinmonopolet. But our wine of the week is just that. It’s 10 years old, showing great character and is a powerful affair. The wine is made by Alpamanta Estate. A boutique winery in Mendoza started by three European friends. One guy from Switzerland, one from Austria and one from France. They run the operation after Biodynamic principals, which derives from the mind of Rudolph Steiner and can in short terms be described to be winemaking in harmony with nature. There are interesting thoughts on astronomy, tides and pesticides. But whatever you think about all this, the fact that people who run things after bio principals work the hardest in the vineyards. And this is always key for the best result. They produce several wines after a single vineyard philosophy, with their vines growing at 950 meters above sea level in Ugarteche, Luján de Cuyo. Here grapes benefit both from high altitude, temperature variations and fresh clean water directly from the Andes mountains.  Their estate Malbec 2013 holds a staggering 15,5% alcohol, but the wine carries it with great elegance. Tasting this blind, I would never have thought about it. Tasting Notes
November has arrived and with it the wine world's biggest hype. Soon the new wine will be in shops all around the world and people will drink unfinished wine and think that this is actually good. Well, not me! I’ll be opening a nice bottle of Beaujolais that has been allowed to age and rest before it has been sold, giving the criminally underrated grape Gamay a chance to shine!  Trenel will soon be celebrating its 100 year anniversary and they are now well established as one of the top producers of wine from the Beaujolais region. The make several wines, both red, white and sparkling and we are lucky enough to get several here in Norway.  This week we have opened the Cuvée Rochebonne, a fine wine made from 100% Gamay. It is is produced on the east of the “Pierres Dorées” area, on three parcels east-oriented and facing the Mont Blanc. They’re located in the village of Lucenay and are particularly ancient: the older one has been planted in 1922. The soil is very clayey and gives roundness and structure to the wine Tasting notes: Trénel Cuvée Rochebonne 2021 - 187,90 kr
Lovely and dark red colour, almost purple. Cherry, blueberry and raspberry on the nose. Very fruity and full of berries. In the mouth the wine is finely structured with good acidity and nice balanced tannins. The berries continue in the mouth and make the wine very pleasurable to drink. Also very good length. Just a very good wine! Enjoy it by it self or with a soft cheese like camembert or brie. I was just traveling for the first time in a while and had the chance to see what was on offer at the airport. The selection is not bad, and there are some good finds there. This weeks wine is one from a very good producer in Burgundy.  Founded in 1731 in Beaune by Michel Bouchard, Bouchard Père & Fils, is one of the oldest wine estates in Burgundy. Over time, by acquiring various terroirs with great care and patience, Bouchard Père & Fils has built up a vast domaine in Côte-d’Or. Today the estate boasts 130 hectares of vines, of which 12 are classed Grand Cru and 74 classed as Premier Cru.  This week's wine is a Cote de Beaune Village-Villages. Contrary to the Cote de Nuits-Villages, where the growing area is clearly defined, this appellation is not itself delimited. It is simply used for all the communal red wines from the Cote de Beaune. Tasting notes:  Bouchard Père & Flis Côte de Nuits Village - 369,- kr
On the nose, overflowing with red fruit like raspberry and strawberry. This continues to the palate where the fine acidity and delicate tannins gives the wine a fine freshness and makes it very easy to drink. A wine that can be enjoyed on it’s own or with white meat, especially when grilled.  The rise of Greek wine over the last decade is astonishing. The transition from mass production of bulk wine, to a terroir driven wine philosophy, has gotten the wine world’s attention. Steeped in ancient wine history, it’s been great to watch the comeback of Greece as a wine nation. Juicy reds, structured rosés and intense whites have baffled wine lovers more and more over the years. This week we’re heading to the beautiful island of Santorini and my favorite producer Artemis Karamoglegos. This winery is just in a class of its own, focusing on old vine vineyards. They have gems in a wide variety of price ranges, so there are plenty to choose from. Our wine of the week is sort of a tribute to the island. The grapes are 90% Assyrtiko, 10% Athiri and Aidani. Grapes are sourced mostly from old vineyards in different parts of the island. The biggest percentage of them comes from Pyrgos, Exo Gonia and Megalochori. A fantastic representation of the island and a great example of what the Greeks can do. Stunningly elegant, intense and full of flavor. Tasting Notes
 This time of year many of us turn to hearty casseroles, stews and meals with seasonal game meat. And with this wonderful season, comes questions pouring in on wine pairings. So this week we give you an all round classic from the Chinon appellation, which is the largest one in the Loire Valley. The wine is crafted by the Baudry family, who specializes in Cabernet Franc, the most popular grape in the region. This bottle comes from one of their most prestigious single vineyard projects. Here we find their oldest Cab Franc vines, going back more than 60 years. The yield is low, but the quality is sky high. A beautiful bottle that reflects the terroir in an excellent way. Fantastic with food or just to enjoy. Tasting Notes
At a restaurant the other day we were served one of my favourite fish, “lange” in Norwegian, Common Ling in English. This fine white fish has a lot in common with cod, maybe not as delicate, but very good when prepared right. And we were lucky to have a great chef serve up a fine meal. To accompany the fish we went with a safe pick, a good quality Chablis. It is never wrong to drink Chablis, but with white fish it is almost obligatory!  Domaine Camille & Laurent Schaller is a family estate based in Préhy, a village in the heart of the Chablis vineyard. Laurent and his son Camille cultivate three grape varieties: Chardonnay, Aligoté and Pinot Noir. This weeks wine is their Chablis. Made from 100% Chardonnay in limestone and clay soil, the average age of the vines is 30 years. After the pressing and fermentation the wine is left to mature for 10 month in steel tanks on fine lees.  Tasting notes: Camille et Laurent Schaller Chablis 2022 - 299,- kr
Lovely, sunny day at the sea on the nose, just what you would like from a Chablis. Great acidity in the mouth together with lime, ripe red apples and some red berry. Good weight in the mouth as well and a very long aftertaste. a great wine that is perfect with any kind of white fish. Fall has definitely arrived with shorter days, rain and wind. The season is one that makes you want to get inside and find something that comforts you. The other night we were out with good friends and colleagues at a fine restaurant and they had an old favourite on the wine chart. We ordered a couple of bottles and weren't disappointed.  In 2017 we travelled to Jura and got to experience this fantastic wine region. One of the winemakers we visited was Domaine Pignier and their wines are now available in Norway. You will have to order them from the “Bestillingsutvalget”, but these wines are definitely with ordering. Superb quality for a very good price. Tasting notes: Dom. Pignier à la Percenette Chardonnay 399,90
Fine, clear yellow colour. Nice and floral on the nose, very elegant with hints of butter. Great acidity in the mouth. Lemon and lime as well with hints of vanilla. Superb quality. We had it with seasonal fish that had a very spicy sauce and it was a perfect match. |
