WINE

Wine of the Week: A Comforting Red Wine

15/11/2019

Winter is upon us and it's cold, snowy and you just want to stay inside. What should you put in your wine glass, you ask? Well how about a fine and delicius red wine from Germany? This weeks wine is from a good friend from Pfalz.

The beautiful Villa Wolf is situated just on the other side of the more famous Burklin-Wolf winery in Pfalz. For a long time it was going backwards but in 2011 new owners and leadership came in and ever since the level of quality has been on the rise. Now they deliver some of the fines Pfalz wines we get here in Norway and their Spätburgunder, or Piont Noir as they label it, is a super wine and not expensive at all. Sumi Gebauer and her friends at Villa Wolf really know what they are doing. You can see for yourself about 16 minutes into our episode from Germany:

Tasting notes:

Villa Wolf Pinot Noir 2017 - 149,90

Super and delicate red wine from the Pfalz. Fruity on the nose with the typical hints of raspberries and strawberries, but also hints of the forrest. Good structure in the mouth, something I often finds lacking in German Pinots. Long and delicious in the mouth with berris dominating. A super wine to drink without food, just use to comfort yourself in the cold weather!

Wine of the week: Vintage Bordeaux

5/11/2019

Bordeaux used to be among the most exclusive and trendy wines in the world. They're still exclusive, but others have entered the trend throne. This leaves us with some of the greatest wines produced, at fantastic prices.

Our wine of the week is this 11 year old bottle. Perfectly matured, ripe and at its peak right now.

Tasting notes

Château Lanessan 2008 - 268kr

Deep ruby red colour.
Lovely and delicate smell of woodland, sawmill and expensive furniture stores. Hints of coconuts.

Rich, big and complex taste with notes of chocolate, coffee, vanilla and ripe sweet cherries. Very earthy wine with well rounded tannins and a long aftertaste.

A wine at its peak, where you have great intensity in the fruit and exiting secondary aromas well developed.

Food
I prefer this alone, without food. It's such a delight to savour on its own and it demands a lot of attention.
That being said, this is a great food wine. Since the tannins are delicate, you wanna avoid the entrecôte. I'd pair it with tenderloin or sirloin steak, and a light pepper sauce.

Wine of the Week: An Elegant White from the Rhone Valley

31/10/2019

For years one of my favourite producers have been Domaine Jamet from northern Rhone. I have tasted most of their wines and they have always impressed. Now there is a new Jamet in Town and he's out to impress.

Jean-Luc Jamet

Brothers Jean-Luc and Jean-Paul Jamet went their separate ways in 2013 where Jean-Paul have kept the old famliy Domaine. Jean-Luc sold most of his grapes to a cooperative until 2016. From then all his grapes have been kept and he now has four wines available in Norway. Three reds and one white. It's the white that I have selected for this weeks wine.

A blend of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier grapes from vines grown on Granitic Argileux soils. Personally I love the Marsanne- and Roussanne-driven white wines from the Rhone Valley, but have often been dissapointed by the Viognier grape. So I tasted this wine with both great expectations and some intrepidation. I needent have worried though as this was a great wine.

Tasting notes:

Jean Luc Jamet Cotes De Rhone Blanc Couzou 2017 - 279,90

Outstanding white Northern Rhône Wine. Lemons, nuts, oranges on the nose. Great minerality and freshness in the mouth. Needs an hour to open up and be fully ready, but then you will be revarded with a great drinking experience.

Wine of the week: Butter me up!

23/10/2019

This beauty from Burgundy delivers on many levels. Looks - Flavours - Price and Tax Free.
It's my favourite wine quest; finding gold at excellent prices. And when digging for whites in Burgundy, you'll always be searching for the ones that imitate Mersault and Montrachet. The famous and legendary top whites of the region.

Louis Jadot is a major producer in Burgundy, but still makes great wines. This is a straight up simple bottle of white, but it has all I'm craving in a budget Burgundy.

Note that the bottle in the picture (Les Remparts) is available at Gardermoen's tax free store at a whooping 149kr.

Vinmonopolet carries "Couvent des Jacobins". The two versions more or less taste the same.

Tasting Notes

Louis Jadot Les Remparts Chardonnay 2018 - 189kr

Medium golden yellow.
Lovely smell of rich and fresh butter, toasted bread and ripe yellow fruits. Hints of lemons and green apples.
Flavours follows the nose with rich and yummy bread and butter. Nice citrus, some yellow plums and hints of herbs.
Smooth and long finish with a creamy after taste.

FOOD
White fish in buttery sauces, chicken salad with ranch dressing or even light pork dishes. Will go superb with crab on toast with mayo.

Wine of the Week: A Red for The Autumn Season

17/10/2019

The beautiful colours of autumn are upon us and the weather has turned. The cool winds bring makes me choose red rather than the white wines that has accompanied us during the summer. This week I have gone for a classic.

Chateau Lanessan

Situated in the heart of the Haut-Médoc, on the edge of the appellation Saint Julien and since 1793 the domain of Lanessan has belonged to the same family. The vineyard area extends to 40 hectares (99 acres), with a grape variety distribution of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. An average of 220,000 bottles of the Grand vinare produced per year.

Tasting notes:

Ch. Lanessan 2008 269,90 kr

Classic Bordeaux. Pepper and paprika on the nose. Very delicate and noble. You get the feeling that this is something with history.
Good structure in the mouth where the vegetable notes continue. It has elegance and grace. A sort of hint of days of yore when this was served at the fines tables in the world.

Perfect with a medium rare entrecôte!

Wine of the week: Taste the pyramid

5/10/2019

This week we travel to majestic Argentina to explore a range of wines and styles, all from the same house - Bodega Catena.

Bodega Catena is situated in Argentinas prime wine region Mendoza. The iconic winery is shaped like a pyramid, with architect techniques from the Mayan culture. The backdrop is the mighty Andes mountains, that sets the scene of the growing environment for the grapes.

As indicated on the label, Catena wines come from high altitudes vineyards ranging from 800 meters to 1500 meters above sea level. This is very high for vineyards, no matter where in the world you are. And the altitude affects the grapes, and then again the wines.

The main variety in Argentina is the Malbec grape, that produces red wines. For whites it's the world famous Chardonnay grape that rule. Some obscure varieties are found in whites, but we're not focusing on them. Cabernet Sauvignon is popular and some Pinot Noir is also used for reds.

Our wine of the week pick

Altaland High Altitude Malbec 2016 - 179kr

Deep ruby red colour.
Smells of light red berries, which is very uncommon for a Malbec. Draws in direction of a Pinot Noir from Burgundy.
Hints of spices and dark berries in the mouth. Gentle tannins.
Super soft and elegant wine.

Food
Meat and especially grilled food. Try it with veggies with barbecue sauce.

Other tasting notes

Catena Chardonnay 2017 - 175kr

Medium deep yellow colour.
Notes of spices, toasted bread and oak. Hints of vanilla, pepper and butter.
Round and creamy in the mouth, with clear oaky flavours, with butter and vanilla.
Long finish with elegant acidity. Crowd pleaser deluxe.

Food
It can handle any fish dish in rich sauces.
Try it with chorizo, smoked pork or a rich meaty salad.

Catena Alta Historic Rows Chardonnay 2016 - 275kr

Deep yellow colour.
Smells of wet stones and mountain air. Complex wine that give in to yellow fruits, plums, butter and toast with some air.
Tastes of situs, almonds, toast and smoky wood. Very pleasant in the mouth with a long and creamy aftertaste.

Food
Will handle any buttery fish dish.

Catena Malbec 2017 - 189kr

Burgundy red colour.
Exiting smell of burnt wood, dark berries and hints of cherries. Reminds me of wines from Tuscany.
Juicy and flavourful wine, with dark berries and well integrated oak. Gentle tannins.

Food
Barbecued meats.

Catena Alta Historic Rows Malbec 2016 - 349kr

Deep ruby red colour.
Black currants, vanilla and liquorice on the nose. Complex wine that need a bit of air before showing its true potential.
Elegant and gentle tannins.
Might improve with 5-6 years of ageing.

Food
Barbecued meats.

Catena Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 - 189kr

Ruby red colour.
Subtle smell of forrest berries and burnt oak. Oriental spices and autumn forrest pops up as well.
Grand wine with a ling and rich after taste, with elegant tannins.

Food
Entrecôte, preferably on the grill.

Wine of the Week: Italian Autumn Delights

3/10/2019

October is upon us an the weather has turned. With the chill of fall it’s easy to get out the lovely reds from the wine cupboard and let the whites rest. And for my taste there is nothing that says autumn like a great Barbera from Piemonte!

The autumn sun setting in Piemonte.

Elio Altare is famous in Piemonte for being one of the pioneers of the modernist there in the 70s. His Barolo were not as tannic as the more traditional Barolos and he was a big part of the controversy between the modernist and the traditionalists. But today I want to focus on his Barbera, which I love! The Barbera grape is perfect for this season. It’s fleshy and fine with softer tannins and great acidity that makes it perfect with the food we enjoy now.

Tasting notes:

Elio Altare Barbera d'Alba 2017 - 285,- kr

Outstanding Barbera. Let it breathe for an hour in a carafe before drinking. Red berries and Forrest floor on the nose. Very elegant in the mouth, with mushroom, red berries, flowers and herbs. Works very well with Turkey.

Wine of The Week: When you need to celebrate

29/9/2019

We’ve had a very special weekend with a premiere for our first Documentary film “The Rock and Roll Dream” at this years film festival in Bergen. It’s was a big success and to celebrate we decided to get a bottle from one of our favourite producers.

To delighted directors after the premiere. Now for something to drink!

As most of you know we love a good Cremant de Bourgogne and the ones from Louis Bouillot have long been a favourite. But when we traveled to Burgundy to make a story of the Cremant’s we also tasted som very special vintage Cremant’s. These are now available in Norway and they are great.

The Blanc the Noirs 2005 that is available here is a part of the Las Grand Terroirs series from Bouillot. 100 % Pinot Noir from Gevrey-Chambertin this wine feels so exclusive and find and is a real find at only 239,- kr.

Tasting notes:

Louis Bouillot Crém. de Bourg. Extra Brut 2005 - 239,90

Fist ting we notice is that the usual pop we get when opening the bottle is not as loud as expected. Is the bottle not good? Fortunately the wine is fine. The bubbles are small and there aren’t that much, but enough to enhance the wine. On the nose you get some red berries, baked goods and ripe red apples. Nice and elegant in the mouth with a distinct red berries feeling. Very elegant and long. A super, super wine.

Wine of the week: Silence of the Alps

19/9/2019

The french region of Savoie is a forgotten gem in many ways. Located just east of Lyon, tucked away in the majestic Alps, it has long been in the shadow of the world famous Burgundy region.

The region produces a range of very exiting wines, but not that many are exported to Norway. A good mix of reds and whites, with a small percentage rosés. They also produce very nice Cremants and some more obscure sweet wines.

We had the pleasure of exploring the region a few years back, and some of the more interesting discoveries where whites with Roussanne & Marsanne grape blends. Made famous down in the nearby Rhône valley.
None of these are imported to Norway yet, but we'll let you know as soon as they are.

That being said, recently Vinmonopolet have stocked up on some excellent stuff from this region, and our wine of the week is a great white made on the relatively unknown Jacquère grape.

Tasting notes

Maison des Ardoisières Silice 2018 - 219kr

Light clear yellow colour.
Exiting smell of orange zest, nectarine and sweet citrus. Hints of spices and fresh herbs.

Fresh taste of lemons in season, green apples and herbs. Fresh and lively wine that knows what it wants. Nicely balanced acidity, with a round and delicate finish.

Food
The excellent acidity in this wine makes it a versatile food companion.
Cool to try with chicken dishes, white fish in creamy or buttery sauces or a pizza with a white sauce.

Will store well and develop for 5-6 years.

Wine of the week: Autumn in a bottle

10/9/2019

This remarkable bottle from the Loire Valley in France, features a transformation much like nature undergoes during autumn. While all wines change with air, this one takes on a whole new personality as days goes by. Starting with an intriguing mix of light red berries and darker ones. On day two, if you managed to save some, it will have turned in to forrest notes. Displaying smells of wet earth, leaves, mushrooms and sweet red berries. On the third day I got some black berries and more sandy tones.
Extremely fascinating wine!

Tasting Notes

Grange aux Belles Brise d'Aunis 2018 - 255kr (1 liter bottles)

Transparent Beaujolais style red colour.
Pleasant smell of raspberries, pomegranate, fresh herbs and heather (Røsslyng). Intriguing balance between berries and forrest.

Very juicy in the mouth with red berries, anis and light liquorice. Perfect acidity and nice tannins. Clean with a long and elegant finish.
A wine packed with flavour, but presented in a mellow style. Fascinating combination of strong flavours that you usually find in rough wines, and lightness like a Beaujolais.

Food
It will be awesome with pizza and pasta Bolognese. It has tannins enough to handle light meat like veal and pork.
Try it with a smoked ham salad or pork loin.