November releases at Systembolaget with munskänkarna

Excellent opportunity to taste some of the new releases from the government retail monopoly for November. Well organized, interesting selection, pleasant company and very generous to invite even non-members as guests.

Very different looks from the chenin blanc cepage on show here.

• 2011 Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc (Steen op Hout) - South Africa, Western Cape
  Simple but good nose full of white flowers; clean and perhaps somewhat industrial taste. (82 pts.)
• 2005 Domaine Langlois-Château Saumur Vieilles Vignes - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur
  Wet woolen socks, butter and jasmine flower bud tea on the strangely interesting but not really appealing nose; soft ripe yellow apples on the palate with some oak and good freshness. (85 pts.)

These are two of the more interesting budget pinots available in Sweden. Was glad to taste both, but will buy neither.

• 2010 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir Crimson - New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Martinborough
  Wine gum on the otherwise very pinot noirish nose; on the midpalate this has its apex with more of blackberries, bing cherries, and good acidity; some heat and bitterness on the finish detracts. (83 pts.)
• 2010 Calera Pinot Noir 35th Anniversary - USA, California, Central Coast
  Much more restrained on the nose than the ata rangi crimson tasted side by side; raspberry compote on the nose, warm berries, structured, good grip, a little heat from the alcohol though. (86 pts.)

A compare and contrast exercise with diametrically opposed wines.

• 2009 Fattoria La Gerla Rosso di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino
  Almost transparent light red hue, the nose has some classic bitter almond, cherries and camphor. The body is frail and thin and there's an annoying sourness at the end. (81 pts.)
• 2009 Quinta de Chocapalha CH by Chocapalha - Portugal, Lisboa, Vinho Regional Lisboa
  Dark fruit and berries, bitter chocolate nose, a little rumraisin, dense and full bodied and long on the palate, very tannic. Compact lilac colour. (84 pts.)

Bordeaux and its immediate neighbours, did very well in terms of QPR compared to the more expensive Bordeaux flight.

• 2009 Château La Gurgue - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
  There's a strange characteristic to the nose which dominates on the negative side - damp cellar perhaps is the closest I get to describing it. However, in the mouth, this wine is very easy to drink with clean and pure structure and energy, soft cassis and short but good finish. Drink now. (86 pts.)
• 2010 Château La Reyne Cahors L'Excellence - France, Southwest France, Cahors
  This wine was both interesting and promising but perhaps just a little disjointed today; the nose is very much blueberry pie; the mouth has more of a tough herbal, sloeberry quality with good acidity but extremely tannic structure. Bury it in the cellar for 10 years. (87 pts.)

Here, my sangiovese inexperience almost did me a trick. I changed my mind at least three times on the merits of the Rancia - upward adjusting my take on this as it opened up and proved a very drinkable wine.

• 2008 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
  Tight nose, elegant, ripe fruit, very good energy and grip, very easy to drink now, perhaps a bit simple. Not sure how priceworthy this is at about USD 40 (at the Government Monopoly Store) though. (88 pts.)
• 2008 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
  dark colour, dense, tight nose, some vanilla and a lot of sour cherries on the finish, tannic. Perhaps it will develop with cellar time? (85 pts.)

The "budget" wine was the champ for me. A considerably older neighbour at the tasting table next to us sadly remarked that he would be 96 yrs old before the Kirwan overtook the other two in immediate pleasure. I nodded in agreement - and with no little sympathy for the sudden realization of mortality by the gentleman in question upon tasting the Kirwan.

• 2009 Château Gloria - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
  tight nose, warm black currant juice, some spice and coffee from the oak, very full bodied and warm fruited bordeaux, good balance if a bit short finish;pleasant. (88 pts.)
• 2009 Château Poujeaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc
  Elegant, finetuned, classic but also sweet fruit (cassis), the nose will hopefully open up even more with some storage time, but it drinks very nicely right now. (89 pts.)
• 2009 Château Kirwan - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
  Unforgiving at this point, tight, dense, there's a lot there, but right now not showing much. For the cellar. Not rating it. (88-92)