tasting the May releases from the Swedish Government monopoly (munskänkarna)
Näringslivets hus, Stockholm
Tasted Tuesday, May 6, 2014 by Omar Khayyam with 641 views
Introduction
Once again, a very intriguing line up, generous offer to allow non-members to join, and several suprisingly good wines.
Flight 1 (10 Notes)
Flight 2 (3 Notes)
Closing
We are starting to see some price competition effects, is my guess, on the wine market in Sweden. Several very high quality wines in the spectrum 140-299 SEK. Domaine Denis Pere et fils was a nice surprise, as I have not had them on my radar screen before. Not much of albarino or chenin blanc drinker, I found those wines very good qpr - although people who apparently follow these producers and buy every year said they were off-years. I wonder what a good year looks like then?! The Calera maybe was suffering from transatlantic bottle shock? Nose was superb but the palate in disarray. The rosé wines I feel is a thing in Sweden that is so vastly overhyped, personally, I don't see why you can't open a bottle of refreshing white, while griling, and then proceed with a high quality red for your grilled steak/burger/tofu/salmon. The clos du marquis is a favourite of mine, and the 2004 vintage is classic claret, which I like, it's just that the price is off... I can remember the half case of Brane-Cantenac I bought in Washington, D.C. on release, for USD 35/bottle - clearly excellent - this bottle at USD 77 is just too much.
2012 G.D. Vajra Langhe Riesling Petracine 85 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
good nose, a little tight perhaps, no real complexity but dry, fresh, apple. citrusdriven riesling with some body and decent finish.
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2012 Bodegas del Palacio de Fefiñanes Albariño 1583 90 Points
Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas
great nose, very developed, ripe yellow apples and plums. this has quite some body, but also great freshness to balance it. Very good qpr.
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2012 Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis Vent d'Ange 89 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis
This has summer written all over it - light and fresh and full of green apple wedges, long fresh finish which lingers. No real complexity yet, but after a while in the glass there are signs of interesting things happening. This is a serious producer who never fails to deliver.
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2008 Domaine Langlois-Château Saumur Blanc Vieilles Vignes 87 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur
Very nice and interesting nose, lots of fruit (and some famous loire wool!) and also some elegant oak. but the finish is very short and the body a lot simpler than what the nose promises.
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2013 Louis Jadot Domaine Clair-Daü Rosé de Marsannay 79 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Marsannay Rosé
Yes, it is a dry peppery, strawberry infused rose, but in my mind the emperor has no clothes: this is correctly made, but very thin, boring and with some bitterness that has no fruit to balance against and therefore detracts quite a bit.
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2013 Domain Road Pinot Noir Rosé 70 Points
New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Bannockburn
horrible bubblegum-lollipop-children's soda type esters that dominates (and destroys) this wine. avoid at all costs.
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2012 Georges Descombes Morgon Vieilles Vignes 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon
this is perhaps a little simple but very pleasant - lots and lots of berries, deceptively soft on the attack but has a vibrant energy. this goes down very easily.
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2012 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon
this has a lot of berries, primary still, but more structure than the descombes morgon vv tasted side by side, also some cherry pits and a streak of something bitter towards the finish.
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2010 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde 92 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
very charming and wide open aromas full of dark fruit and chocolate, oak and wood spices. Goes down easily, soft middle, medium finish. As an entry level cote rotie this has a lot to offer!
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2004 Clos du Marquis 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien
Cassis, cedar, some oak. This is pure and classic claret - not as dense as the clos du marquis (and the big brother Leoville las C.) usually are, I find this perfectly ready to drink and well balanced. Of course, for the price one would have liked to see even more complexity and I don't find it priceworthy at USD 77, sales tax included, in Sweden.
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