Casillero del Diablo Merlot (2008)

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.

Argento Malbec (2008)

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.

Neethlingshof Sauvignon Blanc (2008)

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 

Graham Beck Pinotage (2008)

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.

Lat 42 Rioja Gran Reserva (2002)

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.

Turning Leaf Cabernet Sauvignon (2008)

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)

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)

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.

Claps Sauvignon Blanc Sequals (2007)

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.

Vinea Corvina Veronese (2006)

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.

Lat 42 Gran Reserva Rioja (2001)

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

Price: 79SEK
Country: Spain
Grape: Tempranillo

Colour: Ruby and full bodied | Blueish purple | Dark red | Black red | Almost black | Red with orange.

Nose: Cherry and vanilla, but a bit resin and spirits | Vanilla | Acidic and a bit gassy | Spirits and vanilla | Spirits | Very strong smell | Deep barrel wine smell.

Taste: Dill and stable leather | Alcohol intensive, a little bit tannins and leather | Spirits, resin and vanilla | Mellow and vanilla | Cherries and spirits | Strong and mature