Life is too short to drink bad wine

Wine # 1 Medium red colour with brown rim. Looks like a Barolo in colour, probably an old wine. Bouquet towards old wood, oak and dark berries and not very fruity. The palate is well balanced, dry and integrated tannins. Not a big wine, but an alright wine. Where we are? Have not a clue, unless an ordinary Barolo? Taurasi Radici Riserva 1997 by Mastroberardino made from an old grape in Campania called Aglianico Score 16.50 Pricy stuff at around 35€. PS! Its very customary to mistake this grape for Nebbiolo in blind tastings.... Taurasi vineyards in Campania south Italy. Wine # 2 Deep dark red with a purple rim. Big mouthful packed with dark fruit, beetroot, soft tannins and a complex heavy long taste. The fruit is not sweet but ripe and the wine seems young. Overall big and compact.  Where from?  eh? Nice weather today! Have u been to the ONS? Lamb sausages were good..... Fairview Primo 2007, Paarl South Africa one of the top Pinotage from South Africa! Grown high up in the

Its getting wetter and colder...The hunting season is around the corner.... Its time to start digging for the more solid wines. Tosalet Old Vines from the small region of Priorat in Spain is created from hand harvested grenache, carignan and cabernet sauvignon. This has led to a wine that is dense, dark , solid and packed with black berries, spice and minerals. The tannins are surprisingly soft and the taste is big and elegant matching most dark or wild meat dishes. Not a wimpy wine ! Tosalet Old Vines 2007, Priorat, Spain ca 150 NOK, big wine at a reasonable price

Sauvignon Blanc and New Zealand has turned out to be a big success. Villa Maria produces a wide range of white and red. This Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from around the Marlborough region and has not been exposed to oak. The wine is thus zingy zesty clean and vibrant with gooseberry flavours, citrus and passion fruit. Perfect for the warm weather that we are experiencing on the west coast here in Norway this week. In addition is it quite reasonable, 140 NOK. Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Private Bin, Marlborough New Zaland, perfect with grilled salmon Award Winning New Zealand Wines - Villa Maria Estate NB!....the Madonna album "Ray of Light" is the perfect Sauvignon Blanc album...... Madonna – Frozen

This wine must not be mistaken for Vino Nobile Montepulciano or Rosso di Montepulciano which are wines from Tuscany based upon the Sangiovese grape. This wine from Abruzzo on the east coast in Italy is based upon the Montepulciano grape which is a local grape. This is the perfect pizza wine; light, fruity, low alcohol (12,5%) and just 140 NOK or less than 10€ in Italy. Deep red blue colour, lovely dark berries with hints of liquerice and smoke. Quite a fruity and light taste. Zaccagnini is one of the best producers in Abruzzo and the wine is stored in big Slovanian oak casks for 6 months before being bottled. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2008 by Zaccagnini, when simple price and taste are required

This is the second wine of Ch.Giscours and is normally a very good buy and quality price ratio. 2003 is a hot and big year in Bordeaux. The wine, normally obtainable for around 15 € in France, is in my experience not far off the same quality as the Ch Giscours itself. It is certainly more approachable in the early years. Beautiful aromas of black fruit, cedar and new oak. Lovely well balanced taste, although I must admit that I find some of the new Bordeaux hot years (2003, 2005 and 2009) slightly "cooked", a bit like the Californian wines. Parker loves these vintages and are expensive due to his high scores.  I am not sure these wines are actually the best wines in terms quality price ratio due to their high prices. Sirene de Giscours 2003, 15€, a good second wine from Bordeaux

Could not resist trying this young Barolo the other day as we have some 2001 of the same wine in the cellar. Cavalotto produces excellent Barolo and the wine receives three glasses in Gambero Rosso (famous Italian wine book). His Barolos are classic wines full of flowers (rose), autumn leaves and earth with a wonderful elegant and stylish taste. Surprisingly soft tannins for being a Barolo this young. Quite a solid and harmonious taste already. Lovely stuff! In addition to Nebbiolo (grape for Barolo) he also grows Barbera and Dolcetto on the Bricco Boschis vineyard. Cavalatto Barolo "Bricco Boschis" 2005, 40€ , one of the top 100 Barolos worth trying Cavallotto - Vineyards

With Bordeaux prices for the top growths only being affordable to Premier league players, normal people could settle for the second wine of these great wines. L'Esprit de Chevalier is one of my favourite second labels (Domaine Chevalier) as the quality is consistently good giving you a feeling of the Grand Vins. 2005 is also a great year where the prices sky rocketed, but I found this magnum version at Auchun for a very affordable price. The wine was dark and packed with warm red fruit flavours , lovely elegant soft taste with a perfect balance. Drinking surprisingly well already. L'Esprit de Chevalier 2005, Pessac Leognan, 30€ for a magnum, wine and size for the cabin

Found this bottle in search for a Friday pizza wine. Villa Cafaggio is located in Greve in the heart of Chianti Classico. The wine is aged 12 months in big Slovanian oak casks and is based upon 100% Sangiovese. Dark red colour with a discrete smell of red berries and spicy cloves. The taste is smooth and warm (13,5% alcohol) with a plummy black cherry taste that is very seductive. Perfect Friday stuff! Villa Cafaggio 2007 Chianti Classico, 180 NOK, when a great pizza wine is required... Villa Cafaggio