Life is too short to drink bad wine

It is not very often one have the chance to taste an unoaked red wine. Quinta de Saes has made this wine from 100% Touriga Nacional, one of the famous grapes in Portugal. The wine has a lovely purple colour. The nose is fruity with lots of red berries. The taste is harmonious with soft tannins and a good acidity. Quite a "juicy" kind of wine that will go with lots of different food. And the price a mere 120 NOK (15€). Not bad at all. Quinta de Saes, Touriga Nacional, Portugal 120 NOK, good value for money 

This is one of my favourite Zinfandels. At Ravenswood in Sonoma Valley, California that do not make wimpy wines. Although this is the cheapest wine in their whole selection it is always very consistent in quality and offers a great quality to price ratio. When visiting the winery in 2006, I was told that their aim with Vintners blend was to always score high among the wine critics and give people good value for money. People like this should awarded. The wine is  packed with dark berries (brambles, blueberries) and spices. Its big, fruity and high in alcohol. Forget wimpy food like veal, chicken and white fish. This wine require spicy stuff, lamb or a solid steak. Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel 2009, California - not a wimpy wine Ravenswood | Home

Can this guy do nothing wrong ? I have now tried nearly all of his different Burgundy wines and I must say the quality is consistently very good and always with a seductive silky side to it. So also for this Nuits St George "Vielles Vignes" that I bought when visiting him this summer. A very attractive dark red Nuits with cherries and black berries on the nose. The taste is big with more tannins than for ex the Chambolle. The overall harmony is as always there, packed with fruit and ripe tannins perfectly integrated into a smooth mouthful. Nuits St George wines can often be more tannic, this is one though, is just right. Nuits St George "Vielles Vignes" 2006, Patrice Rion, silky tannins this time

Douro is well known for its port, but over the last decade more and more producers have started to make red wine and in style. This wine, with a label that for some obscure reason has a German story translated to Norwegian, is the simplest of the Niepoort selection. Niepoort is a solid wine/port firm in Douro established by as you may guess by a Dutch person. It is a decent wine with smell of dark berries and plums. The taste is compact, dense with very nice fruity character and firm tannins to give it the right depth and character. It should withstand red meat dishes with style, as well spicy meaty and vegetarian dishes. And the price: 130 NOK , not bad at all, or am I just getting used to the Norwegian prices...? Niepoort "Fabelaktig" 2007, Douro, good quality price ratio (P++) 

This wine is named after the owner and founder John “Stich” Stichbury. Jackson Estate has been one of the leading stars in developing Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand.  This version express great aromas of passion fruit, grapefruit and riper citrus. Zingy, zesty and lovely fruity  palate followed by a fine but well integrated acidity. Textbook stuff!  It almost cleans the palate! Jackson Estate Stich 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, 10 GBP  or 200 NOK- perfect aperitif or with asian dishes, P+ if bought in UK Jackson Estate

This wine is bargain at 120 kr as this is actually nearly the same price as in UK. It is made by the Italian producer Masi and its a mix of the Argentinian grape Malbec, Corvina from Italy and some Merlot. It is has a beautiful strange bouquet of cherries, plum and dried fruit (a bit cold and warm in a way). The taste is just right with a good acidity, warmth and concentration. Somewhat dry aftertaste due to the malbec, but well balanced by the corvina grape. Passo Doble means double time and refers to the double fermentation whereby dried Corvina grapes were added after the first fermentation (a bit like Ripasso wine).  Should go well with lamb, pork and cheese. Passo Doble 2007, Mendoza Argentina, 120 NOK - like an Amarone light ?