Life is too short to drink bad wine

Just a glass of this gorgeous wine at Lavinia in Paris. A warm smell of wood, cherries and humus. The taste is bone dry and not stringent, but is crying out for food. Quite a fresh and blanked aftertaste. Brunello di Montalcino, Argiano 2007 If you are visiting Tuscany.....but be prepared to buy...

I have had this in the cellar for some time and decided at 12 years old it was time to give it a try. It needed a bit of time to open up , but with a bit of patience it showed nice dried fruit on the nose with a long and very nicely balanced taste. The wine is a mix of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre. The taste is complex with a mix of cherries, blackcurrant and spices. Ch La Nerthe 2000, Chateauneuf-du Pape, 25€ Perfect timing at 12 years old...

Lovely zingy and zesty Sauvignon Blanc from Chile! The creator is Laroche well known for his Chablis. This Sauv Blanc is bone dry but with great acidity and balance. Perfect with sushi and sea food. Tasted at Amsterdam airport at the "Champagne" bar there. If you got time, a glass is well worth a try.... Punto Nino 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, Chile A brilliant Sauvignon Blanc!

This is the basic version of the Domaine Cauhape sweet white. Harvested as the name says in October and made from Gros (70%) and Petit Manseng grapes. Pale colour. A seductive sweet nose of exotic fruit and a beautiful long light and wonderfully balanced acidity. It is sweet but it does not feels too sweet thanks to the lovely acidity. Domaine Cauhape 2010, Jurancon A delicious swet wine at 12€ a bottle. Also tasted at the domaine was the astonishing "Noblesse du Temps" 2010 made from 100% Petit Manseng. Fantastic concentration and length. 28€.

This is another dry white from Jurancon and Domaine Cauhape. An oaked version with perfect balance between the fruit and the oak. Big solid smell of dried fruit and spices. Rich and concentrated taste. 50/50 mix of petit and gros manseng grapes. Goes well with smoked salmon, prawns, scallops and even charcuterie. Domaine Cauhape, Jurancon 2010 Very elegant dry white at 14€.

Sampled at the Domaine earlier this week. Light green yellow colour. Smell of citrus, flowers and herbs. Young and fresh wine with a lovely acidity. Nice with fish and even foie gras. Domaine Cauhape "Chant des Vignes" 2011, Jurancon Very nice cheap dry white. 12€ or 140 NOK (Norwegian price very good!)

Alain Brumont is a reliable Madiran producer. This big red wine packed with dark berries, plum and cedar is the proof of that. After mixing Cab Sauv and Cabernet Franc in their wines the Madiran has become more approachable and the same with this one. A solid dense taste packed with tannins that are not too rough. Perfect with confit or magret de canard or any other red meat. Ch Bouscasse 2009, Madiran. Ca 12€ or 210 NOK Great solid and masculine wine!

This is another stunning Savigny-les-Beaune for those moody Burgundy days. Silky red berries all the way and an elegant lovely balanced taste. Lots of acidity despite a warm vintage. Pavelot knows his way around! Savigny-les Beaunes 2009, Pavelot Burgundy at entry price. Ca 229 NOKor 15€

Drinking magnum bottles are special. Especially at a restaurant. Could not resist choosing this 12 years old Chateauneuf de Pape by Janasse and what a delicious wine it was! Lovely brick red colour with a fantastic smell of old sweet strawberry jam and lots of delicate spices! Long velvety well balanced taste taste. Just perfect now! Chateauneuf du Pape 2000 Domaine de la Janasse Whats common sense gotta do with it?

One of my favourite reds from Tuscany! This 1999 is still keeping up appearances. Wonderful table wine drinking beautifully still , but not many bottles left in Stavanger as I have been drinking most of them over the last few years. Wet wool, earth and red berries. Long balanced taste. Beautiful! Flaccianello della Pieve, Tuscany Ca 40€ (not in the resto though..)

Adhoc farewell party downtown today. Found this old vintage Champagne by Henriot in the wine list. Gourgeous smell of wet bread crumbs and perfect sweet bubbles lingering the palate. A perfect start to the session and a perfect end to a hectic week. Henriot 1996, Champagne 40€ Still very very drinkable

Lovely medium dark red and purple colour. Darker than most Savigny les Beaune. On the nose more like ripe apples and violet than red berries. The wine is balancing on a tight rope and is perfect proportioned between fruit and acidity and tannins. Lovely stuff. Rossignol makes acidic firm Burgundies which are exciting to drink due to the tight balance on the taste. Savigny les Beaune 1er cru "Lavieres"2010 by Rossignol An impressive Savigny 270 NOK or around 20€

This is an expensive rose in Provence terms, around 15€, which is totally unheard of in the land of cheap rose plonk. But sometimes it's worth to pay more even for rose wines. Lovely smoked salmon colour. Nose is full of seductive strawberries with a great fruity dry and fruity taste. Perfect for lunch, pre dinner dinner or even after dinner. Clos Gautier, Cotes de Provence 2010 Smoked salmon colour perfect with BBQ salmon?

I bought this wine a long long time ago. It's the birth year of my son. A few bottles have been consumed over the years, but there are still a few left of this rather "unknown" gem. Beautiful "Bordeaux" smell of old wet wood, ripe berries and some pencil case. Still a lovely balanced that can keep a nice steak at bay. It just melts your heart drinking such old wine which have been bought for around 20€ and which now is impossible to find... Ch Lagrange 1988, St Julien lovely stuff and still very much appreciated despite it's 24 years

This a nearly 100% Nebbiolo based rose wine from Piemonte. Very smoked salmon like colour. Packed with delicious strawberry flavors and a long fruity and well balanced taste. Could perhaps had slightly more acidity but who cares when it's easy to drink. Perfect for those hot summer evenings on the terrace. Rosa del Rosa by Sperino 2011, Piemonte  Ca 150 NOK or 10€ Summer is here...

Ratti situated in La Morra makes some really nice Barolos. The 2004 Barolo needs a bit more time to fully open but drinks well already now. The colour is a true Barolo; medium dark red and a brown orange rim. The smell leads you more towards wood, rose and autumn leaves. Not much fruit or berry flavours in this one. Long firm taste with tannins that is in the process of opening up. Goes with red meat and game. Barolo "Marcenasco" 2004 by Ratti Ca 270 NOK or 25€ One of the approachable Barolo versions

Vacheron is a small producer in the middle of the Sancerre town. He has two different whites and a beautiful Pinot Noir as well. The white Sancerre is packed with fruit and seems less acidic than other Sancerre (more like a New Zealand type). So not so zingy and zesty on the nose and less bone dry than other Sancerre. Fruity elegant long vivid taste. Sancerre 2010 Vacheron Ca 200 NOK or 15€ an adorable Sancerre