Life is too short to drink bad wine

What a wonderful wine! The problem with these wines are that you never have enough to leave some in the cellar to age. A 5 year old white Burgundy is however drinking perfectly now. Packed with lime, butter, spice and minerality it is just wonderful with fried cod in butter. A truly great wine and a great fish! Saint Aubin "En Remilly" 2007 by Hubert Lamy. Give me more ....now!

Vincent Girardin is a top white Burgundy producer and this Sain-Aubin is quite reasonable compared to some of the others. Perfect discrete smell of lime, herbs and butter with a nice balanced and fruity taste with some mineral notes. While drinking white Burgundy there is always a certain "fatness" and fruit to the wine which makes you forget that this is really a bone dry white wine. Perfect with white fish and seafood except salmon or trout. Saint-Aubin "En Remilly" 2010, Vincent Girardin Ca 30€ and probably one of the cheapest StAubin

Ok let it be said; I have never ever tried a Spatburgunder in my life before. I picked this one up from the special wine shop in Bergen and  I was rather sceptical to this pricy German red wine. Anyway, the nose was absolutely brilliant with cherries, red fruit and pepper. Really a mix of Rhone and Burgundy. Also with a very nice minerality (due to the slate). Taste is perfectly balanced with lots of fruit and soft tannins although it's dancing on the green side (due to the pepper?). But the more I drink the happier I am with the wine..... Spaetburgunder 2008, Blauschiefer, AHR in Germany Meyer-Nakel Ca35€

What a wonderful white Burgundy by Hubert Lamy! This wine is just perfect with white fish and especially fried cod. Beautiful lime, butter and mineral notes. Crispy and elegant taste with great fruit and balance. It's very difficult to pinpoint anything wrong with this wine! In fact it was so good that we consumed two bottles at the resto... Saint-Aubin 2010 "La Princee" by H Lamy What's price got to do with it?

Let it be said immediately that this Chateau is really on the way up. The complexity and elegance are remarkable and so am I afraid is the price per bottle. 2006 was spoilt by bad August weather and a storm in September but still when top producers are creating wines they succeed even in mediocre vintages.  Intense dark colour with a strong nose of dark and red berries, coffee and minerals. The taste is dominated by seductive tannins due to the high Merlot content (>30%). The wine is beautifully balanced with a long aftertaste. If you ever see this wine in the shop or at a resto, just buy it Do not worry about the price. It's worth it and 10 times cheaper than the top top ones. Ch Pontet Canet 2006, Paulliac. Starting price ca 80£. Sort of Margaux like in style...

Not a top red Burgundy but a top Burgundy producer. Somehow for white Burgundy this combination works well, but for red Burgundy it is a different story. Anything below the village wines have a tendency to be overpriced with a lack of fruit and body. So also for this one. Nice Burgundy flavours but the the taste is simple with a slightly dominant acidity. For around 20-30€ there are other red Burgundy wines worthwhile purchasing I believe. Hautes Cotes de Nuits- Domaine Bertagna Too pricy and too boring

This is a Blanc de Blancs Champagne by Andre Jacquart. Lovely small bubbles dancing perfectly in the glass. On the nose red apples and a bit of wet bread crumbs. The palate is lively as well with lots of fruit and a delicious acidity. To be drunk on its own or with seafood and light meat. Andre Jacquart Champagne Blanc de Blancs Just bring it on...!

Red wine with traditional Norwegian like rib of lamb or pork can be a challenge. Ripassa with it's fruitiness and slightly more sugar content is a good option to go for. Ripassa has gone through a second fermentation after having been mixed with left over skins/grapes from the production of Amarone or Recioto. Dark colour, with complex nose of dark cherries and chocolate. The taste is very juicy and smooth. Best red wine choice for most Norwegian Xmas dinners. Valpolicella Ripassa 2008 Zenato Just below 200NOK or 15€ 

This Brunello Montalcino by Angelini from 2004 is a big wine packed with oak. Wet wool, bark and dried fruit on the nose with an elegant firm taste. The tannins are solid but soft as the wine has already got 8 years on its back. The wine is screaming for food and I would guess red meat or lamb will fit the bill. Brunello (100% Sangiovese) is never cheap to buy and require an acquired to taste to fully appreciate the efforts behind and the complexity of the wine. Brunello Montalcino 2004, Angelini Think big, dry and solid. Ca 40€

What a fantastic lovely Riesling from Pfalz! Packed with fruit and a great minerality. Gorgeous stuff and perfect with seafood and sushi. Hint of petroleum as well. German dry white is really on the way up. Weingut im Sonnenschein 2006, Okonomierat Rebholz, Pfalz Just a great Riesling

Sweet white wine that is 24 years old! Not an everyday wine. Very slow to open up. At first I was convinced it was bad, it smelled funny although the taste was alright. After a while however it opened up in the glass and turned out to be a decent surprise. If you want Sauternes this is one of the top Chateau's but at a reasonable price compared to some of the other high performing ones. Ch Suduiraut 1988, Sauternes 1989 still exists in the shop Ca 70€ a bottle of the very old ones

Magnum bottles are brilliant stuff at parties. Nebbiolo with deer or game is also a good combination. The problem some times is that we drink Barbaresco too young. This 2007 opened up after some time in the carafe and the glass, but should have been kept another 5 years in the cellar really. Anyway, still lovely autumn leaves and dried fruit and all that with a firm balanced taste. Barbaresco 2007 "Montestefano", Produttori del Barberaresco Keep as long as you can ...in the cellar

A white Burgundy served with fried cod at a local restaurant called Tango. Let it be said that this combination is just fabulous; the white cod meat matches the slightly "fat" white Burgundy perfectly. The wine was slightly buttery and limy on the nose with a wonderful minerality and long aftertaste. It's very difficult to dislike white Burgundies! Puligny Montrachet 2007, Leflaive Burgundy is far from the sea, but still perfect with cod

Sorry for the label here, but it has been ruined by the humidity in the cave! But it's not the label that we are drinking and this red wine from Alentejo in Portugal is one of my favorites. Big smell and taste. Red berries, spices and plum on the nose with a great fruity taste. A very like-able wine and perfect for those cold nights in front of the fireplace. It can be drunk young or like this 2003 which is now nearly 10 years old. Esporao 2003, Alentejo Ca 20€ even in Norway

This wine from Clos Triguedina in Cahors belongs to a category I would describe as "Black wine". It's of course red but oh so dark colour and smell. I tasted this 2006 called Prince Probus (100% Malbec) en primeur and it was one of the few en primers I actually liked. Finally 6 bottles have been brought back to Norway and tried out. Lovely dark colour and smell of black fruit and vanilla. Big solid taste with firm tannins that have started to softened. A big wine! Prince Probus 2006 Cahors, Ca 25-30€ Try with confit canard, magret de canard or lamb

What can I say? Premier cru from Chambolle is very difficult to resist due to their fantastic balance and elegancy. So this one as well. 8 years old is the perfect timing for these wines as they do not get better after this point in time. This one is peaking right now with gorgeous red berries and a silky fruity and perfect balance. I am uncertain what more one can want from a wine.... Chambolle Musigny 2004 "Les Charmes" Try with pork or veal Ca 40€ or 65€ in Norway

Less buttery than other  Meursault with a nice minerality. Quite a pleasant white Burgundy by Leflaive. Elegant and perfect balanced acidity. Try it with hard cheese or sea food, but it is perfect with fried cod (in butter sauce). Expect to pay 30-40€ per bottle , but it can keep for years. Meursault 2007 by Olivier Leflaive A very decent Meursault..