Life is too short to drink bad wine

Priorat wine region close to Barcelona is an emerging wine district with big fruity red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha and Mazuelo. This Reserva from 2008 is no exception : Dark purple colour and a big dark fruity nose packed with cedar and leather. The taste is big and fruity packed with firm, but kind tannins. Complex medium long aftertaste. A wine perfect with BBQ meat. Rotllan Torra Reserva 2008 Priorat, Ca NOK 190 or 15€ Big and well balanced

I am sorry for the unclear photo which was largely due to the endless amounts of white Burgundy served before this one (at Renaa). Pale ruby color and an elegant smell of raspberry, red cherries and minerals (wet wool). The taste is balancing on a shoestring in the mouth as the acidity and fruit is like a fine tuned sinus curve. Perfect symphony! Volnay Les Caillerets 2004 Michel Lafarge A firm fine balanced red.

Very pale lemon green colored white Burgundy by Huber-Verdereau. Floral smell with discrete lime and butter flavours. A delicate dry taste which is balancing perfectly between acidity and fruit. A bit towards a kernel taste like almond. A great wine, perfect with white fish. Meursault "En Dressoles" 2010 Huber-Verdereau A very feminine Meursault

Surprisingly nice and reasonable Bordeaux from the great 2005 vintage. Medium ruby colour and a lovely smell of red berries, plum, minerals and pencil sharpening. Great well balanced taste, with nicely integrated tannins and a elegant fruity finish. A lovely wine for 250 NOK or ca 20€. Ch. Moulin Pey-Labrie 2005 Canon-Fronsac

This dry white from Soave in Veneto is grown on steep volcanic hills and is made from the grape Garganega. Medium lime green colour. Nice smell of citrus fruit, apple, pear and chamomile. Quite a full-bodied white with a surprising lovely acidity. Low price 110 NOK Soave Piccolo 2011 Veneto

Touch of summer and time to bring out the rose. Found this reasonable rose from Cote de Provence in the local wine shop. Pale salmon colour and a wine filled with delicate strawberries and lots of red fruit. Perfect on it's own or with salmon. Croix de Basson 2011 Cotes de Provence, NOK 135 or 6€...

Had this wine at the restaurant/winebar in Berlin called Lutter & Wegner. Brick coloured wine with nice red fuit flavours and earthy undertones. Well balanced with all the tannins gone but still very much enjoyable despite the age. La Louviere 1999 Pessac-Leognan Still going srong

This is a reasonable dry white from Casablanca in Chile. The Casablanca region close to the coast has a cooler climate that Sauvignon Blanc benefits from in terms of aromas and freshness. Nose of green apples, gooseberries and black currant leaves. Dry fruity taste with a lively acidity and good balance. Very reasonable price, ca 110 NOK or 6 usd. Cono Sur Sauvignon Blanc Reserva Casablanca, Chile Sea food and goat cheese

Report from Berry Brothers & Rudd on 2011 vintage port: Amidst the buzz of 2012 En Primeur, something rather special happened last week as most of the major port houses unanimously declared 2011 a vintage year for port. Representing only a tiny part of the production, vintage port is the pinnacle of port production representing both the quality and style of each house. On average three times a decade the Port shippers declare a vintage. A vintage year for port is only declared in outstanding years and the different shippers are not obliged to declare a vintage in the same year, but for 2011 the Port houses are unanimous in their verdict. Though rumours of a possible declaration have been circulating in the wine trade for months, most shippers held firm to tradition and waited for St. George's day to declare the vintage.  A quick note on the vintage. 2011 is an exceptional vintage for port, following in the footsteps of 1927, 1945, 1966 and 1994. Similar to 2009 f...

This is the 2010 vintage which is now out. It has slightly more tannins than the very drinkable 2009, so it needs a couple years of patience in order to benefit frompeak quality. Les Ruchots is small plot close the border of Chambolle (size of a football pitch). Medium purple color with nice long legs. Clean medium nose of raspberries, earth and mineral. Developing. Juicy, fruity (red fruit) and elegant taste with firm but oh so soft tannins and a refreshing balanced acidity. Extremely difficult to not like and not open yet another bottle. Morey-St-Denis 2010 "Les Ruchots" Arlaud, High price Wait three more years if you can  

This is a quite reasonable Chateauneuf du Pape (ca 200 NOK or 15€). The colour is medium ruby color which was a bit surprising. Nose of ripe black cherries and liquerice with a medium + body and finish with firm tannins. The wine can be drunk now but has definitely the potential for ageing (5-10 years). Chateauneuf du Pape 2010, Ogier Bring out the steak!

This guys calls themselves the Montrachet of Pfalz in Germany. Pfalz is the driest and second largest region in Germany and is like a continuation of Alsace. The best wines are from Mittelhardt area around Wachenheim, Forst, Deidesheim and Ruppentsberg. This one from Forst has a classical Riesling nose, great balanced acidity and some minerality as well. A reasonable but very good every day Riesling! Dr. Burklin-Wolf, Ungeheuer 2011 Forst in Pfalz, Low price Ca 10-15€ Good Rieslings outside Rheingau do exist

Stunning red from Portugal and the Douro. This 2001 is drinking perfectly now. Medium to deep ruby colour with garnet rim. Delightful nose of ripe dark cherries and dark chocolate. Beautiful balanced fruity taste, medium soft tannins and full bodied. A long finish. A very good wine for 29€! Quinta de Leda 2001 Douro Planet Wein, Berlin

A big solid dry red from Barbaresco and Castello di Neive. Medium garnet color with tawny rim. Dried fruit and autumn leaves on the nose. The palate is well balanced between acidity and fruit with mellow tannins. A truly lovely ine crying out for red meat or lamb. Santa Stefano plot is roughly 8 ha (8 footballpitches) where they predominantly grow Nebbiolo. Barbraresco "Santo Stefano" 1998 Castelo de Neive At Planet Wein, Berlin

This is a big wine that takes time to open up and time was not our side but we waited patiently up to several minutes. Once it got going there was plenty of Bordeaux flavours with the exception of the classical pencil case, but still a great wine still developing. The tannins were very smooth for such a young wine so the balance was elegant with medium acidity and a medium + body. Overall a very good wine with can drink now but has potential for aging. Ch. Palmer Alter Ego 2007 Margaux, Ca 70€ PLanet Wein, Berlin

So after three solid red wine experiences we proceeded to this vintage Champagne by Henriot. This 1996 vintage has an equal mix of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from more than 15 crus and is supposedly one of the best 1996. And oh my God: great golden colour with small bubbles running up through the middle of the glass. A stunning nose of wet toast with a gorgeous palate interplay of honey and vanilla flavors. Great purity and acidity. Long fruity and complex taste. This is CHAMPAGNE! Henriot 1996, ca 97 € (A bargain) At Planet Wein, Berlin