Life is too short to drink bad wine

This IGT comes from Il Burchino in Tuscany and is a lovely blend of 50% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot. A low priced wine at only 10€ which is very drinkable indeed. Delicious smell of vanilla, chocolate, coffee and minerals. The taste is super soft, light and fruity making it perfect to be served chilled at lunch time. Il Burchino 2010 Toscana - IGT €10

This red wine comes from Tenuta Santa Lucia in Tuscany. It's made from 100% Ciliegiolo (which means cherry in Italian), a forgotten grape on the rise in among others Tuscany. Deep dark red colour and very dark smell of dark fruit and coffee. The taste is quite seductive with smooth spicy cherries and a very soft and fruity aftertaste. To understand the grape it's like a crossing of Merlot and Malbec. A very interesting variety indeed. Ciliegiolo 2013 Tenuta Santa Lucia  IGT - Toscana Ca €12

Where were you when Iceland beat England in Euro 2016? We enjoyed this Bordeaux blend called Fattoria di Travalda from Santa Lucia in Tuscany. yet again an IGT due to the blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and some Petit Verdot. A fullbodied (bit like Iceland..?) red which took a bit of time to open up. Big complex taste with elegant soft tannins and a perfect acidity. Lovely dark fruit on the nose and taste. Perfect wine for this enjoyable occasion! We need to buy another one for the quarter final... Fattoria di Travalda 2010 IGT- Toscana €22

This wine is from Tenuta di Burchino (not far from Pisa) which is also a part of the Castellani property. It's an IGT based on 100% Sangiovese and the 2010 vintage has already developed a brick red colour. The nose is very Bordeaux like with lots of red fruit, cherries, old farm and pencil. Lovely developed balanced taste with lots of body. soft and elegant finish. A very nice wine indeed at 18€. Genius Loci Sangiovese 2010 IGT- Toscana Tenuta di Burchino

Yet another IGT from Tuscany. This one is from the resort called Poggio di Casone and is made from 85% of the unusual grape called Teroldego and 15% Syrah. The result is a very dark wine, a bit like a mature Malbec from Argentina or Zinfandel in the California. Medium deep red colour. Lovely smell of dark fruit, coffee and vanilla. It's a big solid mouthful and a very long aftertaste. Lots of dark fruit and soft tannins. Nice balance between body and acidity. A very generous wine and a bargain 10.50€. La Cuttara 2011 Poggio al Casone IGT Toscana € 10.50

A bit of wine tasting going on in Tuscany at Poggio al Casone. The basic wine wit the same name is not fantastic, but this version with 20% Syrah and 80% Sangiovese is much better. Dark fruit on the nose with some pepper and a balanced quite fruity taste. Simple but good. Goes well with cheese and red meat. Casone 2010 IGT- Toscana 12.50€

Pascal Clement is a wine producer that made his first own production in 2012. Before that he worked with various wine makers in Burgundy as well as New Zealand (mostly Pinot and Chardonnay). He buys grapes from mostly biodynamic growers and his style is clean, pure and with subtle use of oak. Pernand- Vergelesses is pre-dominantly known for it's red Burgundy but this version is a white one. The wine has a clear and pale lime green colour. Nice delicate smell of apple, citrus, hazelnut and minerals (or wet stone). Very refreshing taste with lots of minerality, apple, citrus and some nuts. Beautiful balance and a solid aftertaste. Pernand-Vergelesses 2013 "Les Combottes" Pascal Clement Ca 25€ or 300NOK

White Burgundies are sadly enough quite expensive due to small harvests lately and higher demand. The solution could  be to drink the more reasonable generic Bourgogne blanc, but then the producer and where the grapes come from are two important factors. Normally the grapes can come from all over Burgundy. Henri Boillot is a top producer of both white and red Burgundies and produces wine with quite low yields. In addition he picks the Chardonnay for this cuvee from four top appelations: Auxey Duresses, Saint Roman, Meursault and Puligny. The result is a stunning white Burgundy which outperforms all other Bourgogne blanc we have ever tasted. Delicious pale lime gree colour. A superb smell of citrus fruit, butter, lime and spice. Super balanced and long taste with perfect fruit and acidity. Just shockingly good. Ca 30$ or 300NOK Limited availability....

Gaja is one of the top producers in Piedmonte and that shows in this classy Barolo from 2007. This Barolo comes from two great family owned vineyards located in La Morra and Serralunga. In both sites, the soil is primarily calcareous clay and marl. Fermentation and maceration take place in stainless steel tanks for 3 weeks followed by 12 months ageing in barriques and an additional 12 months in large oak casks. The resulting wine is an harmonious and intriguing expression of two great Barolo terroirs with an intense, d eep dark colour with a very distinct red/brown rim.   A very rich bouquet of red berry fruits with attractive floral notes, tar and some smoke. The wine has a beautifully and  refined structure with superb length. Lovely stuff and drinking well now. Requires food.... Barolo Dagromis 2007, Gaja Ca 40£

Wines from Sonoma Coast is just getting better and better. The cooler climate seems to be perfect for Pinot Noir and avoids the "cooked" and jammy flavours of many Pinot Noir from California. This Cline Pinot Noir is surprisingly reasonable (160NOK or 12usd) and is a very decent Pinot indeed. It's cheaper than most generic red Burgundy with more flavours and Pinot Noir touch than the basic Burgundy in a similar price range. Very seductive smell of red fruit, cherries and some herbs. Lovely velvety taste with some raspberries and cherry. If you are looking for an easy drinking Pinot, then look no further. This is a real bargain despite the unfavourable usd exchange rate.

This is a wonderful and reasonable Champagne based on the three different grapes Chardonnay, Pinot and Pinot Meunier. This Champagne is also made by use of the solar system (see below) which has quite an impact on the taste. The smell is dominated by toast, butter, citrus fruit and some ripe fruit and flowers. The taste is complex and delicious with  a long well balanced aftertaste and a lovely acidity. The taste is bigger and has more body than normal Champagne and can remind one of a Blanc de noirs. Perfect as an aperitif or with seafood. Coutelas  Champagne Ca 30€ or 330 NOK ( In the  solera  process, a succession of containers are filled with the product over a series of equal aging intervals (usually a year). A group of one or more containers, called scales,  criaderas  ('nurseries'), or  clases  are filled for each interval. At the end of the interval after the last scale is filled, the oldest scale in the  solera [ ...

This white wine is from the region Rias Baixas on the west coast in Spain, just north of Portugal. The grape, Albarino, is similar to the grape called Alvarinho in Portugal. Pale straw colour with green reflections. Refreshing "green" smell of lime, fruit and kiwi. The taste is a bit like a Sancerre with lots of fresh fruit, acidity and a crispy aftertaste. A wine perfect for hot summer days. Try with fish, seafood and cheese. Goes well with rich fish like salmon. Albarino 2014 Pazo Senorans   Rias Baixas Ca 200kr or 15€

First wine Medium dark red wine with red rim. Decent smell of dried fruit and ripe cherries. Quite attractive nose. Very soft but big taste. Some smooth tannins and a slightly unripe ripe finish. Good length with taste of dark fruit and cherries. Overall good quality although not fantastic. Score 16.60 Ch. Chantalouette Pomerol Ca 20€ Second wine Purpur red dark colour with long legs. Smell of horse, leather, farm and black currant. Well balanced taste of dark berries with very limited tannins. Smooth. Really nicely balanced wine that are drinking well right now. Bordeaux?? Score 18,50 Ch. Poujeaux 2004 Moulis Ca 25€ (back then)   Third wine Very dark red colour with purpur rim. Sweet red berries on the nose. Some flower and rose as well. Hints of chocolate. Dark chocolate and fruit on the taste. Very big and long. Lovely balance with smooth tannins and delicious acidity. Overall a very good and big Pinot Noir !!! (how wrong can you be...

This is a delightful and refreshing dry white from a small area in Portugal called Moncao and Melgaco. The producer is Quinta de Soalheiro and the grape is 100% Alvarinho. Pale yellow green colour. Smell of citrus, herbs and flowers on the nose. The taste is young and bone dry with minerals, tropical and citrus fruit. Ca 154 or 180NOK. Try it with seafood.

Let it be said at once; this 2009 red Burgundy from More-St-Denis is pure magic! It can remind you of a full bodied Chambolle in a way as it has similar bouquet and smoothness. The smell is dominated by delicate raspberries with hints of chocolate. Subtle, but ever so lovely. The taste is incredible smooth, packed with ripe delicious fruit, an enormous length and wonderful balanced aftertaste. Pure magic! I am uncertain what to eat with this wine as I am afraid many dishes would take away the fantastic experience it is just to drink it on its own. Try veal with a discrete sauce....perhaps.

Good Beaujolais is delightful to drink when the sun is out and it's hot. They are light and refreshing and best served slightly chilled to obtain most of the flavours. This Cote de Brouilly (one of the 10 grand crus) by Thivin is perhaps not the cheapest one but it's certainly good. Beaujolais wines are never expensive anyway so don't worry. Medium dark red colour with purple rim. Light and attractive smell of flowers and red/dark fruit with some spicy undertones. The taste is light and perfectly balanced with perhaps a light acidity on the aftertaste and some discrete, smooth tannins. The wine is slightly "nervous" and the taste will vary pending the temperature. Cote de Brouilly Chateau Thivin Ca 12€