Life is too short to drink bad wine

It's possible to get reasonable Bordeaux wines still even in top vintages. If you go to less known areas like Fronsac like this one good value for money can be found. 100% Merlot from 30 year old vines and maturation in french oak for a year. Dark red colour. Medium nose of dark fruit, vanilla and some oak. Quite a firm taste with apparent oak but still smooth enough to enjoy now and especially with some red meat or cheese. Ch. Castagnac 2015 Fronsac Ca 230 NOK or 14€

Red Burgundy premier crus are very much on the expensive side after years of price increases due to high quality and limited quantities. Going a bit away from the centre of Burgundy to lesser known areas like Mercurey can therefore be an option in order to buy smart and drink well. This premier cru by Domaine Michel Juillot has all the trademarks of a decent village wine from Burgundy. Delicious red fruit and a lovely fruity balanced taste. Drinking well all ready now but will improve with 2-3 years of storage. Mercurey 1er cru Clos Tonnerre Michel Juillot ca 20€ or 300NOK