Life is too short to drink bad wine

In the steep hills north in  the Rhone valley there is a small appelation which is called Condrieu. Here the rare grape of Viognier is grown. A grape not well known to many people but which gives a fantastic wine when grown here. It is a full bodied white with a very pronounced and overwhelming smell of flower, peach, apricot, tropical fruit etc. The taste is dominated by ripe fruit, medium acidity and a long finish. Very good to outstanding quality. This is not a white for the fainthearted as the style is rather opulent. But with 2 year old Comte it is the perfect match. Cuilleron (manager) has many different styles. The wine is pricy and rare to get hold of. Condrieu 2014 "La Petite Cote" Yves Cuilleron ca 30€ or 400 nok

This has been one of my absolute favourites for a very long time. Unfortunately the wine has caught other's attention as well and the price has now shot through the roof as it happens with most good wines. Beaucastel owns 110 hectares (ca 140 football pitches) where it grows all the thirteen different garpe varieites that are allowed in Chateauneuf du Pape. The vines are older than 50 years and have been grown organically all the time. The grapes are fermented separately in different casks and cement tanks before they are blended in oak barrels for a year before being bottled. A very dark coloured wine that at first just smells of oak and dark fruit. It needs time to open up in the glass and we let 3 glasses with Beaucastel just breath for two hours before being drunk and they were just pure delight after that time. Dark fruit dried fruit, cellar, ripe red fruit, spices, cigar Long wonderfully balanced taste with massive but firm attractive tannins. It does seem to be 19 ...

Cote Rotie, 100% Syrah and steep hills down to the Rhone river. A wonderful landscape and brilliant wines. Think dark fruit, smooth velvety well balanced taste. Soft tannins. You take a sip and realise it could be a full-bodied Burgundy or perhaps a super fruity Bordeaux. But it's Cote Rotie, a tiny appellation with legendary quality wines. The 2007 is at peak right now, no need to keep it further. Just drink. Alone. or with something you really like. Cote Rotie 2007 Michel & Stephane Ogier Ca 25€

I attended a wine tasting in Oslo this week and had the pleasure of participating to a tasting of different Rhone wines. Bordeaux and Burgundy are getting increasingly expensive and Rhone is perhaps one place to look for good values. The Syrah grape are the star grape in this region reds and it must be said that the most prestigious wines from Hermitage, Cote Rotie and Cornas are quite pricy too. St.Joseph and Crozes Hermitage are thus the more reasonable choices. Cornas is dense dark red wine with lots of dark fruit which requires both time and food to excel. This one by one of the new guys in Cornas, Guillaume Gilles, is a big full bodied red   packed with massive approachable tannins and a nice minerality. The nose is very clean and elegant. Guillaume owns 2 hectare in the Chaillot part of Cornas and started in 2008. His wines are honest with a great concentration. The 2012 is probably best in 3-5 years but if you want to drink it now it's probably best to decant it upfr...

This is a delightful Syrah based wine from the west bank in the Rhone valley which is called St.Joseph. Yves Cuilleron makes wonderful expressions of the different appellations in Rhone. Very direct and clean fruit with lots of energy. It's always a pleasure to drink his wines but unfortunately the wines are becoming more and more popular which means the prices go up. Dark coloured wine with lots of dark fruit on the nose with hint of pepper and minerals. Lovely fruity wine with a firm body and some soft tannins. Medium long aftertaste. Drink now or keep for 5-10 years. Saint Joseph 2012 "Les Pierres Seches" Yves Cuilleron  St. Joseph Ca 20-25€ His technical details in french: AOP : SAINT JOSEPH LES PIERRES SÈCHES 2012 •  Origine  : sélection de vignes situées sur les coteaux de la commune de Chavanay. « Les Pierres Sèches » n’est pas le nom d’un lieu-dit mais vient des murs de pierres sèches construits à la main et sans ciment, et qui ...

It's not often one comes across an older Hermitage for less than 30€, but here it is. Dark red coloured wine a delicious dark fruit smell with some pepper on the nose as well. Lots of structure and fruit in the mouth with a compact well balanced aftertaste. Not a top Hermitage but it is very good value for money and is drinking really nicely right now and for the next 5 years. Hermitage 2007 Domaine des Martinelles Ca 27€

This is 100% Syrah with perhaps a bit of Viognier in it as well. The wine is dark, dense and delicious. Packed with dark fruit and very smooth tannins. It´s drinking wonderfully right now and should go well with pepper steak, game as well as cheese. Cote Rotie is in the very northern part of the Rhone valley and provides wines that are easy to drink when young as well as older. Due to the marginal production, the steep hills and the demand, the prices are normally high. Cote Rotie 2007 Ogier Ca 35€

Looking for a deep dark red wine with lots of muscles? Look no further, this Cornas (Rhone) has it all and all you require is an entrecote or pepper steak to control the wine. The colour is deep dark red with purple rim. On the nose there is a solid attack of pepper and dark fruit! Unmistakable for a solid Syrah! The taste is supersolid with lots of dark fruit, plenty of energy, bit of pepper and spice...sort of dying for food. Surely no meditation wine. It's screaming for foooood... Cornas "Chante-Perdrix" 2012 Delas Ca 330 NOK or 30€...a bit pricy for Cornas

This is a vin de pays wine from the Rhone region. Pale red colour and an abnormal nose which reminds me of rose water and red fruit. Very smooth velvety and silky taste. An easy drinking wine that in the taste can remind you of a Burgundy. Domaine des Tours 2010 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Ca 20€

This is the first time I have tried a white Hermitage and what a surprise. The grape is Marsanne 100% grown on the steep hills above the small town of Tain l'Hermitage. This was also consumed at Bofinger in Paris and was also decanted. Before decanted it was like marzipan and almonds, but after decanting and some waiting it opened up in an explosion of white flowers, nuts, honey and ginger. Very attractive indeed. The taste was full-bodied, beautifully balanced and long. A great white wine. Chante-Alouette 2008 Hermitage Chapoutier Ca 50€

I do not know much about Pierre Blanche, but I found this Cote Rotie in the wine shop the other day and I thought it was worth while trying. Seductive dark fruit and spice on the nose , but perhaps a bit one dimensional… The taste is well balanced with the same elements as on the nose with a nice fruity aftertaste. A good wine, but perhaps not great as one should expect from this corner of the world… Perfect with game and entrecôte with pepper sauce... Cote Rotie 2010 Domaine de Pierre Blanche Ca 25€ or 300NOK

This is a super lovely Hermitage which is drinking beautifully already now. Dense dark fruit with a small hint of spice (pepper) on the nose. Delightful full bodied taste packed with delicate dark fruit and a velvety long finish. This is just sooo delicious! Expensive , but this must be one of the top Hermitage available outside France. Hermitage 2010 Domaine du Colombier Ca 40-60€

This is a massive Cote Rotie by a producer called Gangloff. It contains 7% Viognier with the rest being Syrah. The expression on the nose is floral, dark fruit, dark chocolate and dried herbs. A big opulent massive taste with great body and finish. A lovely and seductive wine, but also quite expensive (50£). Very limited quantities. Cote Rotie 2007 Gangloff Ca 50£

A young and attractive Côte Rotie (100% Syrah) that is drinking very well already now. Perfect with game. Beautiful bouquet of brambles, some pepper and some dark fruit. Lovely balanced fruity taste and kind integrated tannins. A very nice Cote Rotie indeed.     

This is a great Cote Rotie which is not too expensive. Deep dark purple color. Lots of dark fruit, brambles and pepper. Fruity well balanced taste with soft tannins. Nice to drink now but can easily be kept 3-5 years. Try with game or red meat. Cote Rotie by Montez 2010 Ca 25€ Big wine wine but very easy drinking

This is a deep dark ruby coloured wine from Gigondas in Rhone with a mix of 4 different grapes Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah. Lovely smell of dark fruit (brambles, blueberries) and a bit of cigar box. Full bodied wine with big firm tannins and a lovely minerality. Probably one of the best and most expensive Gigondas that exists. High in alcohol. Ch de Saint Cosme 2010 Gigondas ca 240 kr or 20€ Big and fruity wine that goes with red meat.

This is a serious wine based upon Syrah and the white grape Viognier. It has been 42 months in new oak and the vines are around 75 years old. Beautiful aromas of red berries, blackberries and violet. The taste is velvety with a great balance and silky texture. Great stuff and one of the best Cote Rotie around. Only 400 cases. Cote Rotie "La Mouline" 2004 by Guigal Syrah is just a super delicious grape... High price > 40€  

This is a big dense dark wine based upon 100% Grenache from Cote du Rhone. The colour is deep dark and the smell is full of dark berries, chocolate and mint. Great stuff! The taste is powerful and fruity. Packed with firm tannins of the softer kind and a long big aftertaste. This is a very good wine indeed by a very good producer (Tardieu-Laurent). Rasteau Vielles Vignes 2007, Tardieu-Laurent Bring on the entrecôte!! Ca 25-30€

This 2007 wine is a co-operation between four producers. Taburnum is the latin word to describe a terrace of ancient Roman vineyard upstream of Condrieu. The grape is Viognier and the wine has the same qualities as a Condrieu. Peach, honeysuckle, lemongrass and apricot. Truly lovely stuff. Full-bodied dry white with a lovely fruit and acidity. This wine goes with most cheese. Taburnum 2007, Terres de Viennæ, Rhone. Ca 33£ Florence + The Machine "Shake It Out"

2010 is a very good vintage all over France. So also in Rhone. Saint Joseph wines can sometimes be of variable quality but when you get vintages like 2010 most areas are a good bet. This 100% Syrah from  Doamine Les Hauts Chassis is a dark coloured wine filled with dark fruit and pepper. It's perfect with a pepper steak or entrecote with pepper sauce. A lively wine with lots of character on the dark side.. St Joseph, Domaine Les Hauts Chassis 2010, Ca 25€ "Lana del Rey - Video Games"