Life is too short to drink bad wine

Arrived in Piemonte today from Antibes. We should have stayed at the Corte Gondina hotel, but a hick up with the booking meant that we diverted to the La Spiga down the hill from La Morra. A late lunch on the covered terrace with a beautiful Dolcetto d'Alba by the local producer Voerzio was followed by a few lazy hours by the pool overlooking the hillsides. A very quiet and relaxing place. Now we just need to find a proper restaurant or we could just go downstairs and check out the superb wine list...?   La Spiga Albergo Ristorante - Hotel - Restaurant - Cherasco La Morra

This is a lovely Rose wine with a juicy and perfectly balanced taste. The color scheme is more Tuscany colored inspired as it is more towards orange brown or burnt Sienna. Purchasing this wine will set you back 10€ at the local Casino super market. Ch. Mouresse 2010 "L'Excellence" Cotes de Provence Perfect for the terrace on its own...

There is nothing like a cold Dolcetto when you are on summer holiday somewhere warm. Beautiful purple colour and lovely smell of dark cherries and beetroot. Succulent and well balanced taste. Vajra makes one of the best Dolcettos around by mixing the grapes from the two vineyards Coste & Fossati near Barolo. Dolcetto d'Alba Coste Fossati 2008, Vajra To be drunk young and kept in the fridge.

Saint-Joseph appelation stretches from Tain and up to Condrieu. Quite a long stretch but the wines have increased in quality over the years. Cuilleron is one of the top producers leading the pack. This is one is just filled with brambles, dark fruit and lots of lovely smooth tannins. Great stuff and perfect with all kind of meat. Saint-Joseph 2006 "Les Lerines"  by Cuilleron Bring on the BBQ...

Got this at a wine tasting back in May. Still going strong with lovely petroleum smell although 22 years old. Impressive balanced taste as well. Riesling 1990, Rheingau Can keep very very long

Shared a bottle the Cheval Blanc 1995 in a Oslo restaurant some time back with a good friend of mine. I have not tried Cheval Blanc since I first went to a wine tasting in 1985 and what an experience it was. The price at the restaurant was in fact cheaper than the purchase price in France or UK and was as such a real bargain (but of course not inexpensive...) Main grapes are Merlot and Cabernet Franc which creates an extraordinary wine. Complex aromas of plum, blackberries, mulberries and cedar. The oak, tannins and acidity was perfectly integrated with a full bodied taste. The wine could still be kept and as there were still a few bottles left of this wine at the resto, I am sure I will be back at there when I have enough money on my account... Cheval Blanc 1995, St.Emilion Because you worth it....

Holiday times and why not for Champagne for lunch? Champagne is drinkable most times of the day and perfect for nice sunny lunches. You can just sleep it off by the pool... Billecart-Salmon is one my favorite Champagne houses and is one of the few remaining houses still to be owned by the founding family (founded in 1818). This is definitely a cheer me up Champagne. Perfect bubbles and slim mineral elegant taste. It is also an unusual mix of Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve, Champagne Lively, elegant, designed to cheer u up, 32€