Life is too short to drink bad wine

  Les Fiefs de Lagrange 2011 St. Julien Ca 20-25€ 2011 is perhaps not the best of Bordeaux vintages, but this second wine from the third growth Ch.Lagrange in St.Julien is very good value for money even in a mediocre year. Les Fiefs 2011 is drinking beautifully now with a lovely balance and firm soft tannins. It's dark and dense with delicious dark fruit on the nose. Perfect with BBQ stuff or cheese.

This is a delightful Cote du Rhone by Ch. Beaucastel in Ch.neuf du Pape. It's dark, dense and full of dark fruit with some spicy elements. It will easily improve with time but if decanted first it drinks beautifully now as well. The grapes used for this blend are Grenache 30%, Syrah 20%, Mourvèdre 30%, Cinsault 20%. A bit pricy Cote du Rhone maybe but it's on the border to be classified as a Ch.neuf du Pape and the "mother" wine, Beaucastel, sells for twice to three times the price. this is to be regarded as their second wine really. Coudoulet de Beaucastel 2013 20€

We were served this (without knowing what it was) as wine number one and three in a Blindtasting. On the first one the colour was medium dark red with a clear red brown rim indicating it to be an old wine or a Nebbiolo. On the nose it had discrete dried fruit, plum and cherries. Again it could be a Nebbiolo.The taste was however quite light with very little acidity and tannins (close to none) drifting the panel away from the Nebbiolo track. Overall score 15.60 When it was served as wine number three the story was slightly different: The colour was described as deep dark red with brown rim (it appeared to be darker than the first one). The nose was more apparent with dark fruit, dried fruit and plum, Very similar to wine one. The taste was however the biggest variation as it was fresher, seemed younger with more acidity and tannins. As a consequence it was scored to be 17.50. The panel then agreed both were old Bordeaux probably around 20 years...

This is a delightful mixed red by Sean Thackrey. This red is made every year with different combinations of grapes designed to let people enjoy a wine as prepared by the chef himself. The 24th edition is a mix of Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Viognier (white), Zinfandel and Mourvedre. The wine is a full-bodied and a very fruity red with a velvety long well balanced finish. Delightful easy drinking wine that can be easily enjoyed on its own. Pleiades XXIV California Sean Thackrey Ca 30usd or 340 NOK

This 2009 Pinot from California and Anderson valley is just pure magic right now. It's not often I drink 7 years old Pinot from that region, normally I would consume them younger, but this example is the proof thet there is absolute no reason why California Pinot should not be kept. Delicious red fruit, chocolate and minerality on the nose.  A wonderful balanced taste which is just amazing. Everything are so velvety. The cool climate and a stony soil have created a truly  wonderful, complex and sumptuous wine. Pure meditation.... Copain Pinot Noir 2009 Kiser "En Bas" Anderson valley High price

This is a very unusual red from Colline Novaresi (DOC) in Piemonte. The main grape is Nebbiolo (like in Barolo and Barbaresco) but there are a small content of two rare grapes called Uva Rara and Vespolina as well. The colour is dark purple red with a purple rim. A colour that can remind you more of a Dolcetto or Barbera instead of Nebbiolo. It has a wonderful intriguing smell of red fruit like raspberries and redcurrant, lots of floral elements as well as liquorice. From the smell it very tricky to decide grape and region. The taste is however more nebbiolo like: lots of acidity and plenty of tannins. The wine require as such food to go along with it. Delicate and what I would call "chilled" (as in opposite to warm) fruit and a long aftertaste. A rare but delicious wine. Only 3000 bottles. Mot Ziflon 2013 Colline Novaresi Francesco Brigatti 14€ or 228 NOK