Here is some short comments on new wine-releases that is available at Vinmonopolet from March 7th 2009.
Willi Schaefers Graacher Himmelreich riesling kabinett 2007 is a fine and typical '07 Mosel-riesling in a quite fruity style. Typical
sweetness and great acidity in the mouth. Clean and pure. A joy. Not the cheapest kabinett though (#56996, Kr.179,90). A more interesting
wine is Daniel Vollenweiders Wolfer Goldgrube riesling spätlese 2004 (#10471, Kr.190,-). This shows some development, but is still on the
young side. Mineral style, sweet spätlese and with a great balance and length. A very fine wine for the price. Another top-producer from
Mosel; Reinhold Haart releases three wines from the great 2007-vintage; Piesporter Goldtröpfchen riesling kabinett (#56969, Kr.209,-),
Piesporter Goldtröpfchen riesling erste lage (#56967, Kr.299,-) and Wintricher Ohligsberg riesling auslese 2007 (#56968, Kr.339,-). To me
the best buy is the kabinett, which is a fine slatey and slightly sulphury riesling at this stage. Sweetish and fresh riesling in the mouth.
The dry Goldtröpfchen erste lage is indeed very dry to the point of being a controversial Mosel-wine. It still shows much typicity of the
site and is an interesting wine. But it's intense and anorectic character might not suit everyone. The Ohligsberg auslese is fine, slightly
more slatey and earthy in style. No doubt very good, but I seem to prefer the Goldtröpfchen from this producer. From Rheingau there are
two 2007 rieslings from Schloss Reinharthausen available; Riesling QbA trocken (#51329, Kr.143,-) and Marcobrunnen erste gewächs
(#51330, Kr.300,-). None are particularely good buys. The Marcobrunnen shows some elegance and a good intensity of minerality and slate.
From Etna there is a new vintage og Benentis Pietramarina, the 2005 (#48025, Kr.279,-). It is very young right now and in my opinion needs some time. It is
a bit more aromatic than I remember it with plenty of concentration in the mouth. Fresh style and a good wine. A new wine available is
Terre Neres Etna bianco in 2007-vintage (#56518, Kr.166,50). It is a little riper and less interesting wine with a hint of seaweed.
Fullbodied and a relatively good buy for the price.
From New Zealand Montanas Marlborough sauvignon blanc is out in the fresh 2008-vintage. It is a highly typical sauvignon blanc with notes
of gooseberry and a hinf of cat-pee. It is fresh in the mouth, simple and fine fruit and perhaps lacking a little in concentration. But it
is a good bottle for the price (#43111, Kr.127,-).
Louis Jadot releases a range of Chablis'. I tasted the Chablis 2007 (#56953, Kr.170,-), the premier cru Fourchaume 2007 (#56956, Kr.290,-)
and the evolved premier cru Cote de Lechet 1997 (#56955, Kr.290,-). All are decent bottles, although anonymous and a little uninteresting.
From Baumard you will find two Savennieres; Clos St.Yves 2005 (#47387, Kr.200,-) and Clos de Papillon 2001 (#51328, Kr.230,-). 2005 was a
great vintage for Baumard and the Clos St.Yves might be the finest vintage I have tasted of this wine. Sweet smokey and intense
chenin-fruit. The Papillon 2001 shows much more development. It is a nice slighly aged Chenin and worth the price. Still the St.Yves is my
favorite.
A single rose should be mentioned; the new vintage of Langmanns Schilcher Klassik 2008 (#10218, Kr.114,-). A young fruity Schilcher
of great intensity and typically acidic structure. Better than '07 and a winner for the summer. Very good wine for the price.
Over to the reds and Piemonte you find Schiavenzas Barolo Bricco Ceretta in the 2003-vintage (#10993, Kr.359,-). This is a very good
Barolo from this hot vintage. Traditionally made with fine fruit, decent acidity and a dry and tannic end. Even better wines are the two
releases from Roagna. Barolo La rocca e La pira 2001 (#56502, Kr.370,-) and their top wine the Barbaresco Crichet Paje 1999
(#56501, Kr.900,-). Both are great wines. Elegant and intense. Traditionally made and toughtly structured wines meant for aging. The Barolo
is a particular good buy. The Barbaresco is a trem,endous wine, but also expensive.
From Rhone you find Jean-Paul Brun/Domaine des Terres Roties Cote-Rotie 2006 (#56995, Kr.360,-). The second vintage from the Beaujolais-expert. And like Bruns
Beaujolais-wines the Cote Rotie is as elegant and wild wine. Pure and cool Syrah-fruit with fine flowery top notes. Fine acidity and
pretty handled tannins. Very fine wine indeed althoguh it perhaps never will be the QPR-winner that Bruns great Beaujolais-wines are.
From Minervois Chateau d'Oupia is for the first time available in Norway. Two wines are now on the market; Deaclaur 2007
(#56999, Kr.120,-) and the Minervois Chateau d'Oupia 2007 (#56998, Kr.130,-). Both are pure and very fine Languedoc-wines with the typical
spicyness of the region. For the small mark up I recommend to with the Minervois.
From Bordeaux four first growths become available in 2006-vinatge. Chateau Margaux 2006 (#56507, Kr.4276,-) is the finest of these
four wines. Typical and complex Margaux with elegant and meaty fruit in the mouth. Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 2006
(#56504, Kr.4276,-) is also an elegant and fruity Lafite with a good hint of oak. Cab-dominated aromatics and finely handled tannins.
Chateau Latour 2006 (#56506, Kr.4276,-) has a beautiful nose. Tobacco, herbs. More closed in the mouth. Again cab-dominated style
and with a very hard and oaky finish. Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 2006 (#56505, Kr.4276,-) is also highly cab-dominated. Blackcurranty
and herbacious. Almost a little on the green side and with a noticable amount of oak. Tight and tough wine in the mouth. Tannic. My least
favourite. None of the four are worth the high price.
From Italy's Oltrepo Pavese you find the cheap Bonarda 2006 from Roberto Dellafiore (#80169, Kr.113,-). This is a fruity and pure
italian bonarda. Light and fruity with a fine acidic touch in the mouth. Very fine wine for the price. A single wine from Jura should also
be mentioned: Stephane Tissots Arbois Trousseau Singulier 2006 (#48890, Kr.200,-) is available in a new vintage. This is a fine
version of this wine. Clean, fruity trousseau with a fine and acidic taste. Very good and better than the '05.
Arnt Egil Nordlien
Tasting notes: Feb-09