We have already decided, that later in life we will live part of the year in either Spain or in the south of the French Mediterranean coast. With a strong wine and food passion it is not a tough choice, until you should determine more precisely where to live. So it was with great curiosity that I tried a wine from the Côtes Catalanes when I visited the excellent wine bar (and store) Ved Stranden 10 in Copenhagen. Because even though I have been in the area south of Perpignan several times I did not know that the area also belong to Catalonia. In this area many great seductive wine is beeing produced that only gets better every year and usually is a bargain in comparision to quality.
Matassa is an old Catalan word meaning the dense undergrowth of the forest. The logo on the label is a stylized form of an ancient kanji script which means forest. Domaine Matassa was named after the first vineyard was purchased called Clos Matassa, a small walled Carignan estate surrounded by dense forest at the foothills of the Pyrenees.
The wine is biodynamic and made from grape combination of 50 % Syrah and 50% Mourvedre. A stall scent with lovely raspberry, licorice, lavender, rosemary and charcuterie conclusion. So incredibly exciting fragrance and one of the best scents for a long time!
Wonderful taste aromas with fresh herbs, pepper, raspberry and magical charcuterie. A really super yummy wine from an area that will lead the wine development in years to come. Wow! This wine is a must to taste soon...
As a true Pinot Lover I am extra happy the few times per year when I find a Pinot (in human price range) that strikes one's expectations by far. And now it has happened again...
Elgin The wine that I tested is from an area called Elgin in South Africa. It is located on the road between Cape Town and Hermanus on a plateau. Microclimate provides unique conditions with warm days in combination with refreshing nights, creating perfect conditions for this challenging grape.
Pepin Condé Pinot Noir 2011 for 14 Euro The grapes are handpicked and placed in small baskets. And from the first moment you touch this wine you can feel that these grapes have been handled with care and lots of love.
A lovely fruity nose meet you with the subtle nuances of wild raspberries, strawberries, chocolate and fresh herbs. Flavor is sensational with a delicious hint of mature Swedish strawberries, herbs, wild raspberries, pepper and vanilla. A class wines makes its presence and signals the fantastic potential in Elgin wines, especially from the Pinot grape.
Cheers to best friends Johan and Danelle that introduced us to this fantastic wine region in my favorite part of Africa. And finally a wonderful Gangnam style with Swedish golf pro Jesper Parnevik in the lead.
Compared to the original that has been shown unimaginable 1.5 billion times on Youtube!
Wine tipsPosted by Per-Olof Diderot Thu, March 21, 2013 20:21:32 Many of you readers have probably heard of and tried wines from the Italian wine region Piemonte. Most famous wines are Barolo and Barbaresco which uses the famous grape Nebbiolo. Prices, especially for Barolo wines, is discouraging in many cases. It is therefore gratifying to try wines from the district Barbera d’Alba that is located in the same geographic area. In the soft hilly landscape grows the red wine grape Barbera with great success. The area has undergone a minor wine revolution where modern methods now are used in a very successful way. The grape gives powerful wines with balanced tannins that make it perfect as great food wine. And even though the wines are very storable, they are also available much earlier, especially compared to the cousin Barolo.
Pelissero Piani 2010 from Barbera d’Alba for 19 Euros Mozartish scent with a sweet symphony of wild berry, licorice, violets, cherry and vanilla. In addition, a silky palate with lovely aromas of licorice, raspberry, violets, cocoa and vanilla! A wine from a top producer to a budget price, highly recommended to spring lamb and / or a cheese board.
Have now found a new favorite area to penetrate and I can already promise more articles with focus on wines Barbera d'Alba.
Wine tipsPosted by Per-Olof Diderot Mon, March 04, 2013 19:52:32 Italian Soave which means delightful, is not my perception in generall for wines from this area. Usually pretty mediocre wines with too much acid is in the back of my head. But as usual, there are the exceptions specially from Soave Classico and really skilled producers. When I last weekend cooked baked clams, I got a great confirmation of this fact.
Soave Classico comes from an area just east of Verona on higher-lying hills. The soil contains different proportion of limestone and volcanic rock which gives wines a nice minerality and purity.
Gini La Froscà 2010 for 17 Euro Producer Gini has been operating as winemakers in Monteforte d'Alpone for more than 400 years. Today the property is headed by brothers Alessandro and Claudio Gini in a very creditable manner. The wine I tried called La Froscà and consists of 100% green grape Garganega. The grape can create wines with great structure, elegance and are sometimes supplemented with a small amount of Chardonnay.
The wine has a beautiful sunset color with lovely aromas of citrus, honey and minerals. Shades of citrus, herbs, honey, yellow plums, accompanied of elegant minerals and a subtle oiliness that covers the entire palate in a silky way. The flavor is enchanting good as "Lord of the ring" volcano reeking magic. If hobbits were supposed to produce wine in Italy, this would be their first wine pick.
Golf cap of to family Ginis honor, having produced a seafood wine that I would like to give to my dad up there in heaven.
Wine tipsPosted by Per-Olof Diderot Thu, February 21, 2013 22:05:35 Wineblogg is continuing the blog series about Spanish wines from the Toro district. And next in line among the tested wines are Matsu El Picaros "father" called El Recio. Must honestly admit that I was a bit hesitant before the test, if this wine really was worth a 50% price difference. Soon you will find the answer... Matsu El Recio 2010 for 18 euro This wine is made with 100% Tinta de Toro grape has a luscious dark red color. The scent reminds me of a visit to a sawmill with fresh wood shavings in your hand along with a lovely blend of tobacco, chocolate, coffee and black cherry. Taste impresses with a clear identity and nuances of ripe cherry, Italian espresso, chocolate, blackberries and vanilla that present themselves in the best way. The wine washes over your mouth like a tuned mower and even get full attention from the first to last sip. A wine that shows the age of the vines can provide more complexity and finesse, just like in real life. For this wine can be drunk now and many years to come.
Wines of Toro impresses more and more, especially Matsu has succeeded extremely well in this new wine wonder. And of course this wine is by far worth the extra 6 euros. A great wine bargain that certainly shows up at wineblogg jury's annual meeting at the end of the year.
Wine tipsPosted by Per-Olof Diderot Fri, February 15, 2013 19:15:42 I have always liked red wines from Australia and particularly from McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley. And when I found a bottle from this area, with one of my favorite grapes Shiraz and also with a stylish label, you can understand that I needed to buy it directly.
Mother's Milk Barossa Shiraz 2010 for 18 Euros This delicious wine is produced by the virtual winemaker First Drop Wines that offer an exciting introduction to the wines from the better school of Barossa Valley. Behind this concept is Matt Gant and John Retsas, two vinfreaks that together create some magic in a bottle.
The colour is dark purple and the scent has nuances of dark berries, chocolate, pepper, and a spicy finish. The flavor is yummy good with nice fruitiness and hints of dark berries, plum, chocolate, pepper, herbs, vanilla and rubber. A perfect wine for soon upcoming menu with spring lamb. Can recommend that you take a small glass the day before and let the rest stay until the next evening. Then the wine opens up nice, well worth waiting for.
Wine tipsPosted by Per-Olof Diderot Wed, January 30, 2013 20:28:19 When I was in Spain during the Christmas and New Year holiday, I got the pleasure to try some great wines from one of my relatively untested areas apart from the really nice El Buen Amore tested in september 2012 (http://www.wineblogg.com/#post208)
First some facts! Toro is a wine district in north-western Spain located in the region of Castile and Leon. The region consists of nine provinces including well-known wine region Ribera del Duero.
Wine allegedly have been produced in Toro even before the birth of Christ, then with the help of Greek masters. And already in the 13th century was the wine really in vogue, especially among many teachers at the University of Salamanca, although it is said to have influenced education precariously.
The wine is affected by the harsh continental climate with long hot summers and cold winters. Soil consists of sediments of sand, clay and lime-bearing puddingstone. The vineyards are at altitudes between 620 and 750 meters above sea level, and receives more than 3000 hours of sunshine per year. There are 8,000 hectares of vines, of which 5,500 are registered at the "Consejo Regulador". And the most widely planted red wine grape is the Tinta de Toro which is a clone of the more famous Tempranillo. The grape gives wines with a lot of flavor and yummy tannins, making them particularly suitable for long storage. (Source: Hugh Johnson Wine of all time, Andre Domine-Vin, Wikipedia) I will write about three wines from winemaker Matsu as part of Vintae Group. Matsu means wait in Japanese and provides the perfect definition of an initiative that combines the Japanese culture's concern for what is natural together with using the most advanced techniques in biodynamic agriculture. All of their wines are organic.
Now to the first and youngest wine in the tested serie. Matsu El Picaro 2011 for 8-12 Euro The wine is made from 100% Tinta de Toro and has a dark red color like el toro blood. Smell of tobacco, cedar and leather. The taste is full of character with hints of tobacco, blueberry, vanilla, ripe berries with perfect food matched tannins. A super bargain with a label that captures one's attention and which deliver even more in terms of content. An excellent start of three wine test from an exciting producer. Toro along with Ribera del Duero and Priorat is the new Spanish wine wonder. And I can understand exactly why.
Wine tipsPosted by Per-Olof Diderot Thu, January 24, 2013 20:35:15 Must admit I have found it difficult to be really pleasantly surprised when I have tried wines with the Austrian national grape grape Grüner Veltliner. The grape is the most planted in Austria, accounting for a third of the country's vineyard area. The grape gives generally dry white wine with aromas of apple, grapefruit and a slight oiliness is not unusual.
To my delight, I can now reveal that I finally found a Grüner Veltliner wine that delivers the very best...
Leth Grüner Veltliner Scheiben Lagenreserve 2011 for 16 Euro The wine comes from the family-owned producer Leth and located in Fels am Wagram in Austria. They're not known in Sweden as a quality producer in the past, but this is certainly because of Systembolaget´s buyer (swedish monopoly) limited focus.
The scent of the wine is mineral rich with subtle nuances of pear, honey and peach. The taste is heavenly good and a wine that seduces from the first sip. The taste is dry with diverse flavors of honey, pears, mandarin, peach and lovely minerals. And finally a oiliness that washes over the palate and settles as a fine silk blanket over your taste buds. Although the wine is at 14%, it has a great balance that only Grüner Veltliner at its best can deliver. Sehr gut!
What kind of food can you enjoy together with this wine? I think it fits together with a variety of salads with chicken or seafood. Have also tested with foie gras with great pleasure.
Here is the first wineblogg recommendation of the year with a wine that hase really impressed on me since the very first sip that occurred where its produced in South African village Franschhoek. Producer Boekenhoutskloof is one of South Africa's best (Platters South African Wine Guide - Winery of the year 2012) and deliver a wine filled with yummy smells and a world class taste.
Remember our first meeting that got me immediately interested in the powerful name and the classy label. And I still get goosebumps of delight when I get hold of a bottle ...
The Chocolate Block 2010 for 33 USD
The wine from the 2010 vintage is made from 72% Syrah, 7% Grenache, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% cinsault and 2% viognier. Delicious dark red in colour and with charming aromas of dark berries, herbs, coffee and chocolate.
The taste is made for a lovely piece of meat in its simplicity together with a tepid Mediterranean salad. The wine directly delivers a nice fruitiness with great hints of chocolate, plum, coffee, toasted oak, herbs and a pleasant peppery finish. A wine that just gets better and better and that is among the best South Africa delivers and it does say a lot. Cheers and happy new wine year 2013!
And extra hugs to best friends Johan and Danelle, living in this fantastic winelands. Managing CapeWineTours and bringing out the best in people.
Wine tipsPosted by Per-Olof Diderot Thu, December 20, 2012 20:25:54 The company I work for had the pleasure to invite us to our 25-year anniversary. And thankfully, I was honored to be a part of chosing the wine. The main dish was served with venison, potato gratin, root vegetables and red wine sauce. So it felt quite natural to set my focus to the Rhône Valley, where you usually find really good wines at an affordable price. The pick was Mas Louise from producer Duseigneur, which also makes the excellent sibling wine Mayran Odyssée from Lirac. Mas Louise 2010 from Côte du Rhône for 12 USD Mas Louise is made from 50% Grenache and the equal amount of Syrah and has a dark red color. The nose is fresh with hints of blackberry, juniper tree and pepper. The taste instantly remindes me that it is produced in an ecological way. Impressive purity in combination with blackberry, pepper, plum, vanilla and Mediterranean spices. A lovely wine for this money that highly recommended by the guests afterwards... Excellent with venison and beef that gives you a perfect wine-selection when you want to brighten your holiday dinner without affecting your wallet that much.
Wine tipsPosted by Per-Olof Diderot Sat, November 17, 2012 18:44:15 It's something really special when you come across people who arouses great inspiration and admiration. When they also produce one of the best Champagnes in the world you just want to express your declaration of love!
Champagne producer Diebolt-Vallois have it all. The property is located in Cramant, owned and operated by a family whose wine-producing roots dating back to the 15th century. Under the guidance of Jacques Diebolt and his wife Nadia Vallois and their daughter Isabelle and son Arnoud they run the property with great love and pride for the elegant Champagne. Their attitude towards visitors gives a true statement and I can only express my utmost respect for these wonderful people. I have had the privilege to visit them on two occasions and remember both visits with great pleasure!
Grand Cru village Cramant located in the upper part of the Chardonnay-producing area of the Côte de Blancs. The village is a luxurious destination that is a must to visit if you are in Champagne. In addition to extremely good Champagnes you will find a center cafe with really tasty lunch at a low cost. Diebolt-Vallois Blanc de Blancs 2006 This wine, but from vintage 2005, was the wine of the year at wineblogg.com last year. It is made from only Chardonnay grapes (called Blanc de Blancs) from Cramant, Cuis and Chouilly.
The scent is fresh and seductive at the same time elegant minerals supplemented with citrus, green apples, pears, nuts, and sourdough bread.
The flavor is the best I have experienced from Diebolt-Vallois and world-class wine taste experiences. Extremely complex aromas with elements of fresh citrus, green apples, pears and most delicate minerals you can imagine. A wonderfully elegant wine with great storage capacity.
This Champagne is my family's absolute favorite and will celebrate my first grandson's birth, which took place this week!
Wine tipsPosted by Per-Olof Diderot Thu, November 08, 2012 20:11:43 Wineblogg have previously written about the interesting fusion wines created when producers from one part of the world are producing wines in another wine region. These meetings are often very successful and in some cases absolutely brilliant examples. It is with great pride that I have the honor to present wine from Schubert Wines, one of the world's leading Pinot Noir producers.
Kai Schubert and Marion Deimling are both wine educated at Geisenheim University. They have worked with winemaker Erni Loosen of Dr. Loosen Estate in Germany Bernkastel, as well at several different wineries worldwide.
In their search for their perfect wine estate they work travelled by visiting Oregon, California, Australia and parts of Europe. But in the New Zealand Wairarapa region on the southern part of the North Island, they found what they were looking for. After examining some 100 estates in New Zealand, they always returned to the Wairarapa region where they found two ideal locations for their favorite grape Pinot Noir. Both sites were purchased in 1998 and their wine estate was finally established.
Schubert vineyards are planted in a traditional European style and the unique micro climate produces low yields and internationally award winning wines with intense and complex character.
I found the wines from this producer on vinstocken.se after a tasting at my great blissful Pinot Noir friends home. Now, even the wines start to find its way to the Swedish Systembolaget. We start with their standard Pinot Noir from 2009 and that is anything but standard. Schubert Pinot Noir 2009 Wairarapa for 28 USD The wine is made from hand-picked Pinot Noir grapes and aged in used French oak barriques for 16 months before being bottled. The color is ruby red and the nose is with a huge complex forest fragrance accompanied with a seductive wild raspberries and charcuterie of the best chioce. The taste is so amazing and heavenly good. Complex aromas wash over me with a lovely symphony of raspberries, fresh herbs and Italian charcuterie. The taste remains for a long time and is spread in a sophisticated silky way across the palate. A fantastic wine and the best Pinot Noir wine I've tried from New Zealand so far. This is a strong competitor even to the considerably more expensive high class of Burgundy wines and take the new wine world of Pinot Noir wines to a new level.
Buy it now while it is still in the store and open it already to this years Thanks Giving holiday. For it has evolved greatly over the past six months and is already drinkable with great enjoyment.
When I sometime in the future finally visit my dream destination New Zealand, this wine estate is definitely a perfect destination. My golf cap of to the Pinot Noir Maestro Kai and Maestra Marion.
Matassa El Sarat 2010 for 26 Euro (http://www.matassawine.com)
Matsu El Recio 2010 for 18 euro
Mother's Milk Barossa Shiraz 2010 for 18 Euros 
I will write about three wines from winemaker Matsu as part of Vintae Group. Matsu means wait in Japanese and provides the perfect definition of an initiative that combines the Japanese culture's concern for what is natural together with using the most advanced techniques in biodynamic agriculture. All of their wines are organic.
Matsu El Picaro 2011 for 8-12 Euro
The Chocolate Block 2010 for 33 USD
Mas Louise 2010 from Côte du Rhône for 12 USD 
Diebolt-Vallois Blanc de Blancs 2006
This Champagne is my family's absolute favorite and will celebrate my first grandson's birth, which took place this week!
Schubert Pinot Noir 2009 Wairarapa for 28 USD
