The wine of the month
During the first fourteen days of each month, NJ Wines presents the wine of the month. NJ Wines tastes hundreds of wines every month and among them, the wine of the month is chosen. The criteria that a wine will qualify as the wine of the month is that it has got at least 3,5 NJP in rating and that it stands out both by its quality and its aroma/flavour complexity. The wine shall also be available on the wine market.
September 2023: Fincas Valdemar, Gran Reserva, Edición Especial, 2015 (22 EUR/23 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, Rioja, Spain, 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points) (2023-09-19 by Nenad Jelisic)
Wow! What a fantastic Rioja-wine. It is absolutely fabulous. One of the best that I have tasted so far. It is spicy and complex in the aroma, while it is austere and nuanced in the flavour. The aroma is characterized by coconut, milk chocolate, tobacco, vanilla, dried prunes, dried dark cherries and dill. The flavour is characterized by dried ... Read more
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BORDEAUX TASTING OF WINES FROM 69 CHATEAUX 2023, VILLA SOLLIDEN, STOCKHOLM (27-09-2023 by Robert Jonasson, Wines We Love, and Nenad Jelisic)
It does not happen very often that one gets to taste wines from 69 Bordeaux wine estates (chateaux) during one and the same tasting. Especially not in Scandinavia. Winefinder has again organized this traditional (annual) tasting of primary wines (En Primeur-wines) and older wines from Bordeaux. In this case, primary wines refer to wines from the 2022 vintage in Bordeaux. The wines from vintage 2022 were barrel samples. They will remain in barrel and bottle, before being released on the market, for about 12 more months. In addition to the primary wine, most of the wine estates (chateaux) also had an older wine as a reference. The tasting was held on the 5th of September 2023, at Solliden at Skansen in Stockholm.
The best primary wines (En Primeur-wines) of the Bordeaux tasting:
Domaine de Chevalier, Rouge, 2022, red dry blend wine, Pessac-Léognan, 4,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (94 points of 100 points). Winefinder's price: 920 SEK ex VAT and excise duty.
Domaine de Chevalier always delivers well both on the red and white side. But this time it was the 2022 vintage of the red wine that really shone. I do not think that I have tasted a more open, accessible and perfect primary vintage (En Primeur-vintage) of Domaine de Chevalier. The vineyard is planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 2,5% Cabernet Franc and 2,5% Petit Verdot. The wine itself consists of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Domaine de Chevalier Rouge 2022 will develop into a wonderful wine.
NEW WINES IN TEMPORARY ASSORTMENT THAT WERE TASTED DURING AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 2023 (17-09-2023 by Nenad Jelisic)
The tasted Systembolaget's new wines in Temporary Assortment, which were tasted during August and September 2023, got the following points (Note that the wines are arranged in alphabetical order, the wines that have got more than 3,0 NJP, if any, will be presented under "Make sure to try these wines, wines that have got at least 3,5 NJP of possible 5,0 NJP", NV = non-vintage wine, Systembolaget = a government owned chain of all liquor stores in Sweden and NJ Wines does not taste wines from Boxes, Paper-packaging and PET-bottles because NJ Wines believes that these types of packaging destroy the wonderful wine culture. The Boxes also make people drink much more than they should.):
1. Amayna, Syrah, 2020 (17 EUR/18 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, Chile, 0,0 NJP, 2. Arzuaga, Gran Reserva, 2017 (29 EUR/31 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, Spain, 3,0 NJP, 3. Bisci, Vigneto Fogliano, 2020 (18 EUR/19 USD in Sweden) white dry wine, Italy, 1,5 NJP, 4. Bourgueil Trinch, Cathérine et Pierre Breton, 2021 (16 EUR/17 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, France, 0,0 NJP, 5. Bruno Cazes, Banyuls, 2014 (22 EUR/24 USD in Sweden; 500 ml) sweet fortified wine, France, 1,5 NJP, 6. Callejuela, La Hacienda de Doña Francisca, 2021 (17 EUR/18 USD in Sweden) white dry wine, Spain, 0,5 NJP, 7. Campo Lavei, Valpolicella Superiore, 2020 (16 EUR/17 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, Italy, 0,5 NJP, 8. Dandelion Vineyards, March Hare of the Barossa, Mataro, 2020 (17 EUR/18 USD in Sweden), red dry blend wine, Australia, 0,5 NJP, 9. DeAetna, Bianco, 2021 (15 EUR/16 USD in Sweden) white dry blend wine, Italy, 0,5 NJP, 10. Domaine Bott, First Flight, Syrah, 2020 (25 EUR/27 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, France, 1,0 NJP.
NEW WINES IN REGULAR ASSORTMENT MARCH AND JUNE 2023 (10-08-2023 by Nenad Jelisic)
NJ Wines has tasted all Systembolaget's new wines in regular assortment March and June 2023. The wines got the following points (Note that the wines are arranged in alphabetical order, that the wines that have got more than 3,0 NJP, if any, are presented or will be presented under "Make sure to try these wines, wines that have got at least 3,5 NJP of possible 5,0 NJP", that NV = non-vintage wine, that Systembolaget = a government owned chain of all liquor stores in Sweden and that NJ Wines does not taste wines from Boxes, Paper-packaging and PET-bottles because NJ Wines believes that these types of packaging destroy the wonderful wine culture. The Boxes also make people drink much more than they should.):
1. Alamos, Organic, Malbec, 2022 (9 EUR/10 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, Argentina, 1,5 NJP, 2. Aleixo, Reserva, Tinto Bairrada, 2020 (12 EUR/14 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, Portugal, 1,0 NJP, 3. Alto Molino, Chardonnay, 2022 (8 EUR/9 USD in Sweden) white dry wine, Argentina, 1,5 NJP, 4. Arbois Poulsard, Jacques Tissot, 2020 (13 EUR/15 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, France, 0,5 NJP, 5. Barolo, Massimo, Rivetti, 2018 (25 EUR/28 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, Italy, 0,5 NJP, 6. Church Road, McDonald Series, Chardonnay, 2021 (12 EUR/13 USD in Sweden) white dry wine, Australia, 1,5 NJP, 7. Château La Rame, 2020 (10 EUR/11 USD in Sweden; 375 ml) white sweet wine, France, 2,5 NJP, 8. De Martino, Legado, Semillón Sauvignon Blanc, 2021 (10 EUR/11 USD in Sweden) white dry blend wine, Chile, 1,0 NJP, 9. Florbela, Reserva, 2021 (10 EUR/11 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, Portugal, 1,0 NJP, 10. Forstreiter, Ried Schiefer, Grüner Veltliner, Kremstal DAC, 2021 (14 EUR/15 USD in Sweden) white dry wine, Austria 2,5 NJP.
Make sure to try these wines, wines that have got at least 3,5 NJP of possible 5,0 NJP
Vinarija Dingac, Plavac Mali, 2018, red dry wine, Peljesac, Srednja i Juzna Dalmacija, Primorska Hrvatska, Croatia, 5,0 of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points) (13-08-2023 by Nenad Jelisic)
That man can get brilliant wines from Plavac Mali grape proves this wine and wines from winemakers such as Bakovic, Grgic, Kiridzija, Madirazza, Mandek, Milicic, Milos, Plenkovic, Skaramuca, Tomic and Vinarija Svirce. The best wines made by Plavac Mali come from the island of Hvar and the peninsula of Peljesac. This wine comes from the ... Read more
Cuvée Sextant, Les Celliers d'Orfée, 2020 (18 EUR/18 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, Corbières, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 4,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (90 points of 100 points) (11-06-2023 by Robert Jonasson, Wines We Love, and Nenad Jelisic)
The wine of the month for June 2023 takes us to the southern parts of France and a wine region that goes from strength to strength, namely Languedoc-Roussillon. The wine in question has, for us Swedes, the somewhat equivocal name Cuvée Sextant (Sextant is similar to a lady that loves sex) and is produced by the cooperative Les ... Read more
Pierre Gaillard, Clos de Cuminaille, 2020 (28 EUR/28 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, Saint-Joseph, Northern Rhône, Rhône, France, 4,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (90 points of 100 points) (26-04-2023 by Robert Jonasson Wines We Love and Nenad Jelisic)
Syrah-wines from the Saint-Joseph’s appellation in the Northern Rhône are wines that is close to the heart of Wines We Loves. Saint-Joseph is an appellation that often delivers wines of good quality. The fact that the wines from here have not yet reached astronomical hights in terms of price does not make matters worse Domaine ... Read more
The world's restaurants
The restaurants, which NJ Wines has viisited, tried their food and wines as well as rated food’s quality, food's taste, how the food is presented and looks, wine selection, decor, atmosphere, service and cleanliness, are presented here.
Tuzla's restaurants, Bosnia and Herzegovina (26-12-2022 by Nenad Jelisic)
NJ Wines visited many of Tuzla's restaurants during June and July 2022. The restaurants, which were visited, ranged from those specializing in just one dish to those that had a wide selection of dishes and could be opened in any city in Europe. As Bosnia and Herzegovina was occupied by many different empires, mostly by the Ottoman Empire (just over 400 years) and then by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, its food tradition has been greatly influenced by it. Furthermore, Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of three major religions, Muslims, Orthodox and Catholics, each of which has its own food traditions. All this makes Bosnia and Herzegovina a unique culinary place when it comes to food. And therefore, if you get the opportunity, you should definitely visit and try different cuisines in some of Bosnia and Herzegovina's cities such as Banja Luka, Mostar, Sarajevo or Tuzla. Also, people in Bosnia and Herzegovina are very nice and helpful.
Ekstedt, Stockholm, Sweden, 2,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (17-10-2020 by Nenad Jelisic)
Restaurant Ekstedt was the fourth restaurant in a row in Stockholm that NJ Wines visited and rated. Restaurant Ekstedt is owned by one of Sweden's most successful and influential chefs, Niklas Ekstedt, who became known through the cooking program Niklas Food on Swedish Television in 2005. After internships at several very famous chefs such as Charlie Trotter, Heston Blumenthal and Ferran Adrià, Niklas started in 2000, only 21 years old, his first restaurant, restaurant Niklas in Helsingborg in Sweden. From 2003, he also ran the restaurant Niklas Viken in the coastal community Viken north of Helsingborg. In 2007, Niklas opened the restaurant 1900 in Stockholm and with the move, the restaurants in Skåne were closed. In 2011, he opened the restaurant Ekstedt, which got a star in the prestigious Michelin guide in 2013 and has been retained it since then. A few years later, the restaurant 1900 was changed its name to Restaurant Niklas and then it was closed in 2017 when Niklas decided that he had to focus on his new restaurant (wine café) Tyge & Sessil and the restaurant Ekstedt. Since the beginning of 2018, Niklas owns restaurant Hillenberg in Stockholm. During 2018, Niklas was part of the cooking program "Four Hands Menu" and "New Scandinavian Cooking". He has also published seven cookbooks: Niklas cookbook (2004), Niklas in the middle of the week (2006), Niklas tastes (2008), Niklas Home cooked Swedish food (2011), Grill with Niklas (2013), Ekstedt over open fire: recipe for the analog kitchen (2017) and Niklas Christmas (2018). In addition to these seven cookbooks, he managed to write three more cookbooks with Henrik Ennart: Happy food: About how food and happiness are connected (2017), The blue food (2018) and Happy food 2.0: About how the meal and happiness go together (2018 ) and a cookbook together with Christian Daun: My child eats everything (2017). Niklas really has to like his profession a lot otherwise he would never succeed to do all this in just 41 years.
The Veranda, Grand Hôtel, Stockholm, Sweden, 4,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (23-11-2019 by Nenad Jelisic)
There are not so many restaurants in the world that are located in a capital city and have such a fabulous view as this restaurant and the restaurant's big brother the Cadier Bar, which is on the opposite side of it. The view of the Royal Palace, the Old Town and the boats on Stockholm's current. Both restaurants are located in Sweden's most exclusive and very beautiful Grand Hôtel in Stockholm. While the Cadier Bar, which is named after Régis Cadier (French chef and hotel founder), is a restaurant where one comes mainly to be seen, and drink champagne, cocktail or beer, The Veranda is a restaurant where you come to eat good food and drink good wines. In the Cadier Bar, one can also order good food, the food comes from the same kitchen that makes food for the Veranda. During all years, which I have been visited the Cadier Bar, it has seemed that the visitors of the Cadier Bar are there to drink something or to take something that fits well with champagne or coffee. In addition to these two restaurants, the hotel has two restaurants of renowned Swedish chef Mathias Dahlgren: Matbaren (see my article from 05-11-2017) and Rutabaga.
All you need to know aboout Bierzo (28-09-2023 by Nenad Jelisic)
The text excerpts from NJ Wines' extensive wine dictionary are presented here. The text excerpts will be changed one to four times a month. You can read about exciting wines, appellations, wine districts, wine regions, etc. by clicking above on the "Wine glossary and wine facts".
Bierzo is a Spanish DO-appellation, which has 2,982 hectares planted with vines. Summers are moderately warm (average 20,8°C) and winters are moderately cold (average 5,7°C). On average it rains 652 mm per year (comparatively it rains 600 to 700 mm per year in Sweden) and the number of sunshine hours is between 2,100 to 2,200 per year (1,500 to 1,600 in Sweden). Those 2,982 ha produce 108,783 hl per year. The average yield is low 36 hl/ha. Bierzo can be divided into two areas: the mountainous area (Alto Bierzo) and the flat area (Bajo Bierzo). The vineyards are located between 450 and 1,000 m above sea level. From here and from the Priorat come Spain's most sought after "cult wines". The best wines can be aged between 5 and 15 years. What characterizes the wines from here are low acidity and low pH.
Bierzo the best vintages, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2016 and 2018.
Bierzo grapes, dominate the red wine grape Mencía (74,5%), followed by the white wine grapes Doña Blanca (3%) and Godello (5%).
Bierzo soils, most slate and quartz, and some granite and limestone in the mountainous area (Alto Bierzo). Clay, pebbles and alluvial soils in the flat area (Bajo Bierzo).
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