The wine of the month
During the first seven 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 3,0 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.
Mars 2021: Edi Simcic, Fojana, Sauvignon, 2016 (38 EUR when purchasing in the winery) white dry wine, Goriska Brda, Primorje, Slovenia, 4,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (95 points of 100 points) (01-03-2021 by Nenad Jelisic)
So, I wrote in my notes when I visited Edi Simcic's winery and tasted this wine in July 2019. “Rock and Roll continues. A big and very complex wine. Buttery and rich in minerals. Big, complex, sweet spicy and fruity aroma. Big, complex, sweet spicy, fresh and bitter flavour. Very long, spicy, fruity, fresh and wonderful bitter aftertaste. ... Read more
News and more about wine
NNEW WINES IN TEMPORARY ASSORTMENT THAT WERE TASTED DURING JANUARY 2021 (08-02-2021 by Nenad Jelisic)
The tasted Systembolaget's new wines in Temporary Assortment, which were tasted during January 2021, got the following points (Note that the wines are arranged in alphabetical order and that the wines that have got more than 3,0 NJP, if any, are 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):
1. Albamar, Albariño, 2019 (18 EUR/21 USD in Sweden) white dry wine, Spain, 2,5 NJP, 2. Calcareo, Coluvio, 2017 (28 EUR/33 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, Argentina, 0,0 NJP, 3. Castello Fonterutoli, Marchesi Mazzei, 2008 (20 EUR/24 USD in Sweden; 375 ml;) red dry wine, Italy, 2,0 NJP, 4. Champagne Henriot, Blanc de Blancs, Brut, NV (50 EUR/60 USD in Sweden) white dry blend sparkling wine, France, 3,0 NJP, 5. Château d'Anglès, Grand Vin, Rouge, 2017 (20 EUR/24 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, France, 2,5 NJP, 6. Château Jean Faux, Sainte Radegonde, 2017 (22 EUR/26 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, France, 1,5 NJP, 7. Château Montus, 2016 (26 EUR/31 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, France, 0,0 NJP, 8. Costa Bassa, Valtellina Superiore, 2017 (20 EUR/24 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, Italy, 0,0 NJP, 9. 1583, Albariño de Fefiñanes, 2019 (21 EUR/25 USD in Sweden) white dry wine, Spain, 2,0 NJP, 10. Figli Luigi Oddero, Barolo, 2016 (35 EUR/42 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, Italy, 2,0 NJP.
NEW WINES IN REGULAR ASSORTMENT DECEMBER 2020 (05-01-2021 by Nenad Jelisic)
NJ Wines has tasted all Systembolaget's new wines in Regular Assortment December 2020. The wines got the following points (Note that the wines are arranged in alphabetical order and that 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):
1. Altura, Semillon, 2019 (14 EUR/17 USD) white dry wine, Argentina, 2,0 NJP, 2. Amazone de Palmer, Brut, NV (109 EUR/134 USD) white dry blend sparkling wine, France, 3,5 NJP, 3. Bocanegra, Monastrell, 2019 (8 EUR/10 USD) red dry wine, Spain, 0,0 NJP, 4. Casa Ferreirinha, Vinha Grande, 2018 (14 EUR/17 USD) red dry blend wine, Portugal, 0,0 NJP, 5. Castillo Monjardin, Navarra, Crianza, 2017 (12 EUR/14 USD) red dry blend wine, Spain, 0,0 NJP, 6. Chacabuco, Natural Sweet Chenin Blanc, 2020 (9 EUR/10 USD) white sweet wine, Argentina, 0,5 NJP, 7. Champagne de Saint-Gall, Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru, Extra Brut, NV (48 EUR/57 USD) white dry sparkling wine, France, 2,0 NJP, 8. Château Arnauton, 2016 (15 EUR/18 USD) red dry blend wine, France, 0,5 NJP, 9. Château de la Liquière, Faugères, 2019 (17 EUR/21 USD) red dry blend wine, France, 0,5 NJP, 10. Christine-Marié, Blanc de Blanc, Brut, 2016 (16 EUR/19 USD) white dry sparkling wine, South Africa, 2,0 NJP.
10 FANTASTIC CHAMPAGNES FOR NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION, FROM 50 EUR TO 1,000 EUR (08-12-2020 by Nenad Jelisic)
1. Bollinger, R.D., Extra Brut, 1976 (average price about 1,000 EUR) white dry blend sparkling wine, 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points), 2. Charles Heidsieck, Blanc des Millénaires, 1995 (average price about 250 EUR) white dry sparkling wine, 4,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (95 points of 100 points). 3. Charles Heidsieck, Brut, Millésime, 2000 (average price about 200 EUR when ordering 6 bottles) white dry blend sparkling wine, 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points), 4 Charles Heidsieck, Brut, Réserve, NV (average price about 50 EUR) white dry blend sparkling wine, 4,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (90 points of 100 points), 5 Krug, Grande Cuvée, NV (average price about 200 EUR) white dry blend sparkling wine, 4,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (95 points of 100 points), 6. Krug, 1995 (average price about 400 EUR when ordering 6 bottles) white dry blend sparkling wine, 4,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (95 points of 100 points). 7. Perrier-Jouët, Belle Epoque, Rosé, 2002 (average price about 350 EUR) rosé dry blend sparkling wine, 4,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (95 points of 100 points), 8. Pol Roger, Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, 1999 (average price about 400 EUR) white dry blend sparkling wine, 4,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (95 points of 100 points), 9. Salon, Cuvée ”S”, Le Mesnil, Blanc de Blancs, Brut, 1999 (average price about 700 EUR) white dry sparkling wine, 4,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (90 points of 100 points), 10 Taittinger, Comtes de Champagne, Grands Crus, Blanc de Blancs, 2007 (average price about 150 EUR) white dry sparkling wine, 4,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (90 points of 100 points).
THE TOP 10 WINES 2020 (02-12-2020 by Nenad Jelisic)
This is the eighth consecutive year that NJ Wines presents the top 10 wines. In 2020, NJ Wines tasted a few thousand wines that were, and still are, available on the wine market. From all these wines, NJ Wines selected the 10 top wines of the year. The most important criterion in the selection was of course the quality of the wines, but also the availability of the wines today. Of the top 10 wines of the year come four from Slovenia (two from the winery Steyer and two from the winery Edi Simcic), two from France, one from Portugal, one from USA, one from Italy and one from Spain. This year, Slovenia proved with the third best wine of the year, the seventh best wine of the year, the ninth best wine of the year and the tenth best wine of the year that it belongs to one of the world's best wine-producing countries. Note that NJ Wines’ wine tasting year always begins the first week of December the year before and ends the last the week in November the current year i.e. for the year 2020 it started the first week in December 2019 and ended the last week in November 2020. This year, two wines got 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points), in 2019, five wines got 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points), in 2018, six wines got 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points), in 2017, no wine got 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points), in 2016, one wine got 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points), in 2015, one wine got 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points), in 2014, no wine got 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points) and in 2013, one wine got 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points). We are very pleased with the positive result, but we do not believe that the global quality of the wines has changed as much in the positive direction as our test results show. We were just lucky enough to try some of the world's best wines in 2020.
Make sure to try these wines, wines that have got at least 3,5 NJP of possible 5,0 NJP
Churchill's, Late Bottled Vintage, 2016 (19 EUR/23 USD in Sweden) port wine, Porto, Douro, Portugal, 5,0 of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points) (04-02-2021 by Nenad Jelisic)
This is the best Late Bottled Vintage-port wine that I have tasted so far. And I have tasted many. This applies to both Churchill's Late Bottled Vintage and Late Bottled Vintage of all other port wine producers. It is unbelievable that five vintages in a row of one and the same wine got 4,0 NJP or more of the possible 5,0 NJP (2012: 4,0 ... Read more
Los Patricios, Chardonnay, 2016 (25 EUR/30 USD in Sweden) white dry wine, Valle del Itata, Région del Sur, Chile, 3,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (85 points of 100 points) (07-02-2021 by Nenad Jelisic)
If I should blind test this wonderful Chardonnay-wine, I would most likely say that it comes from the Meursault appellation in Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France. The wine is without a doubt the best Chardonnay-wine that I have tasted from Chile so far. The aroma is big, complex and full-bodied. In it one will find browned butter, ... Read more
Tommasi, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, 2016 (30 EUR/36 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Veneto, Italy, 4,0 of 5,0 NJP (90 points of 100 points) (04-02-2021 by Nenad Jelisic)
After many tasted Amarone-wines in the price range 160 SEK to 500 SEK during the last twelve months, here finally comes one that gets more than 3,0 NJP out of 5,0 NJP (more than 80 NJP out of 100 NJP). All the other tasted Amarone-wines in this price range got 0,0 NJP to 1,5 NJP. In addition, their quality varied from bottle to ... Read more
Poliziano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, 2017 (23 EUR/27 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, Tuscany, Italy, 3,5 of 5,0 NJP (85 points of 100 points) (31-01-2021 by Nenad Jelisic)
This is a wine that really needs to be decanted. It really benefits from it by intensifying both its richness of aroma and flavour, especially its richness of aroma. In the aroma one can clearly find crème de cassis, dark cherry jam, roasted oak barrels, cocoa-rich dark chocolate, dried plums, cardamom, vanilla and freshly ground coffee. In the ... Read more
Edi Simcic, Sauvignon, 2017 (22 EUR when purchasing in the winery) white dry wine, Goriska Brda, Primorje, Slovenia, 3,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (85 points of 100 points) (23-01-2021 by Nenad Jelisic)
This vintage is not as big and complex as the 2016 vintage, but it is still really good. Better to say Edi Simcic Sauvignon 2017 is better than at least 90% of the world's Sauvignon Blanc-wines. In the aroma, one can clearly feel green tomatoes, blackcurrant leaves, stinging nettles, green herbs and green apples. In the flavour, one can clearly ... Read more
Steyer, Steyer Mark, Diseci Traminec, Exclusive, 2015 (50 EUR when purchasing in the winery) white dry wine, Radgona-Kapela, Stajerska, Podravje, Slovenia, 4,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (90 points of 100 points) (07-12-2020 by Nenad Jelisic)
The Steyer winery does not cease to amaze. Of the year's 10 best wines, two come from it; Steyer Vaneja 2011 that placed in the third place and this wine that placed in the seventh place. With this wine, better to say with the new vintage of this wine (formerly called Steyer Diseci Traminec Exclusive), the Steyer winery proves that it ... Read more
Edi Simcic, Kozana, Chardonnay, 2017 (35 EUR when purchasing in the winery) white dry wine, Goriska Brda, Primorje, Slovenia, 3,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (85 points of 100 points) (07-11-2020 by Nenad Jelisic)
This vintage of Kozana Chardonnay from the Simcic family (Alex and Edi), which comes 100% from the Kozana vineyard, is not as good as the 2015 vintage that got 4,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP, but regardless it the wine belongs to one of the best Chardonnay-wines from vintage 2017 that NJ Wines tasted in 2020. For the aroma itself, the wine ... Read more
Steyer, Vaneja, 2011 (65 EUR when purchasing in the winery; 375 ml) white sweet wine, Radgona-Kapela, Podravje, Slovenia, 4,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (90 points of 100 points) (07-10-2020 by Nenad Jelisic)
The world's best Gewurztraminer-wines should come from their place of birth and their kingdom, i.e. from Alsace in France, but winery Steyer proves through this wine, and through their Gewurztraminer-ice wines and dry Gewurztraminer-wines, that this is not the case. In 2006, I, the first time, tasted a Gewurztraminer-wine made ... Read more
Sankt Anna, Riesling, 2019 (9 EUR/10 USD in Sweden) white semi-sweet wine, Germany, 3,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (85 points of 100 points) (07-09-2020 by Nenad Jelisic)
Here we have a really good Riesling-wine from the wine region of Pfalz in Germany. One of the best that NJ Wines has tasted so far from Germany this year. Its high sugar content, 31 grams per liter, is very well met by its high acidity. Thanks to it, it does not taste as a semi-sweet wine, it tastes more as a semi-dry wine. The wine ... Read more
Graham's, Late Bottled Vintage, 2014 (15 EUR/18 USD in Sweden) port wine, Porto, Douro, Portugal, 3,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (85 points of 100 points) (07-08-2020 by Nenad Jelisic)
I do not remember when I last tasted such a good Graham's Late Bottled Vintage-port wine like this. Although the 2014 vintage was not so good, Graham's managed to make a really good port wine. The wine has a wonderful very sweet aroma that is filled with Crème de Cassis, dried red grapes, dried dates, dried figs, freshly ground ... Read more
The world's restaurants
Here presents the restaurants that is considered to be the world's best restaurants. The restaurants, which NJ Wines has visited, tried their food and wine as well as rated food’s quality, food's taste, how the food is presented and looks, wine selection, decor, atmosphere, service and cleanliness. (NJP = Nenad Jelisic Points)
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.
The Flying Elk, Stockholm, Sweden, 2,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (18-08-2019 by Nenad Jelisic)
A new Stockholm-restaurant-disappointment again, but it is not as big as the one with the Matbaren, Mathias Dahlgren at the Grand Hôtel, which got 1,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP on my last visit, the third visit. I think that the problem with The Flying Elk's low rating lies in the fact that Björn Frantzén's small restaurant empire has become too big too quickly. So fast big that Björn has transferred control and management of his new restaurants to significantly less talented part-owners/managers. Then, their poor management and control has led to that cooks, sommeliers and waiters have stopped caring or that they had employed the cooks, the sommeliers and the waiters who would absolutely not be employed. I assert this because Björn Frantzén, one of Scandinavia's absolute best chefs, would never allow that the food, the wines and the service would end up on this level, 2,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP. It is a pity that it is so as I wrote because Björn is really passionate about food and cooking and it proves his relatively short and very successful chef-history. Björn took his first steps as a cook through the practice at the restaurant Edsbacka krog (Edsbacka Wärdshus) in Sollentuna, Sweden. Then he worked among others at the restaurant Chez Nico (Nico Ladenis, London, UK, three Michelin stars) and the restaurant Arpege (Alain Passard, Paris, France, three Michelin stars). In 2008, together with pastry chef Daniel Lindeberg, he opened the restaurant Frantzén/Lindeberg in Stockholm. The following year, the restaurant got its first Michelin star and two years later it got its two Michelin stars. In 2013, Björn and Daniel went separate ways and the restaurant was renamed to Frantzén. In 2018, the Frantzén became Sweden's first restaurant to be awarded three stars in Guide Michelin. In 2019, Guide Michelin confirmed the restaurant's three star status. Today, besides The Flying Elk and Frantzén, Björn also runs Catering Frantzén, Studio Frantzén, Corner Club and Gaston vin. In addition to all this, Björn has managed to write a book together with Daniel Lindeberg, see above, (Frantzén/Lindeberg, 2012) and a book together with Göran Lager (The Flying Elk, 2016) and two own books (Glow with Björn Frantzén, 2014 and Björn Frantzén prepares food for peckish diabetics and other people, 2017). To achieve all this and be 42 years old is absolutely incredible.
All you need to know about Château Mouton Rothschild, (01-03-2021 by Nenad Jelisic)
Here we will present text excerpts from NJ Wines' extensive wine dictionary. The text excerpts will be changed once or four a month. You can read about other exciting wines, appellations, wine districts, wine regions, etc. by clicking above on the "Wine glossary and wine facts".
Château Mouton Rothschild, a French wine castle (château in French) that is located in the appellation Pauillac and, which 1973 (not 1855) was classified as Premier Cru. The Château Mouton Rothschild has 84 hectares planted with vines.
Château Mouton Rothschild, a French wine of Château Mouton Rothschild. The wine consists of approximately 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Average age of the vines is 48 years (year 2008), planting density is 8,500 vines per hectare and the yield is 22-26 hl/ha. After the grapes have been carefully selected in the field and in the cellar, they are destemmed and crushed very gently. The crushed mass (must) consisting of grape juice, pulp, skins and seeds is pumped into vats of oak (Château Mouton Rothschild is one of the last wine chateaux in Médoc that still using vats of oak) where fermentation begins. The fermentation takes place under controlled temperature, 28-30 degrees, and continues for a period from 15 to 25 days. Only the natural yeast coming from vineyards is used. In order to intensify leaching, the fermenting wine is pumped, several times per day, from the bottom of the fermenter over the skin mass. After the fermentation the fermented wine is macerated for 21 days and then undergoes malolactic fermentation. Once the malolactic fermentation, which usually takes about 10 days, is completed it is time to determine, with the help of extensive tastings that have been made during the manufacturing process, which wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc) and which parts of the vineyard to be mixed. The mixed wine is moved in mostly new French oak barrels (barriques) and aged for a period of 19 to 22 months. During the aging, which usually takes about 18 months, the wine is moved (racked) from one barrel to another about 6 times and clarified by the use of egg whites one time. After the aging, the wines are bottled and aged for a few months before they are released on the market. The wine does not undergo filtration. Château Mouton Rothschild has a great aging potential, from 20 to 30 years.
Château Mouton Rothschild (red dry blend wine), Premier Cru according to the 1855 Classification (was classified in this wine class in 1973), Pauillac, Haut Médoc, Médoc, Bordeaux, France, the best vintages, 1945, 1947, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1982, 1986, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Château Mouton Rothschild grapes, 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc.
Château Mouton Rothschild soils, mostly gravel, with grain size from 4 to 64 mm, on top of marl (clayey soil rich in lime) and clay. The majority of the grapes that are used for Château Mouton Rothschild comes from a piece of land known as the Grand Plateau. Here the soil consists of a layer of gravel that is up to 8 meters thick and, which overlies larger stones, clay and marl.
