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The wine of the month

Every 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.

February 2026: Steyer, Gewurztraminer, 2024 (approx. 14 EUR/16 USD; selling price on the internet excluding delivery costs) white semi-dry wine, Štajerska, Slovenia, 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (28-02-2026 by Dr Nenad Jelisic)

With this wine, one of the world's best winemakers of Gewurztraminer-wines (if not the best) confirms that he (Danilo Steyer) is, after that had been in the Twilight Zone for a long time and had produced mediocre Alsace-like sweet and uninspiring Gewurztraminer-wines, definitely on the way back. Back to absolutely brilliant dry ... Read more

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News and other things about wine

DID YOU KNOW THAT, PART 5 OF 100 (By Dr Nenad Jelisic)

Here, NJ Wines will present brief wine news and wine facts every month.

Absolutely crazy, in 2018, Colombian-American billionaire Alejandro Santo Domingo paid 200 million EUR (2 billion SEK) for 20% ownership of the legendary Pétrus wine house. The entire Pétrus estate is valued at over 1 billion EUR (10,7 billion SEK). (08-03-2026)

Australian wine regions, Australia as wine country is divided into 65 wine regions: Adelaide Hills, Adelaide Plains, Alpine Valleys, Barossa Valley, Beechworth, Bendigo, Blackwood Valley, Canberra District, Clare Valley, Coonawarra, Cowra, Currency Creek, Eden Valley, Geelong, Geographe, Gippsland, Glenrowan, Goulburn Valley, Grampians wineries, Granite Belt wineries, Great Southern wineries, Gundagai, Hastings River, Heathcote wineries, Henty, Hilltops wineries, Hunter Valley wineries, Kangaroo Island, King Valley wineries, Langhorne Creek wineries, Macedon Ranges wineries, Manjimup, Margaret River, McLaren Vale, Mornington Peninsula, Mount Benson, Mount Gambier, Mudgee, Murray Darling, New England Australia, Orange, Padthaway, Peel, Pemberton, Perricoota, Perth Hills, Pyrenees, Riverina, Riverland, Robe, Rutherglen, Shoalhaven Coast, South Burnett, Southern Fleurieu, Southern Flinders Ranges, Southern Highlands, Strathbogie Ranges, Sunbury, Swan District, Swan Hill, Tasmanian, Tumbarumba, Upper Goulburn, Wrattonbully and Yarra Valley. (08-03-2026)

Austrian wine regions, Austria as wine country consists of 19 wine regions: Burgenland, Carnuntum, Eisenberg and Südburgenland, Kamptal, Kremstal, Leithaberg and Neusiedlersee-Hügelland, Mittelburgenland, Niederösterreich, Neusiedlersee, Steiermark, Südoststeiermark, Südsteiermark, Thermen, Traisental, Wachau, Wagram, Weststeiermark, Wien and Weinviertel. Of these 19 wine regions, 3 wine regions are so-called main regions: Burgenland, Niederösterreich and Steiermark. The 19 regions cover 45,820 ha planted with vines. (08-03-2026)

Austrian grapes, of the white wine grapes dominate Grüner Veltliner (29,4%) followed by Welschriesling (7,8%), Müller Thurgau (4,6%), Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) (4,3%), Riesling (4,1%) and Chardonnay (3,1%). Of the red wine grapes dominate Zweigelt (13,9%) followed by Blaufränkisch (7%), Blauer Portugieser (3,5%), Blauburger (2%), St Laurent (1,7%) and Blauburgunder (Pinot Noir) (1,4%). (08-03-2026)

NEW WINES IN REGULAR ASSORTMENT MARCH 2026 (10-03-2026 by Dr Nenad Jelisic)

NJ Wines has tasted all Systembolaget's new wines in regular assortment March 2026. 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. Adega de Monção, Alvarinho, 2024 (9 EUR/11 USD in Sweden) white dry wine, Portugal, 1,5 NJP, 2. Almodí, Especial, Garnatxa Peluda, 2023 (12 EUR/14 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, Spain, 1,0 NJP, 3. Brown & Co, Chardonnay, 2024 (12 EUR/14 USD in Sweden) white dry wine, Australia, 1,0 NJP, 4. Casa de Cambres, Reserva, Red, 2021 (12 EUR/14 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, Portugal, 0,5 NJP, 5. Castello di Ama, San Lorenzo, Gran Selezione, 2022 (28 EUR/32 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, Italy, 4,0 NJP, 6. Christina, Carnuntum, Organic, 2024 (11 EUR/13 USD in Sweden) red dry blend wine, Austria, 1,5 NJP, 7. Domaine Helena, Mount St Helena Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2023 (23 EUR/27 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, USA, 2,0 NJP, 8. Emily, Blanc de Blancs, NV (8 EUR/9 USD in Sweden) white semi-dry blend sparkling wine, Spain, 0,0 NJP, 9. Fonseca, Crusted Port, NV (23 EUR/27 USD in Sweden) port wine, Portugal, 2,0 NJP, 10. Grower's Club, Malbec, 2025 (7 EUR/9 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, South Africa, 0,0 NJP.

See all March 2026 22 wines

NEW WINES IN REGULAR ASSORTMENT DECEMBER 2025 (11-01-2026 by Dr Nenad Jelisic)

NJ Wines has tasted all Systembolaget's new wines in regular assortment December 2025. 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.):

See all December 2025 20 wines

Read other news and other things about wine

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, 2020 (23 EUR/27 USD in Sweden) port wine, Porto, Douro, Portugal, 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points) (31-01-2026 by Dr Nenad Jelisic)

There is the fairy tale The Lord of the Rings, but there is also the fairy tale of the Churchill's Late Bottled Vintage, and this fairy tale seems never ending. It is extremely fascinating that a winery manages to produce a wine that seven years in a row receives 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points). In my 43 years as ... Read more

Vinogradi Nuić, Trnjak, 2021 (approx. 21 EUR/25 USD; selling price on the internet excluding delivery costs) red dry wine, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5,0 of 5,0 NJP (100 points of 100 points) (14-12-2025 by Dr Nenad Jelisic)

Vinogradi Nuić Trnjak 2021 is a big, complex, powerful, spicy and tannin rich wine. In the aroma one can feel dried black cherries, dried prunes, milk chocolate, bay leaves, sweet tobacco, white pepper and crème de cassis. In the flavour one can feel black cherries, red oranges, cocoa-rich dark chocolate, coffee and black pepper. ... Read more

Palmer & Co, Blanc de Blancs, 2018 (43 EUR/51 USD in Sweden) white dry sparkling wine, Montage de Reims and Côte de Sézanne, Champagne, France, 3,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (85 points of 100 points) (23-12-2025 by Dr Nenad Jelisic)

Here we are talking about a really good champagne that is aroma rich, flavour rich, fresh and concentrated. Palmer & Co Blanc de Blancs 2018 should be drunk at all big celebrations (New Year's Eve, weddings, birthdays, etc.) or to when one wants to reward oneself and your loved one after a demanding work week or to when you ... Read more

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Everything you need to know about Vieux Château Certan (08-03-2026 by Dr 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".

Vieux Château Certan, a French wine castle that is located in the Pomerol appellation. The wine castle's area is 14 hectares, and all 14 hectares are used for production.

Vieux Château Certan, a French wine that comes from Vieux Château Certan and which together with Château Le Pin and Château Pétrus belong to the three most internationally known wines from the Pomerol appellation. The wine consists of 60 to 85% Merlot (usually over 70%), 20 to 25% Cabernet Franc (usually 20%) and 0 to 5% Cabernet Sauvignon (usually 5%). The average age of the vines is 50 years and the yield is 24 hl/ha to 30 hl/ha. The grapes are harvested by hand and undergo two selections, one in the field and one in the winery. After the destemming, the grapes are gently pressed. The fermentation and maceration take place under controlled temperature (30°C for Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon and 32°C for Merlot) in large oak barrels and last for about 21 days. Each wine (grape/part of the vineyard) is fermented separately. After the fermentation/maceration, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation. When the malolactic fermentation, which usually takes about 10 days, is complete, it is time, with the help of extensive tastings that have taken place during the manufacturing process, to decide which of the 23 parts of the vineyard are to be blended with each other. The ready-blended wine is racked and left lying in new 225 litres French oak barrels (barrique) for a period of 18 to 22 months. During the aging, the wine is racked 4 times per year and clarified once using egg whites. After the aging, the wine is bottled and then aged for a few months. Vieux Château Certan has a great aging potential, from 5 to up to 25 years. An average of 40,000 to 50,000 bottles of this wine and 20,000 to 30,000 bottles of the château's second wine, La Gravette de Certan, are produced per year.

Vieux Château Certan (red dry blend wine), Pomerol, Libournais, Bordeaux, France, the best vintages, 1928, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1950, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022.

Vieux Château Certan grapes, 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Vieux Château Certan soils, are varied and the 14 hectares of château contain a very clayey part, a gravel-clay part and a very gravelly part.