Closure of 2011

I’m sitting here on the last Day in this year to sum up all the things that have happened this year and figure out that I will divide it as follow:

Wine:

This year have been the greatest wine year ever, I have tried thousands of wines from all around the globe with some disasters but also some icon wines that will blow you away when they appear on the market I Sweden in 2012.

I have the fortune to visit some amazing wine producers with my family this year and some of they are, Pol Roger, Bollinger, Guy Charlemagne, Trimbach, Domaine Weinbach and many more in France, Germany, Luxembourg what a treat that was.

The tastings and wine courses that me and Christina are doing was truly booming this year and we are looking forward to all the great people that we will meet in 2012, we have some great plans for you guys,

keep you updated on our website www.atmosphere-store.se

Gastro Import wine selection is another thing that was happened this year, a wine import business to the horeca sector in Sweden that will conquer ground in the following years to come, I sure look forward to this with all the great producers in the portfolio.

Gastronomy:

I hade the chance to visit some great city’s this year as an member of the Swedish chefs associations culinary board and you can read all of my impressions here on my blog, Istanbul, Bergen among others.

The world chefs tour against hunger In South Africa was a mind blowing experience with more than 250 chefs from 45 countries gathered together for supporting SACA to collect money for starving children, thanks Frida, Helena and Mike for excellent companionship and a job well done and an special thanks to the SKF for letting us do this trip.

The Skåne culinary regional team are improving all the time and we are aiming for the gold medal in the culinary Olympics this year in October more of this will follow later on, there are some pictures on my FB side from this event, check it out

Family:

The THEODOR tea is on the Swedish and Danish market now and we are very happy for this, a struggle but Christina will beet this challenge in 2012, any of you who haven’t tried this tea let us know and we will send you samples and

Please check out this great side www.unictaste.se

My girls are doing just fine and growing like a wildfire, I can not catch up with the already, Bianca is now six years old and Tammy is closing to sixteen and I’m grateful everyday for them. God bless

Christina the love in my life is the best companion a man like me could have, couldn’t do this without your support love J I love you passionately and deeply more and more for each day.

The 2012 will have its many challenges and opportunities who know where it all will end but I’m looking forward to this with the most enthusiasm.

Thank you all for following me here and have a very happy new year.

Over and out

Happy new year

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all out there a very happy new year and may the wine god be with you all.

Respect

Dragan

German Pinots with a twist

First of all I would like to wish you all out there a very merry Christmas and a happy new 2012, may the new year be wonderful with lots of joy and happiness to you all.

On my mission to improve my pinot noir appreciation I twist and turn all over for finding the soul of this grape that many ”know it all” of my friends in the trade consider to be the one and only grape.

I recently turned my head towards German pinots “spätburgunder” the third biggest producers of Pinot grape in the world even due to that most people never thinks about Germany as a red wine country.

The wines I have tasted are all very exiting with lush mature fruit, soft mellow and polished tannins with their own personality that shows very well how this grape adapt and show its potential where ever it grows.

I have tasted a lot of pinot noirs during my crusade to learn more about this grape and have found many grate wines but all of the are from outside France, what the heck are wrong with the frog eaters way of doing wine with this grape?

My 2011 high and low list will be out during a couple of days there are still some days that can improve dramatically J

Love conquers all

En ganska dyr öl

Jag hade nöjet att äta ett fantastiskt julbord på Rusthållargården i Arild med min familj för någon dag sedan och fick en flaska Nils Oscar Jubileum 15 som är bryggt med pilsnermalt och mörk karamellmalt, men även med torkade skal och fruktkött från de ekologiskt odlade kaffebären Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza.

Ölet får därmed en härligt rund och fruktig karaktär där ljusa smaker dominerar med inslag av karamell och frukt.

Drycken passar till många olika rätter och lämpar sig därför ypperligt till flera olika kök, även riktigt kryddstarka rätter och klassisk Svensk husmanskost och julmat med en stor OP till, Man har även kryddat ölet med de båda humlesorterna Saaz och Tettnang.

Den karaktäristiska smaken förstärks av citrongräs, thaibasilika och limeblad.

Ölet är överjäst med en jäststam av belgiskt ursprung är ofiltrerat och opastöriserat och med tanke på att den är på 75 cl så är den nästan en måltid i sig själv till det facila priset av 498 kr styck.

Champagne Tarlant inför helgerna

Champagnehuset Tarlant är en familjeangelägenhet där Benoit är vinmakare och hans yngre syster Melanie har ansvaret för marknaden.

Det jag gillar med vinerna från Tarlant är att dom gör sin champagne utan tanke på tid och pengar utan vill visa upp potentialen av sin odlade frukt och kompetensen som dom besitter sen flera generationer tillbaka, dessutom använder dom fat till sina basviner vilket skapar en fyllighet som jag gillar.

Som dom flesta odlare i champagne har dom flera olika viner i sin portfölj där fyra av dom finns att köpa via bolaget och där jag kan rekommendera alla att prova.

Standard vinet är en blandning på dom tre klassiska druvorna och pressade i gamla runda Coquart pressar för att sedan jäsa i kontrollerade ståltankar för att därefter ligga ytterligare 36 månader på flaska och sin jästfällning, detta vin har ingen dosage och är alltså helt torr.

Basvinet i denna flaska är från 2006 och reserv vinerna som legat på fat bidrar till en finish som är fantastisk.

NV Tarlant brut zero

262 kr

Artnr 88000

My Quest for Pinot

In my quest for the Pinot noir that I like I accidently fell on this bottle of Catherine Marshall Eleven Barrels 2009 Pinot Noir from sunny South Africa, the wine gave me a nice feeling of tranquillity, laziness with a very sexy finish, how can anybody not like this wonderful wine, I hope to sample more of this producer in the near future.

As you all know Pinot Noir is my week spot on the wine heaven and I try a lot to overcome, challenge and learn the finesse in this grape.

I will not give up easily J

Dolina wine from Serbia

Vilket spännande vin jag fick idag, ett fat prov på Dolina 2010 från Serbiensom lagrats på stål tank första delar av sitt liv för att därefter fortsätta på nya medelrostade och 1 år gamla fat,

jag har tidigare haft nöjet att prova både 08:an och 09:an som dessutom finns att beställa på bolaget, köp nu och njut till sommarens grillkvällar.

2010:an visade att det var en svår årgång med dåligt väder och mycket regna men trots detta så visar detta prov på fin härlig struktur med bra syra och en aning hårda tanniner som kommer att bli bra då det är dags att buteljera vinet, viner som fat prov är alltid spretiga och obalanserade vilket är naturligt med ack så charmigt.

 tack Anders för att du orkade släpa på detta och att du tänkte på mig.

Pinot noir in concert

I’m trying to get to know pinot noir wines from around the known wineworld to find some that suites and challenge my taste buds to the max.

In recent years there have been some of the best pinots and also some of the less worthy wines in my glass that have shown me how diverse this grape can be all depending of the climate but mostly of the producers ambition of producing the best he can in god and bad vintages. Chile has a lot of job left before we can se some great pinots made there, Germany make some fabulous wines on this grape variety and so are Austria who can challenge them for the money and not least California who have been doing great pinots for many years.

I just cant write about pinot without mentioning Burgundy and all that stands for this grape, I’m so pleased that the BIVB send me an invitation to visit them and to take part of the educational seminars in 2012, I’m truly looking forward to this and to learn more about its wines and to discover some of the secrets that I now don’t understand.

The biggest surprise are actually the pinots from South Africa that I tasted on my last visit there and the most astonish wine are made by Danie De Wet and his 2009 Pinot Noir Nature in Concert, what a wine!



AMARONE ELLER RIPASSO?

Att kalla Ripasso för ”Mini-Amarone” menar Alkoholgranskningsmannen, Mattias Grundström, är både oriktigt och vilesledande. Nu fälls PrimeWine Group för olovlig alkoholmarknadsföring.

BGS Wine Import, som ingår i PrimeWine Group, har i annonser under hösten kallat sin Soprasasso Valpolicella Ripasso för ”Mini-Amarone”. Något som enligt Alkoholgranskningsmannen strider mot god affärssed.

I ärendet skriver Mattias Grundström: ”Amarone är en beteckning som skyddas av den italienska staten. AGM anser det viktigt att konsumenternas förtroende för ursprungsbeteckningar inte rubbas, något som den påtalade marknadsföringen riskerar att göra”.

– Vi visste inte att det var fel att kalla Ripasso för ”Mini-Amarone” utan trodde att begreppet var vedertaget känt. Hur tänkte ni där egentligen? eller som vissa andra när dom säger Amarone lik ripasso! vad fan är det?

Alla som varit på mina provningar av denna typ av viner vet vad jag tycker när man kallar saker för vad det inte är eller hur?

Amarone är Amarone och inget annat

FACEBOOK ? OR !

How great is facebook?  That made me thing about it when I realise that I have almost 1000 connections on FB with some people that I actually never met in person but they still want to be some sort of friends with me, this is great and I do appreciate each and every one of you guys J

I think that this is the greatest way so far to know new people that you have things in common, to get in touch with old pals from around the world but also to get and to give knowledge of in my case wine but also many other things that make you thing and to move your brain a bit, knowledge is fun and very challenging and I love it especially now when I’m thinking of to start up my Diploma course and I sure need everybody on FB so I can pass this tests on months and years to come.

Please help me out !!

WORLDS BEST SINGLE BARREL BOURBON

When my wife Christina got back from New Orleans where she was visiting a good old friend for some days she brought back a bottle of bourbon to me without knowing what is was in the bottle, but let me tell you that this was the best whisky I have ever tasted and I have splurged a few in my days.

This original single barrel Blanton`s bourbon was once designated for high rollers in the world and I just love it !

Bourbon has been enjoyed for centuries, but single barrel bourbon only dates back to 1984, when the owners of Ancient Age Distillery (now Buffalo Trace Distillery) set out to create a premium quality product. In the process, they revolutionized the industry.

The inspiration? Colonel Albert Blanton,It all started during a conversation with his former apprentice, Elmer T. Lee. Mr. Lee recalled the days when Col. Blanton would entertain friends and special guests by serving them bourbon from Warehouse H.

Col. Blanton discovered that this warehouse aged bourbon better than any other on the grounds, especially in the middle sections known as the center cut.

After taste-testing samples, Col. Blanton would pick an individual barrel he liked best and have it bottled.

The bottles became his special select single barrel bourbons.

 Mr. Lee’s concept turned into a reality when the owners asked him to oversee the project, selecting the finest barrels from the same Warehouse H. In 1984, Blanton’s became the first American entry into the ultra-premium whiskey market. Today, most distilleries offer one or more single barrel bottling, but Blanton’s was the first, and I think that this is the finest, single barrel on the market.

The tiny horse and jockey on the bottle stoppers are now a recognized trademark of Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon.

The rich heritage and tradition of horses in Kentucky parallel that of bourbon.

there is a collectors edition set of eight different stoppers, featuring a horse and jockey in different strides and poses. Each stopper is marked with a single letter that spells Blanton's when the set has been completed.

For all Swedish guys I can tell that there are some 18 bottles left at systemet for the cheap price of 489 kr

Stand and Deliver J

House of Krug for the future

Christmas and new year in sight when the prestigious House of Krug has released two rare Champagnes: Clos du Mesnil 2000 and Vintage 2000.
Produced from a single walled plot of vines in Mesnil-sur-Oger the Clos du Mesnil 2000 is characterized by aromas of peach, pear, apples and ripe lime this wine is ideal on its own och with seafood, made with 100% chardonnay.
If you can afford it buy whatever you can get your hands on and store away for at least 10 years.

The Vintage 2000 is a classical blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.
It has beautifull aromas of exotic fruit, almonds, walnut and zesty lemons with a nice twist of cotton candy, excellent now and in many years to come.

Let the bubbles shine

The pictures are not mine.

Nya Skåne Kulinar

Får jag lov att presentera Skånes stolthet som ska tävla i mat OS 2012 i Erfurt Tyskland, det kommer att bli en resa ner till alla er som har mat som sitt stora intresse, att vara med på ett mat OS är en fantastisk upplevelse som man måste vara med om.
Skåne Kulinar som är ett av tre Svenska regionlag är en del av Svenska kockars förening i Skåne med uppdrag att sätta Skåne och Skånsk mat på världs kartan.
Är ni intresserade av att gå in som sponsor till laget eller föreningen så maila mig gärna med frågor på dragan@unictaste.se
framåt framåt
Frida, Mikael, Tomas, Lina, Martin H, Joel, Mattias, Martin J & Jesper

The last posts

To explain for you all not Swedish that the two last text are all about the Swedish monopoly and how bad they are in my opinion just so that you all know, I hade some E-mail from people who wonder what all the fuss was about, now you know and you can also use the google translate, not 100% correct but you will get the point.

Regards

Dragan

Monopolet ?

Jag har tagit emot en del kritik mot mitt inlägg om monopolet utan att avsändaren gjort sig till känna vilket jag tycker är dåligt, men jag skriver det jag tycker och många fler håller med mig i detta vilket känns bra och befriande då monopolet har gjort sitt i Sverige efter en massa år och måste inom närtid få ett slut dels i sin dubbelmoral dels i sitt dåliga sortiment där man konstant vägrar mindre producenter en plats i sortimentet och en möjlighet att visa Svenskarna vilken fantastisk kvalitet och viner som produceras i världen.

Den som väntar får skörda.

DÖD ÅT MONOPOLET

När jag håller provningar för vanliga vin älskande människor här i Sverige så uppenbara sig ett fenomen som är mycket märkligt, FOLK ÄLSKAR SITT SYSTEMBOLAG och vad värre är dom litar på personalens omdöme och förslag.

I min värld så är 99,99 % av personalen fullkomligt okunniga om vilka produkter dom säljer eller hur och vad man ska använda dessa till, dom kunde lika gärna sålt lampor eller vad annat som hälst enligt min mening, hur fan kan man anställa folk som inte kan sitt jobb? Det finns bara ett företag till som anställer på samma sätt och det är Sveriges kommuner, hade man skött ett privat företag på samma sätt så skulle dom gått under för länge sedan.

Systembolaget ljuger för sina kunder och undanhåller sitt sätt att arbeta gentemot importörer och andra sammanbets partners så att dom själva står i dager på ett bra sätt, dubbelmoralen ska vi inte snacka om, fylle hit och dit är det enda dom håller med utan att visa dom faktiska siffrorna hur BiB har påverkat konsumtionen på ett synnerligen negativt märkbart sett.

Jag hoppas verkligen att EU stryper systemfanskapet snart så att även vi får anständiga butiker som bryr sig om vad folk vill ha och kan hjälpa konsumenter på bästa sätt att få valuta för pengarna.

Död åt monopolet.

Champagne still on my mind

What is it in champagne that always seems to turn people on when you drink it or even just talk about it, for me it is just another wine that can be well made or just badly made and everything in between.

I love great champagne made with care of skilled winemakers who truly understand the potential of the grapes and who can do the assemblage with that extra special care and some reserve wine to top it of.

When I travel in the champagne area and taste wines from both known and unknown producers I always get amazed how bad wines the big houses produce and people buy it just for the commercial side of it, for example the house of Moet-Chandon, all the vines except the Perignon in some vintages and also the Oenotheque can be truly stunning wines, but this is still not what ordinary people buy when they go to a wine store, the pay to much for the brand and not for what’s inside the bottle, I wish that more people pay attention like my good friend Susan Hanna Sipe who lives in CA and loves champagne, miss you girl.

Bubbly is nice

Шведски хране у свету / Svensk mat i världsklass

I den gångna helgen så har jag varit med på träningen med Skåne Kulinar då dom funderar ut sitt smartaste och godaste mest glamourösa mat för att under oktober 2012 vinna ett efterlängtat guld på mat olympiaden i Tyskland.

Jag måste säga att det finns en hel del kul saker som man har klurat på och jag ser med tillförsikt fram mot slut resultatet och så även på nästa träning.

Den 15 januari finns det en möjlighet för er alla att komma förbi köket i Malmö för att titta på när dom tränar och även se dom olika rätterna som man arbetar på, super kul är det så varmt välkomna till Jörgen kockskolan i Malmö men glöm inte anmäla er ankomst till mig först.

Tack till hela laget för att dom tog hand om våra Serbiska gäster på ett utomordentligt sätt.

Srpski:

У протеклих викенда, ја сам био укључен у обуку с кулинарским Скане када раде ван најпаметнији и најукусније најгламурознијег хране до октобра 2012 да освоји дуго очекивани злато за храну Олимпијске игре у Немачкој.
Морам да кажем да постоји много забаве ствари које сте схватили, а ја радујем са поверењем према крајњи резултат и тако и на следећи тренинг.
15. јануара је прилика за све вас да се прошлост кухиња у Малмеу да гледам када су обуке и такође виде другачије јела да радите на, супер-забаве, тако је топлу добродошлицу Јоргена кувар школу у Малмеу, али не пријављују а долазе да ме први.
Захваљујући цео тим, јер су бринули о нашим српским гостима у ванредним начин.

(Google translate)

Sa Balkana / From Balkan / С Балканского

Popularni švedski voditelj srpskog porekla objavio knjigu

Jovan Radomir: Kuvar sam napisao iz čistog inata

Bez nadmenosti koja bi se podrazumevala za prilično visoko kotiranu televizijsku zvezdu i bez oholosti nekog ko pravi intervjue sa svetski poznatim facama, kao što su, primera radi, momci iz „Ajron Mejdena“, „Metalike“ ili pevači Selin Dion, Eminem... Jovan Radomir svaki razgovor vraća na malo bosansko selo Bajince i Srbac, rodno mesto svojih roditelja, i na Beograd u koji dolazi kad god može.

Kuvar koji je Jovan Radomir napisao puna specijaliteta ali i sećanja na Srbiju

Sa voditeljem koji je u Srbiji najpoznatiji po pojavljivanju prilikom glasanja na Evroviziji upoznali smo se na tribinama sportske hale jedne stokholmske škole gde su u košarkaškom derbiju „Beli orlovi“, ovdašnji srpski klub, nemilosrdno punili svog rivala na putu do nove titule prve švedske lige (ali o njima u nekoj drugoj priči).

I u tom razgovoru, obojenom nostalgijom za zavičajem, došli do njegove knjige „Moj Balkan“, koja se ovih dana, u bogatoj opremi i u odgovarajućoj promociji pojavila na švedskom jeziku i tržištu. Knjiga je kroz recepte balkanskih specijaliteta i Jovanova sećanja na proputovanja, zgode i predele domovine, svojevrsni brevijar onog lepog u nama i najbolji mogući ključ za razumevanje balkanskog mentaliteta koji zna biti tako komplikovan Skandinavcima.

Na utakmici kluba „Beli orlovi“ u Švedskoj

- Moj cilj nije bio da predstavim samo Srbe u Srbiji i širom bivše Jugoslavije već i one koji su ovde došli i one koji su tamo ostali. Ovo je omaž svima nama koji smo, posle onih nesrećnih ratova, ovde odjednom ocrnjeni i precrtani, iako smo dali veliki doprinos uzdizanju Švedske. Želeo sam da pokažem kakvi smo kada smo mi - mi! Uradio sam to s puno ljubavi, nostalgije i humora - kaže Jovan dok listamo bogato opremljenu knjigu sa prelepim fotografijama beogradskog fotografa Bojana Stanića, koji je sa Jovanom obilazio ove naše predele, zavirivao u seoske vajate i gradske birtije, verao se bosanskim gudurama.

Fotografije podupiru recepte tradicionalnih balkanskih specijaliteta, a priču kompletiraju Jovanove lične impresije koje se na njih nepretenciozno naslanjaju. Tako ćete uz recept o pasulju čitati njegovu vojničku priču, slika ujaka Boška će na najbolji način predstaviti rakiju, a uz riblji specijalitet teče njegova žudnja za starom dedinom kućom u zavičaju i planinom Motajicom.

Detalj iz knjige "Moj Balkan"

Sve to izbija sa svake strane ove zanimljive knjige, koja je, s obzirom na pažnju i prijem na koji je ovde naišla, na putu da uradi posao za tri diplomatska predstavništva. Zbog specifičnog pristupa i stila ovde ga upoređuju sa čuvenim Džejmijem Oliverom i njihove knjige se izlažu zajedno po švedskim knjižarama.

Nije izostala ni odgovarajuća medijska pažnja, tako da je Jovan ovim povodom dao brojne intervjue, a knjiga je predstavljena u svim značajnim švedskim magazinima i dnevnim novinama.

- Nije bilo lako, ali onaj srpski inat me je terao da ovo izguram, iako, nažalost, nisam naišao na neku ozbiljniju podršku u Srbiji za ovaj projekat. Sad me kad su videli šta sam uradio i koji je efekat svega, svi tapšu po ramenima. Ali dobro! - pomalo rezignirano će ovaj šarmantni momak koji radi na Švedskoj televiziji, a za kog smo saznali sada već daleke 2004. godine, kada je u finalu evrovizijskog takmičenja na tečnom srpskom pozdravio svoje zemljake širom sveta i dodelio Srbiji i Crnoj Gori - 12 poena!

Radomir sa članovima Metalike

- Još uvek se ljudi toga sećaju. A ja pamtim emisiju koju sam radio sa Ninom Radulović pred Evroviziju u Beogradu 2008. godine. Bila je to fantastična avantura, a naročito mi je bilo drago snimati u mom Beogradu i predstaviti magiju ovog grada celom svetu - seća se Jovan, koji nije stao na ovome.

Pokazuje nam najprestižnije švedske magazine u kojima je objavio nekoliko reportaža o Srbiji i Beogradu. Istinski ambasador Srbije u Skandinaviji!

Ko je Jovan Radomir Jovan Radomir je rođen 1963. godine u Srpcu (Republika Srpska) i sa dve godine se sa roditeljima obreo u Švedskoj gde i danas živi a radi kao voditelj i reporter prvog programa Švedske televizije. Ta njega se saznalo kada je dva puta objavljivao rezultate švedskog glasanja na Pesmi Evrovizije, a napisao je tekst za englesku verziju pesme „Molitva“ sa kojom je Marija Šerifović pobedila na ovom takmičenju 2007. godine. Njegovo ime i prezime se sastoji od dva imena, ali Jovan priča da mu je deda govorio kako tu ne može biti prezime, jer „ime sveca sigurno dolazi na prvo mesto i nikako ne može biti prezime“

Arthur Metz Grand Cru Wines

Alsace is a magical wine spot in Europe where you still can find the genuine and traditional food, wine and not to mention the very odd language that some of the older people still speak, great place to visit.

On my last tour there I was invited to a special tasting in the Arthur Metz  fantastic shop and tasting room with the sommelier in the house.

My knowledge of the wines from here are just some of the bottling that exist on the Swedish market and the is not a lot.

The reason for this visit was to try all of the grand cru wines that they obviously produce without my knowledge,

The grand cru wines was all of very good quality and very reasonably priced and great value for money so try them out on your next visit.

Thanks Frank for a great tasting.

Тотална носталгија

Кувар писан срцем заснован је на сећањима насталим око сеоске трпезе у селу Бајинци у Републици Српској. Јован Радомир је, попут многих из расејања, лета проводио код бабе и деде, а мириси тог сеоског стола и сећања на родни крај у основи су новог гастономског водича кроз Балкан, који је објављен у Шведској.Јован Радомир, шведски новинар и водитељ, написао је и објавио водич - кувар под именом "Укус хране на Балкану" у којем осим рецепата најпознатијих балканских јела има и елемената обичаја и традиције српског народа.

"Водич "Укус хране на Балкану" разликује се од других по томе што има духовитих прича, мојих личних запажања, мојих путовања кроз Србију и кроз Републику Српску, кроз моје крајеве", изјавио је Јован Радомир.

Овај "духовити путопис на српски начин" илуструју фотографије два аутора Бојана Станића из Београда и Ивана да Силве из Стокхолма. Највећи део фотографија је настао у Бајинцима, родном селу мајке Јована Радомира у којем је путописац, као дете, проводио летње распусте.

Данас су успомене преточене у причу о природној, еколошки чистој храни, укусној и мирисној, оној храни која враћа мисли у родни крај. Јован Радомир истиче да се сви са простора бивше СФРЈ могу пронаћи на страницама водича, јер како каже "сви у дијаспори имају исту причу као ја".
Та прича почиње плановима у расејању за летовање у домовини, наставља се путовањем преко читаве Европе и завршава "у дворишту бабе и деде, срдачним загрљајем", објаснио је аутор овог емотивног водича, додајући да је кувар у дијаспори већ окарактерисан као тотална носталгија.

Black Marble Hill Syrah

In 1797, over a hundred years after the first Europeans began to settle in the Paarl area, Petrus van der Merwe built his home on the farm Rhebokskloof. The building has since been restored to its original Cape Dutch splendour and the distinctive gable still bears his initials, as well as those of his wife.

Between the First and Second World Wars, the area known as Rhebokskloof was divided into six separate farms. In 1986 the farm was returned to its original size when new owners took ownership of one of the six farms, and subsequently bought back the other five pieces of land. In 2006 Rhebokskloof was sold once again, but this time to a group of South African businesspeople, who have since been restoring the farm to its former beauty.

Rhebokskloof’s flagship wine, Black Marble Hill Syrah 2008, won gold in the Syrah du Monde competition in France. And are voted among the best syrah wines in South Africa.

The wine have dark plum aromas, aromatic spice and black pepper nuances from the barrel aging, this wine confidently reflects bold and generous Shiraz styling. Smooth-textured and with juicy palate appeal, it can be enjoyed now or aged for a further few years.

This wine can be bought in Sweden by Gastro Import wine selections (me)

How much are you willing to pay for a bottle of wine?

How can you explain the cost of a bottle of wine? What does it takes to produce a bottle for

1000 € to a bottle of 6 €

I always get this kind of questions on every of my many tastings from ordinary wine drinkers who try to understand this issue.

You can always talk about quality, cost of grapes, marketing and many other things but when it comes to what’s inside the bottle then it starts to be difficult due to that is the only thing that matter, right? Does the wine taste good or not is the key.

A very clever friend of mine that knows things way above my head about wine and wine production told me that there is no wine in the world that can cost more than 50 € to produce no matter from where, that fore sure put different perspective when you see wines that cost 400 € and more on realise, those producers laugh all the way to the bank.

 In vino veritas

Riedel glass Yes or No

Do you need different wineglasses for different wines, the answer is ultimately yes you do and you should to get the most out of your wine.

The glass manufacturer Riedel from Austria have made a special packaging of five different glasses that are made for to bring out the special character in the specific wine type, Riesling, syrah, cabernet S, pinot N and chardonnay.

I have been using Riedel for many years now and also when I do glass testing with people who are all amazed when they find out the difference of how the wine turns out in the nose and pallet, you should try it if you can, even a bad wine gets better for all of you who cant resist to drink wine from a BiB.

PS. I can tell you a lots of stories about Riedel glass where

A hallelujah moment.

Hrvatska vina / Wines from Croatia / Viner från Kroatien

English:

I have been fascinating of Croatian wines for some time and If you are a fan of BIG red wines then 2008 Zlatan Otok “Zlatan Plavac Grand Cru”, made from Plavac Mali grapes, is the wine for you.

They say it’s Croatia’s rarest wine, it enjoys a cult status and comes from vineyards on steep southern slopes of Hvar island (Sveta Nedjelja) with yield of only 0.5 kg per vine, Explosion of ripe, almost dried black  (plums, blackberry) earthy leather, cigar smoke in the nose, in the mouth again ripe fruit, chocolate, plenty of extract supported by solid freshness. Finaly this wine will last for ages.

I was very curious to try Zlatan Plenković’s new wine that he made from the most popular grape variety in America, Zinfandel or in Croatian Crljenak.

The nose was fantastic of mature dark red fruit with a beautiful taste of ripe red fruit, apple smoke, cinnamon, and cloves with a lingering long finish with nice tannins, great wine.

The only negative thing must be the price that is high and when you fight with wines from other countries you have to take this in consideration.

Hrvatski:

 Ja sam bio fascinantan hrvatskih vina za neko vrijeme, a ako ste fan Big crnih vina pa 2008 Zlatan Otok "Zlatan Plavac Grand Cru", od grožđa Plavac Mali, vino je za vas.
Oni kažu da je Hrvatska u najrjeđih vino, on uživa kultni status, a dolazi iz vinograda na strmim južnim obroncima otoka Hvara (Sveta Nedjelja) s prinosom od samo 0,5 kg po lozi, eksplozije zrelih, gotovo suhe crne (šljive, kupine) zemljani kože , cigara dim u nosu, u ustima opet zrelo voće, čokolada, puno ekstrakta podržano čvrstim svježine. Na kraju ovo vino će trajati dobi.
Bio sam jako znatiželjan pokušati Zlatan Plenković je novo vino da je od najpopularnijih sorta u Americi, Zinfandel ili na hrvatskom Crljenak.
Nos je bio fantastičan zrele tamno crvenog voća s prekrasnim okusom zrelog crvenog voća, jabuka dim, cimet, klinčić i uz dugotrajan dugim završiti s lijepim tanini, velika vina.
Jedina negativna stvar mora biti cijena koja je visoka i kada se bore s vinima iz drugih zemalja, morate uzeti u obzir.