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Ole Sommelier

Certified sommelier with years of experience. Passionate about making wine approachable for everyone, without snobbery.

Wine

Articles by Ole Sommelier

Season

What to drink with blueberry pie

The pie is warm, the vanilla sauce is waiting. Coffee is a fine start – but if you're in the mood for something else, taste the whole dessert first.

Ole Sommelier · 3 min

Alko

Season

Mushrooms and sherry – autumn's best umami match

Why does sherry work so surprisingly well with chanterelles and truffle? We look at fino, amontillado and orange wine for the season's mushroom platter – with concrete tips across several price ranges.

Ole Sommelier · 6 min

Vinmonopolet

Season

The August Wine – Light Enough for Summer, Warm Enough for Autumn

As the back-to-school season approaches and evenings take on that golden August tone, it's time to swap the spritz for something rounder. Here is the guide to rosés and light reds that hit the mood perfectly – neither too light nor too heavy.

Ole Sommelier · 7 min

Vinmonopolet

Season

The Evening Drink You Forget to Plan

The food is eaten, the grill is out – but the night isn't over. Here are the drinks that keep the conversation going well into the night, without you needing to overthink it.

Ole Sommelier · 7 min

Vinmonopolet

In Focus

Amontillado – sherry's best-kept secret

It's neither dry like fino nor sweet like oloroso – amontillado lives at the intersection of two worlds, and that's precisely where the magic happens. Here's everything you need to know about sherry's most complex and underrated style.

Ole Sommelier · 6 min

Vinmonopolet

In Focus

White port wine on ice – Portugal's forgotten summer drink

Along the Douro river, it's a matter of course. In Norway, it's almost unknown. White port wine on ice with tonic is perhaps the best aperitif of summer – and it's time we discovered it.

Ole Sommelier · 6 min

Vinmonopolet

Range updates

Summer's Best New Arrivals at Vinmonopolet

Seven new wines are ready for your shopping cart – here are Ole Sommelier's tips on what you should pick up this summer.

Ole Sommelier · 3 min

Vinmonopolet

Season

White Rioja – Summer's Best-Kept Secret

The Viura grape produces fresh, herb-driven white wines in Rioja that most Norwegians have never tasted. It's time to do something about that – especially now that the terrace is calling.

Ole Sommelier · 6 min

Vinmonopolet

A QUESTION FOR THE SHELF?Your buddy matches this week's stories with the shelves in your store.ASK KOMPISEN

In Focus

The Solera System: The Wine That Never Finishes

Imagine a glass carrying flavors from 1918, 1964, and last year – all at once. That is the magic of solera, and it is far more fascinating than most people realize.

Ole Sommelier · 7 min

Vinmonopolet

It is better to drink life than to eat it.

— GUSTAVE FLAUBERT

Range updates

Five New Arrivals That Are Perfect for Spring

From buttery Chardonnay to a ready-made margarita – this week Vinmonopolet brings exciting new arrivals for every taste and budget.

Ole Sommelier · 4 min

Vinmonopolet

Season

Rosé for the Weekend Grill – Choose the Right Style

Not all rosé is created equal. Here is the guide that helps you choose between Provence elegance, fresh Basque sparkle, and Norwegian alternatives – based on what actually ends up on the grill.

Ole Sommelier · 6 min

Vinmonopolet

Season

White Asparagus and White Wine – Spring's Most Beautiful Pairing

White asparagus is in season for only a few weeks – and few ingredients place such high demands on the wine in your glass. Here is the guide that ensures you always get it right.

Ole Sommelier · 6 min

Vinmonopolet

Did you know?

Oak barrels can contribute up to 70 percent of whisky and cognac's flavor through aging.