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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

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 · Photo: Anna Stillebne

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

Guides

Make your own spritz – forget the recipe

You don't need to follow a fixed recipe to make a great spritz. Learn the simple principle once, and you can improvise your way through the entire summer – from classic Campari to Norwegian herbal bitters.

Ole Sommelier · 7 min · Photo: Anna Stillebne

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

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 · Photo: Anna Stillebne

In Focus

Sake at the Summer Table – Japan's Best Grilling Secret

Sake isn't just for sushi restaurants. Chilled in an ice bath, this Japanese drink tells a completely different story – and it pairs surprisingly well with Norwegian grilled food and long summer evenings.

Ole Sommelier · 6 min

Season

Vinho Verde – Summer's Lightest Glass

Low alcohol, natural fizz, and a salty citrus freshness that tastes of Atlantic breeze. Vinho Verde from Portugal is not just a white wine – it is a philosophy for warm days and long afternoons on the terrace.

Ole Sommelier · 7 min

New at Vinmonopolet

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

READ ENOUGH — THIRSTY NOW?Your buddy matches this week's stories with the shelves in your store.ASK KOMPISEN

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

A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine.

— JEAN-ANTHELME BRILLAT-SAVARIN

Guides

The Color Code on the White Wine Bottle

The color in the glass is more than decoration – it's the wine's CV. Learn to read the nuances from nearly colorless to deep gold, and you'll make better choices the next time you open a bottle of white wine.

Ole Sommelier · 7 min

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

New at Vinmonopolet

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

Did you know?

Oak barrels don't just store whisky — they actually contribute up to 70% of the spirit's final flavour through reactions between the wood and the distillate over time.