Red – Page 15 – @sommeligay

2011 Ruffino Chianti

May 8, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med+ ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, youthful, ripe red fruit, cherry, spice, black pepper, dried herbal notes, slight confected note
Mouth: dry, med bodied, med+ acid, med- tannin, med- flavour intensity, med alcohol, med- finish, cherry, red fruit
All in all: Good quality: despite simple characteristics and a relatively short finish, this wine had a well-integrated high acidity that provided structure wish fresh intensity. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: Mid-priced Chianti from Italy; 2 years old.
Crossed that out like a dingus and instead guessed: Mid-priced Beaujolais-Villages from France; 2 years old.
Is really: Mid-priced Chianti from Italy; 2 years old.

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 5]

I always thought that tasting wines comparatively always helped – and it does – but the strength can also be a pitfall. … read more

Tasting

2011 Finca La Amalia “Dos Fincas” Malbec

May 8, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clean, med+ ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, bright bramble fruit, blueberry, blackberry, smoke, spice
Mouth: dry, med body, med acid, med coarse tannin, med alcohol, med length, savoury finish, lush
All in all: Good quality: balanced on the palate (except for alcohol), and has elegance. Although not a fruit bomb (which is common for many inexpensive Malbec), it’s missing complexity that would take it to a higher quality level. Drink now; not intended for ageing.

What an interesting little Malbec. For a grape that’s rising in popularity, more and more inexpensive fruity bottles are popping up all over the market. It’s not rare that I see the everyday folk looking for one, and sometimes customers look for another regular bottle instead of a Fischer Price-esque My-First-Malbec sort of dealio.… read more

WSET Diploma

2009 Stella Bella Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

May 3, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developing, soy, leather, dark cherry, stewed red fruits, black fruits, oak, mint, green pepper (capiscum), eucalyptus, meat, vanilla, hints of cola
Mouth: dry, med acid, med fine tannin, med+ alcohol, med+ body, med flavour intensity, med+ finish, savoury, leather, green bell pepper, dark cherry, cedar
All in all: Good quality: the flavour characteristics in the wine definitely showed grape character and a sense of place (despite the fact that I got it wrong) along with a relatively long finish. On the nose, I feel that there should be a little bit more fruit to tame the secondary characteristics, along with balance – the slightly lower acid on the palate makes the ripeness a little bit more evident although by no means does this ruin or distract the balance too negatively.… read more

WSET Diploma

2009 Baron Philippe de Rothschild “Baron Nathaniel” Pauillac

May 3, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, blackberry, plum, spice, oak, cola, earth, mint, eucalyptus
Mouth: dry, med+ acid, med+ coarse tannin, med+ alcohol, med body, med flavour intensity, long finish, savoury, black cherry, black fruits
All in all: Good quality (apparently on the higher end of such): a long finish is complemented by a balanced structure. Age can both add character to the average complexity and soften the slightly rough tannin. Can drink now, but has potential for ageing.
Identity guess: High-priced Merlot from Chile; 2 years old. (although I was TRICKED, I TELL YOU)
Is really: High-priced left bank Bordeaux from France; 4 years old.

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 4]

Hi.… read more

WSET Diploma

2008 Alpha Estate “Hedgehog Vineyard” Xinomavro

April 27, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med- ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, developing, red fruits, raspberry, cherry, earth, spice
Mouth: dry, med+ acid, med tannin, med- body, med alcohol, med- flavour intensity, med finish, savoury, red fruits, earth
All in all: Good quality: this had a decent amount of complexity, with red fruits balanced with earth and spice characteristics. There was also present structure, with med+ acid and med tannin (which was deceiving because of the light colour – Nebbiolo anyone?). However it lacked in a bit on concentration at the alcohol was slightly out of balanced. Drink now: not suitable for ageing.
Identity guess: Mid-priced Pinot Noir from Chile; 2 years old.
Is really: High-priced Xinomavro from Greece; 5 years old.… read more

WSET Diploma

NV Franciscan Vineyards California Red

April 27, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med- ruby, legs
Nose: clean, low intensity, stewed red fruits, cherry, vanilla, spice, confected
Mouth: off-dry, med- body, med- acid, med alcohol, low tannin, short length, light flavour intensity
All in all: Acceptable quality: easy drinking and inoffensive. The light flavour intensity is not balanced and comes across as dilute. The lack of balance is evident from a low acid structure with a bit of back-palate tartness. And a short length.
Identity guess: Inexpensive red blend from British Columbia; NV.
Is really: Inexpensive red blend from California; NV.

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 3]

This is one of those wines that really could’ve been from anywhere because it had no soul.… read more

WSET Diploma

2009 Cave de Tain “Les Hauts du Fiefs” Crozes-Hermitages

April 18, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep purple, legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, developing, dark fruit, earth, black pepper, spice, bit of herbal
Mouth: dry, med+ acid, med+ tannin, med+ body, med- flavour intensity, med alcohol, spice, dark fruit, med+ finish
All in all: Very good quality: there’s a high concentration of fruit along with a relatively long finish and a firm structure, but is quite tight with the fruit wrapped around by tannins. Can drink now, but has potential for ageing.
Identity guess: High-priced Syrah from Crozes-Hermitage; 2 years old.
Is really: High-priced Syrah from Crozes-Hermitage; 3 years old.

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 2]

That South Africa stink was replaced by more black pepper and more lush fruit in this wine.… read more

WSET Diploma

2008 Thelema Shiraz

April 18, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developing, cherry, dark fruit, barnyard, spice, ash, meat, black pepper, baked fruit, medicinal
Mouth: dry, med acid, coarse med tannins, med+ alcohol, med+ body, med+ intensity, earth, red fruit, black fruit, med+ finish
All in all: Very good quality: a concentrated med+ intensity on both the nose and palate contributes to an intense wine. Along with a relatively long finish, all of the components are in balance, except for the alcohol which seems a little bit hot. Drink now: not suitable for ageing. There is no potential for the wine to further harmonize its components.
Identity guess: High-priced Pinotage from South Africa; 3 years old.
Is really: High-priced Shiraz from South Africa; 5 years old.… read more

Quaffing

2009 Castillo de Molina Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva

April 17, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med ruby, med- ruby rim
Nose: med intensity, developing, green pepper, spice, black fruit, cola
Mouth: dry, med bodied, med acid, med tannin, med+ length, med+ alcohol, med+ intensity, savoury dark fruit, vegetal
All in all: Good quality; drink now.

My favourite thing about the wine is the nose. Classic Chilean dark fruit with green pepper characteristics always please me, but my one pet peeve with heavy grape varieties is an atypical, lighter body. That’s just me. There are people out there who want the nose of a Cab with a lighter body. You’re allowed to want these things – hell, I ordered a special hot dog a couple weeks ago and ordered two different sides with a half portion of each.… read more

Quaffing

NV Maison L. Tramier & Fils Roncier Rouge

April 15, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med- to med ruby, watery rim
Nose: pronounced intensity, developing, earth, dried red cherries, mushroom, spice, black olives
Mouth: light bodied, med acid, low tannin, med+ alcohol, med intensity, med- length, earth, stewed red fruit
All in all: Good quality; drink now.

The nose is quite rustic: almost in an oxidative Spanish kind of way. I also get some vegetal mushroom or black olive character going on, which is reminiscent of some Negroamaro or even some French Syrah that I’ve had. So far, very atypical. A dominant dried cherry note even reminds me of Sangiovese, and I can’t decide whether or not this wine would be best marketed towards wine-savvy customers who are used to a rustic style despite lack of a vintage or Protected Geographical Indication, or towards those who want a fruity-earthy bridge wine, for the same problem.… read more