Tag: Sauvignon Blanc

Quaffing

A ray of sunshine on a cold autumn morning: 2011 d’Arenberg “The Stump Jump” White

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale lemon, legs
Nose: clean, youthful, med intensity, ripe citrus, minerality, peach pith, honey, melon, hint stony bitterness
Mouth: dry, med body, med+ acid, med+ intensity, med alcohol, med length, citrus, lemon, peach pith, just-ripe peach, savoury, touch of creaminess, honey, ripe citrus, minerality, floral
All in all: Good quality: a balance of structure frames direct fruit flavours and a present minerality, but there could be more complexity. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.

2011 d'Arenberg "The Stump Jump" White]It is three weeks until my WSET Unit 1 coursework assignment is due and two weeks until my WSET Unit 4 spirits exam. And here I am reviewing wine, because number 1: I am crazy, and number 2: I miss wine. I miss wine.… read more

Quaffing

2011 Delaille “Unique” Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale lemon, (star bright), (med viscosity)
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, mineral-driven, citrus, lemon, grass, mineral, gooseberry, grapefruit, smoky minerality, green peas, hint of pear
Mouth: dry, med body, high acidity, med alcohol, med length, med+ flavour intensity, citrus, lemon, lime rind, lemon seed (ugh, probably subconsciously stole those last two from SOMM as I suspected), grassy, grapefruit, (med complexity)
All in all: Good quality: this classic Loire-driven Sauvignon Blanc is restrained on the nose but is more expressive on the palate. A bit linear, but elegant and well-balanced – especially in its acid – but I would have loved a longer length. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.

2011 Delaille "Unique" Sauvignon BlancVancouver’s plateau of summer heat is slowly crescendoing and I am not wasting one minute in between work.… read more

WSET Diploma

2010 Henri Bourgeois “La Côte des Monts Damnés” Sancerre

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med- lemon, legs
Nose: clean, pronounced intensity, youthful, gooseberry, grapefruit, melon, asparagus, green beans, fresh, floral, grassy, green apple
Mouth: dry, med- body, high acid, med alcohol, med+ flavour intensity, citrus, grapefruit, asparagus, green beans, mineral, med+ finish
All in all: Very good quality: a very characterful grape identity is also well-balanced in its acid; it is also persistent on the palate and has a moderate amount of complexity. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: Mid-priced (Chardonnay/Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend) from New Zealand; 2 years old.
Is really: High-priced Sancerre from The Loire Valley, France; 3 years old.

2010 Henri Bourgeois "La Côte des Monts Damnés" Sancerre[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 10]

Bam. Even though this was a semi-blind flight, even someone new to wine could instantly smell the grassiness that was a Sauvignon Blanc.… read more

WSET Diploma

2010 Peter Lehmann “Clancy’s” Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med- lemon, legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, youthful, green apple, honey, pear, spice, mineral, hint of green herbal character, hints of orange
Mouth: dry, med body, med+ acid, med alcohol, med flavour intensity, med finish, lemon, lime, citrus, green apple, pear, mineral
All in all: Good quality: there is a freshness with the well-balanced med+ acid along with a good concentration of fruit, but there is a simplicity that also shows through with warming alcohol. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: Mid-priced (Chardonnay/Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Sauvignon Blanc + Semillon Blend) from Bordeaux; 2 years old.
Is really: Mid-priced Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend from Australia; 3 years old.

2010 Peter Lehmann "Clancy's" Semillon Sauvignon Blanc[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 10]

“Orange” is a common descriptor in Britain for Semillon.… read more

WSET Diploma

2009 Château La Grande Clotte Bordeaux Blanc

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med- lemon, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developing, candied, banana, guava, toast, butter, baked apple, herbal
Mouth: dry, med+ acid, med+ alcohol, med body, med flavour intensity, butter, oak, toast, overripe apple, melon, med+ finish
All in all: Good quality: although simple (at the time being, anyway) and not particularly intense, this wine speaks to a place, the components are balanced and structure, and the finish is relatively long. Can drink now, but has potential for ageing.
Identity guess: Inexpensive Chardonnay from Chile; 2 years old.
Is really: Premium White Bordeaux from France; 2 years old.

2009 Château La Grande Clotte Bordeaux Blanc

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

I’m embarrassed. I need to drink more white Bordeaux – the only one I’ve ever had was 100% Sauvignon Blanc, so that’s the only picture I’ve ever painted for myself.… read more

Quaffing

2011 Yali Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale lemon
Nose: clean, med intensity, youthful to developing, green pepper, green bean, savoury spice, citrus
Mouth: dry, med- bodied, med acid, med length, med- alcohol, med intensity, mineral, spice, green pepper
All in all: Good quality; drink now.

2011 Yali Sauvignon BlancThere’s something about Chilean Sauvignon Blancs that I’m quite partial to. Rarely really appreciated, they’re pretty much in the camp of hipster wines, like Cab Franc or Chenin Blanc. Unlike those varietals, though, it’s not that this particular style isn’t very known – it’s just the fact that these flavours can be off-putting despite the unmistakable or familiar aroma and character.

Typical nose. Compared to other Sauv Blancs from other regions, we get a nose dominated with methoxypyrazines, which I love.… read more

WSET Advanced

2011 Quintay “Clava” Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Notes:

Eyes: clear, pale lemon, watery rim
Nose: clean, pronounced intensity, youthful, grapefruit, green bell pepper
Mouth: dry, med bodied, med+ acidity, med length, med+ to high intensity, citrus, grapefruit
All in all: Good quality; drink now.

Chilean Sauv Blancs, to me, are distinct such that they have a little more of that methoxypyrazine-ness (green bell pepper, green bean) along with a heavier and sometimes an almost stewed characteristic. I know some people who hate methoxypyrazines so much that they almost think it’s a flaw and needlessly evangelize so to new wine drinkers (cue FNH 330 prof, here), but it’s an interesting aroma to appreciate.

2011 Quintay “Clava” Sauvignon Blanc

As said, there was a little bit more of that vegetal character and a little bit less of that floral aspect, but it was still noticeably our good old friend Sauv Blanc – the queen of the grassy; the mother of the Cab Sauv.… read more

WSET Advanced

2011 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Notes:

Eyes: clear, pale lemon-green, watery rim
Nose: clean, pronounced intensity, youthful, asparagus, grapefruit, (grassy, herbaceous, vegetal)
Mouth: dry, med- to med body, high acidity, med length, med to med+ alcohol, med+ intensity, asparagus, grapefruit, passionfruit
All in all: Good quality; drink now.

2011 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Well if it isn’t Kim Crawford. Advertisements for this wine are plastered throughout the city, and this is one of the wines that I undoubtedly remember that customers always ask for even though (and probably because) it’s heavily listed and well-known. For good reason, too – this wine screams typicality at a good price, with grassy and vegetal aromas that are intensely displayed on the nose. Could be more complex, though.

Palate-wise, this is great. High acidity makes it zippy, patio-worthy, and food-friendly.… read more

Quaffing

2011 Ata Rangi Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Notes:

Eyes: clear, pale lemon, watery rim
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, floral, mineral, flutter of citrus, hints of honeyed spice
Mouth: dry, med- bodied, med to med+ acidity, med to med+ alcohol, med- intensity, med+ length
All in all: Good quality; drink now, but I would personally screw around to see what would happen with age.

After I’ve heard such hype for this wine, I really hate to say that I was underwhelmed by it. After a long dry spell of wine stemming from a promised exam study session complete with delayed gratification, I decided to whip this guy off of my rack because New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is what you need when you have a white with an intense aroma profile.… read more

WSET Advanced

1998 Les Plantiers du Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognan

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Notes:

Eyes: clear, med gold
Nose: oxidizzled
Mouth: oxidizzled
All in all: oxidizzled

Oxidized bottle 🙁 What a shame. I’m jealous that other wine friends got to try non-ruined bottles.

Producer: Les Plantiers du Haut-Brion
Designation: N/A
Region: France
Sub-Region: Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux
Variety: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc
ABV: ?
Vintage: 1998
Tasted: May 27, 2012
Price: $75


… read more