Author: Josh

DipWSET, Certified Sommelier, garbage person.
WSET Diploma

2008 Alpha Estate “Turtles Vineyard” Syrah

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep purple, legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, youthful, black pepper, cured meat, black cherry, game, sweaty, bitter tea leaf, floral, oak, sweet spice, black fruits, smoke
Mouth: dry, med+ body, med+ acid, med+ fine tannin, black fruits, savoury, med+ flavour intensity, med+ length, sweet spice, gamey, black cherries, tar, dark fruit
All in all: Very good quality: although relatively high, the structural components are well woven into the wine, which shows a complex profile of dark fruit and savoury characteristics. The alcohol is a bit warming, but the wine is persistent. Drink now, but has potential for short-term ageing.

2008 Alpha Estate "Turtles Vineyard" Syrah

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 9]

First of all: “Turtles Vineyard”.

Turtles Vineyard.… read more

WSET Diploma

2009 Château L’Argilus du Roi Saint-Estèphe

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Tasting Note:

Eyes: clean, deep ruby, legs
Nose: clear, developing, med+ intensity, red fruits, tobacco, black fruits, oak, earth, rubbery earthy character
Mouth: dry, med+ body, med+ broad tannin, med+ flavour intensity, med+ acid, long length, med+ alcohol, earthy, black pepper, cassis, plum, oak, smoke, cinnamon, cedar, mint, floral
All in all: Very good quality: despite broad tannins, the structure is very well balanced and supports a concentrated and complex flavour profile. The wine is persistent and is almost proves to exist at a higher quality level. Drink now, but has potential for short-term ageing.

2009 Château L'Argilus du Roi Saint-Estèphe

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 9]

And we arrive at the wine I was most choked about not being able to analyze to the fullest due to fried smell receptors, since I’m recovering from a cold – but I did the best that I could.… read more

WSET Diploma

2011 Thierry Germain “Cep by Cep” Saumur-Champigny

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med purple, legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, youthful, earthy, barnyard, brettanomyces, red fruits, strawberry, raspberry, floral, white pepper, leafy, pencil shavings
Mouth: dry, med body, med broad tannin, med+ acid, med alcohol, med flavour intensity, earth, grassy, raspberry, cherry, med length
All in all: Good quality: the funky brettanomyces character adds complexity to a fresh palate; the acidity is well-integrated, but the green tannins can put off newer drinkers. Drink now, but has potential for short-term ageing.

2011 Thierry Germain "Cep by Cep" Saumur-Champigny

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 9]

I don’t remember the last time I’ve bought and tried a Cabernet Franc – has it really been that long? It actually may have been around two years ago.… read more

WSET Diploma

2008 Benziger Merlot

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med+ ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful to developing, plum, spice, oak, cherry, raspberry, floral, strawberry, red fruit, black fruit, juicy, sweet baking spice
Mouth: dry, med+ body, med fine tannin, med acid, med+ alcohol, med flavour intensity, med+ length, cherry, plum, spice, prune, vanilla, baking spice
All in all: Very good quality: there is a good concentration of fruit and developing characteristics here, and balanced structural components for Merlot. The alcohol is a little warming, but the wine has a long length. Drink now, but has potential for short-term ageing.

2008 Benzinger Merlot

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 9]

Where Cabernet Sauvignon is vanilla, Merlot is chocolate, and the voluptuous grape that makes textured, fuller mid-palate wines is often blended with the former grape, sort of like a McDonalds vanilla-chocolate swirl ice cream cone.… read more

WSET Diploma

2009 Sandalford Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep ruby, garnet rim
Nose: clean, pronounced intensity, youthful, cassis, oak, eucalyptus, dark cherry, black pepper, herbal, fennel, spice, blackberry
Mouth: dry, med+ body, med+ ripe tannin, med+ acid, med+ flavour intensity, med+ alcohol, med+ length, cassis, dark fruits, blackberry, spice, green, herbal, smoke, clove, floral
All in all: Very good quality: a ripe structure supports concentrated flavours. Although the alcohol is warming, the acidity adds a paradoxical fresh lightness. Drink now, but has potential for short-term ageing.

2009 Sandalford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 9]

Ah, Cabernet Sauvignon. The de facto red grape, and, in the game of ice cream flavours, is essentially the bucket of quintessential vanilla. In the theme of its masculinity, it has thick skins and relatively small berries, leading to a high pip to pulp ratio and a high amount of phenolics which contributes to darker-coloured wines and high tannin, respectively.… read more

Life · WSET Diploma

WSET Diploma – Section 1 – Week 8

Posted on by Josh

May 29, 2013

I’m not going to say it was so much of a “busy week”, because I feel like that has the connotation that I am channeling the spirit of a hectic businesswoman from a stock photo.

busy

diplomasection1week8But really. Week 8. Out of 12.We’re almost done this section and I feel like we’ve hardly started. Which, in retrospect, is a big lie, because some of those viticulture classes felt as long as a vintage. I gotta study hard, because those grapes aren’t going to ripen themselves.

Saturday was my fake birthday shindig – a smaller number of people were invited because I thought it would rain and I would have to shove everyone inside, but the gods were good and there were some clouds worthy of desktop wallpapers in the sky.… read more

WSET Diploma

2009 Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi

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Tasting Note:

Eyes: clean, deep ruby (or purple), legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, dried (yet vibrant) dried fruit, mineral, earth, white pepper, cherry, raspberry, bramble, plum, oak, herbal, spice, smoky, charred wood
Mouth: dry, med+ body, med acid, med fine  tannin, med+ alcohol, med length, red fruits, strawberry, sour cherry, med flavour intensity, raisin, vanilla, stewed, plums, cherries
All in all: Good quality: moderate complexity, but needs a little more tannins to support the structure and the alcohol is slightly imbalanced. Concentrated fruit. Drink now; not intended for ageing.
Identity: High-priced (Tempranillo/Barbera [d’Alba]/Sangiovese/Pinot Noir/Nebbiolo/Zinfandel) from Italy.
Is really: Mid-priced Zinfandel from California; 4 years old.

2009 Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 8]

Compared to the Ribera del Duero, this was much more vibrant.… read more

WSET Diploma

2006 Viña Mayor Ribera Del Duero Reserva

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clean, deep ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful (to developing), vanilla, leather, oak, red fruit, black fruit, white pepper, tobacco, cigar box, black cherry, prune, raspberry, sweet baking spice, smoky, cola, hay, herbal
Mouth: dry, med body, med+ acid, med+ fine tannin, med+ alcohol, med+ length, med flavour intensity, savoury, black cherry, blackberry, black pepper, cassis, cinnamon, cranberry
All in all: Very good quality: A concentrated amount of fruit, high structure, and complexity outweigh the slightly imbalanced alcohol and lack of finesse and elegance. Drink now: not suitable for ageing.
Identity: Mid-priced (Tempranillo/Barbera/Sangiovese/Pinot Noir/Nebbiolo/Zinfandel) from Spain.
Is really: High-priced Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, Spain; 7 years old.

2006 Viña Mayor Ribera Del Duero Reserva

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 8]

Fuller-bodied, more classic expressions of Tempranillo can often be so deceiving, but for me – but the brooding leathery and oaky secondary characteristics combined with the melancholy-toned darker fruits cross with an underlying tone of oxidation are often landmarks – “poetic” and noteworthy enough for me to type, but my nose still needs a handle on identifying the wide range that this grape can produce.… read more

WSET Diploma

2011 Ata Rangi “Crimson” Pinot Noir

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clean, med- ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, red fruit, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, spice, cloves, nutmeg, mushroom, herbal, earthy
Mouth: dry, med body, med+ acid, low fine tannin, med+ alcohol, med length, med+ flavour intensity, red fruits, strawberry, cherry, mushroom, vegetal, baking spice
All in all: Good quality: the balance is generally showing well, especially with the high acidity, but the alcohol shows on the finish. There is also a concentrated amount of fruit and a moderate amount of Burgundy-like complexity.
Identity: Mid-priced (Tempranillo/Barbera/Sangiovese/Pinot Noir/Nebbiolo/Zinfandel) from California; 4 years old.
Is really: High-priced Pinot Noir from New Zealand; 2 years old.

2011 Ata Rangi "Crimson" Pinot Noir

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 8]

We were originally supposed to try an Old World Pinot but it ended up being graced by the likes of TCA.… read more

WSET Diploma

2011 K Vintners Viognier

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale lemon-green, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, mineral, floral, white flowers, lime, lemon, hint of stone fruit, lemon, pineapple, oak, nutmeg, sweet spice
Mouth: dry, med+ body, med+ acid, med alcohol, med+ intensity, med+ length, floral, citrus, spicy apple
All in all: Good quality: although personally appearing neutral in characteristics, a marked floral complexity follows a balanced finish and a concentrated palate. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.
Identity guess: Mid-priced (Trebbiano/Pinot Blanc/Viognier) from Italy; 2 years old.
Is really: TBA-priced Viognier from Washington; 2 years old.

2011 K Vintners Viognier

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 8]

Even after having had an identity guess for this wine, I still noted down a marked floral character from this.… read more