Author: Josh

DipWSET, Certified Sommelier, garbage person.
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

Quaffing

2012 Sula Dindori Reserve Viognier

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med lemon, (med+ viscosity)
Nose: clean, pronounced intensity, youthful, tropical fruits, floral, honeysuckle, stone fruit, Froot Loops, lemon curd, white pepper, spice, apricot, hint yoghurt, peach
Mouth: dry, med+ body, med acid, med length, med flavour intensity, med+ alcohol, floral, stone fruit, tropical fruit, ripe candied citrus peel, apricot pith, canned peaches, hint of bitterness, touch of mineral, (med complexity)
All in all: Good quality: very expressive on the nose and varietally correct – arguably better than some Viogniers for the same price. Although the finish has typical Viognier phenolic bitterness, there is just enough acid to clean the palate. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.

2012 Sula Dindori Reserve ViognierThere are always those awkward products at the BC Liquor Stores that are so uniquely fucked up in some way – perhaps a weirdly shaped bottle, an unpronounceable name, things so obliquely passé (Blue Nun?… read more

Life · WSET Diploma

WSET Diploma – Section 1 – Week 11

Posted on by Josh

June 19th, 2013

Eventful week. Too eventful. And late post! Let’s work through this day by day.

Thursday 13th
Finally saw SOMM with a co-worker. Fantastic, emotional stuff. A glimpse of the other side of the industry. Since then I’ve made my parents watch it, and a friend is coming over next week for a movie marathon and little does she know I’m making her watch this. I’ll need a separate blog post to talk more about it, so watch that space.

After the movie we decided to go out for cocktails in Gastown out of all things (we didn’t feel like wine for some reason) and so we headed to the Pourhouse and the Diamond. Afterwards she left and I met with another coworker, and we had beers at St.… read more

WSET Diploma

2007 Vietti “Masseria” Barbaresco

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Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med- tawny, legs
Nose: clean, pronounced intensity, developing, floral, tar, cherry, wood, hay, spice, dried herbs, dried red fruit, earth, mineral, wood, hay
Mouth: dry, full body, high coarse tannin, high acid, med+ alcohol, long length, med flavour intensity, sour cherry, strawberry, earth, tar, mineral, olive, oak, savoury
All in all: Very good quality: A high acid and amazingly mouth-drying tannins are woven well if not slightly aggressive – but give impressive balanced structure. The levels of complexity are high, and the wine is persistent. Can drink now, but has potential for ageing.
Identity Guess: Premium (Barbera/Sangiovese/Nebbiolo) from Piedmont, Italy; 6 years old.
Is really: Super-Premium Barbaresco from Piedmont, Italy; 6 years old.

2007 Vietti "Masseria" Barbaresco[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 11]

Though I’m not the biggest Nebbiolo evangelist (yet), the idea of the grape fascinates me.… read more

WSET Diploma

2008 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico

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Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med- garnet, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developing, red fruit, earthy, sour cherry, floral, pine, dried herbs, mineral, strawberry, savoury, meaty
Mouth: dry, med body, high coarse tannin, med+ acid, med alcohol, med+ flavour intensity, med+ length, sour cherry, earth, red fruit, herbal, strawberry, spice, savoury, leather, dried fruit, orange peel, baking spice
All in all: Very good quality: the acid is high and the generous tannins are rough but are well woven into the wine, giving good structure for more ageing and further complexity. Persistent. Can drink now, but has potential for ageing.
Identity Guess: High-priced (Barbera/Sangiovese/Nebbiolo) from Tuscany, Italy; 3 years old.
Is really: High-priced Sangiovese from Tuscany, Italy; 5 years old.

2008 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 11]

Had to read out my nose notes for this one.… read more

WSET Diploma

2010 Batasiolo Barbera d’Alba

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Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, earth, cherry, black cherry, spice, red fruit, green or herbal component, raspberry, simple
Mouth: dry, med body, med+ acid, med flavour intensity, med- coarse tannin, med alcohol, med length, sour cherry, raspberry, earth, spice
All in all: Good quality: the wine is balanced especially with relatively higher amounts of acidity and rough tannin, but it remains a bit simple and could have a longer persistence. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: Mid-priced (Barbera [d’Alba]/Sangiovese/Nebbiolo) from Piedmont, Italy; 3 years old.
Is really: Mid-priced Barbera d’Alba from Piedmont, Italy; 3 years old.

2010 Batasiolo Barbera d'Alba[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 11]

I have a soft spot for Barbera – I really do.… read more

Life · WSET Diploma

WSET Diploma – Section 1 – Week 10

Posted on by Josh

June 12, 2013

*insert obligatory “this week has gone by so fast” statement here*

2 more weeks until the exam.

2 more weeks.

omgrs

Part of me is freaked out, but part of me feels confident that I can pass this thing if I took it right now – I think I’m currently in the solidifying phase, where I’m cementing my knowledge by going through everything and cross-referencing my knowledge using other books. It’s tedious, but it’s also the same phase of studying where you read it and mentally fill in the blanks, and you know it well enough that you can finally recite it. So that’s great.

Not much has happened during the week besides studying, some festivals, and the Game of Thrones finale.… read more

WSET Diploma

2010 Bellingham “The Bernard Series” Old Vine Chenin Blanc

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med lemon, legs
Nose: clean, developing, med+ intensity, mineral, yellow apple, spice, butter, oak, vanilla, wet wool
Mouth: dry, med+ body, med+ acid, med alcohol, med flavour intensity, med+ length, citrus, lemon, baked apple, butter
All in all: Very good quality: persistent finish, good structure, and a balance found in both the fruit and the secondary characteristics. Drink now, but has potential for short term ageing.
Identity Guess: Mid-priced (Riesling/Pinot Gris/Muscat/Gewurztraminer/Chenin Blanc) from South Africa; 2 years old.
Is really: Mid-priced Chenin Blanc from South Africa; 3 years old.

2010 Bellingham "The Bernard Series" Old Vine Chenin Blanc[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 10]

I love Chenin Blanc. I’m not entirely sure why – perhaps because it’s versatile, but in such a different way than Riesling or Chardonnay.… read more

WSET Diploma

2009 Pfaffenheim “Steinert” Gewurztraminer

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Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med lemon, legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, developing?, tropical, mango, stone fruit, citrus, honey, sweetness, floral
Mouth: off-dry, med+ body, med- acid, med+ alcohol, med+ flavour intensity, med+ length, ripe stone fruit, spice, floral, rosewater
All in all: Good quality: Persistent, complex, and concentrated, but lacks some structure and the alcohol is a bit warming. Drink now; not suitable for ageing. (Perhaps slightly corked? The instructor has had lots of experience with this wine but it wasn’t the same as she expected – perhaps not as aromatic and complex as it should be.)
Identity Guess: High-priced (Riesling/Pinot Gris/Muscat/Gewurztraminer/Chenin Blanc) from Alsace, France; 2 years old.
Is really: High-priced Gewurztraminer from Alsace, France; 4 years old.… read more

WSET Diploma

2011 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Muscat

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale lemon, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, orange blossom, spice, ginger, stone fruit, peach, citrus, cardamom, lychee, fig
Mouth: off-dry, med+ body, med- acid, med alcohol, med+ flavour intensity, savoury, med+ length, ripe peach, apricot, lychee, spice
All in all: Good quality: the wine has aromatic and concentrated fruit and a complex flavour profile, but lacks some structure. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: High-priced (Riesling/Pinot Gris/Muscat/Gewurztraminer/Chenin Blanc) from Alsace, France; 2 years old.
Is really: High-priced Muscat from Alsace, France; 2 years old.

2011 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Muscat[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 10]

I often get Gewurztraminer and Muscat mixed up. As soon as I took a sniff, it was perhaps a mistake to write “muscat?… read more