Author: Josh

DipWSET, Certified Sommelier, garbage person.
WSET Diploma

2010 Chapoutier Schieferkopf Lieu-Dit Fels Riesling

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Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med+ lemon, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, almond, butter, floral, green apple, citrus, stone fruit
Mouth: dry, high acid, med alcohol, med+ body, med+ flavour intensity, lemon, butter, oily, creamy, long finish, minerality, stone fruit
All in all: Very good quality: distinct and concentrated character on both the nose and palate. The acidity prevents the weighty character from being cloying, and there is a long length. The wine lacks a bit of complexity that prevents it from being outstanding. Can drink now, but has potential for ageing due to a firm structure and great intensity.
Identity guess: High-priced Australian Chardonnay; 2 years old.
Is really: Premium Alsatian Riesling; 3 years old.

2010 Chapoutier Schieferkopf Lieu-Dit Fels Riesling

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

Oh God.… read more

Quaffing

2009 Castillo de Molina Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva

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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.

2009 Castillo de Molina Cabernet SauvignonMy 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

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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.

NV Roncier RougeThe 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

Life · WSET Diploma

WSET Diploma – Section 1 – Week 1

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WSET Diploma - Section 1 - Week 1I can’t believe I’m saying this, but finally. It’s been the same length of a human pregnancy since I’ve completed the WSET Advanced Certification, and I’m super stoked to be diving right into the WSET Diploma, even though some people pretty much consider it death. Pre-prepping for this through this past semester of university was tricky and hellish.

(First, the shitty details that don’t matter: the windows are behind us instead of beside us so I can’t gaze and doze off: both good and bad. For a lack of another good detail I’m just going to go ahead and say the lighting is good. Gotta assess that colour.)

What’s cool is that there are only about 10 of us in the room.… read more

WSET Diploma

2009 Château Potensac

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Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep purple
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful to developing, blackcurrant, nutmeg, oak, chocolate
Mouth: dry, med+ bodied, med acid, med+ ripe tannin, med+ alcohol, med intensity, med+ finish, blackcurrant, oak
All in all: Very good quality: The wine is concentrated in its intensity, complex in its aromas, and is structurally sound; however, although the tannins are ripe, they are slightly off-balance and need time to soften. Can drink now, but has potential for ageing.

2009 Château Potensac

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

Deep, dark, and concentrated nose dominated by dark fruit and oak, while the palate was concentrated and powerful, and bordered on ripe, so it wasn’t surprising to me when others guessed that this was from the New World.… read more

WSET Diploma

Jackson Triggs “Proprietor’s Selection” Merlot

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Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med ruby, pale rim
Nose: clean, med intensity, youthful, baked blackberries, blueberries, confectionary
Mouth: dry, med- bodied, med- acid, low tannin, med alcohol, med flavour intensity, short length, juicy fruit from a bit of residual sugar.
All in all: Acceptable quality. The good amount of juicy fruit gives a quaffable nature, but lacks in concentration, complexity, and varietal character. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.

Jackson Triggs "Proprietor's Selection" Merlot

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

I wouldn’t have been able to say this years ago, but now I’m used to it: a wine like this was dominated by a confected and baked fruity nose, mostly cancelling out any varietal character. A second opinion by the palate confirmed that it was thin and out of balance, with a bit of residual sugar that added a juiciness and newbie-attracting character.… read more

WSET Diploma

2011 Prospect Winery “Ogopogo’s Lair” Pinot Grigio

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Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale lemon, slow-forming legs, some bubbles
Nose: clean, med- intensity, mineral, youthful, pear, apple, peach
Mouth: dry, med- bodied, med+ acid, high flavour intensity, short length, med alcohol, lemon, peach
All in all: Good quality: a relatively high acidity is well-balanced and flavours are concentrated on the palate, but this lacks complexity and length. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.

2011 Prospect Winery "Ogopopo's Lair" Pinot Grigio

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

I could tell right away that this was a wine that I was “trained” to turn my nose up at. A relatively neutral nose exploded with bordering-on-spritzy and fresh fruit characteristics on the palate. Definitely a less serious but drinkable wine in a New World style – I almost understand why such a varietal is so popular.… read more

WSET Diploma

2011 Kris Pinot Grigio della Venezie

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, medium lemon, slow-forming legs
Nose: clean, med- intensity, youthful, mineral, lemon, apple
Mouth: dry, med bodied, med+ acidity, med alcohol, med+ flavour intensity, med alcohol, med finish, lemon, peach
All in all: Good quality: components are in balance, and a med+ flavour intensity suits the nature of the wine. Could be a little bit more complex and have longer length. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.

2011 Franz Haas "Kris" Pinot Grigio della Venezie

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

Unlike the other WSET classes I’ve done, we instead start off with Pinot Grigio. Two of them. Not even Pinot Gris. Fair, I guess, but still slightly underwhelming, but a nice refresher on doing tasting notes.

This time around WSET has simplified colour intensity descriptors, meaning that there will only be three descriptors (pale/medium/deep) instead of the three plus the two extended middling descriptors (pale/medium(-)/medium/medium(+)/deep).… read more

Tasting

Joiefarm Wines – 2012

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I had the opportunity to try six of Joiefarm’s wines today, all being part of the new 2012 vintage.

Hilariously pronounced by many customers (“Joey”) – some with confidence, some hesitant, and most with charm – these wines are popular with the locals, but personally, I’ve never been drawn to their wines. They take advantage of BC’s relatively cooler climate and vinify mostly white grapes, although their PTG has been praised by Jancis Robinson (all hail the queen). All good checkboxes for reasons to buy, but perhaps it’s the 20-30 dollar price point (which honestly, makes sense for some good BC wine anyways) or perhaps it’s the weird combination that the labels bring: simple but somehow ugly. That’s just me, though.… read more

Quaffing

1991 Chateau Musar Blanc

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med gold
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developed, honey, beeswax, butterscotch, cabbage, garbage water, wet asphalt, mushroom, citrus
Mouth: dry, med- body, med+ acid, long length, med- alcohol, honey, citrus, savoury, beeswax, nutty, slight salty
All in all: Very good quality; drink now, but can age.

I’m officially the president for the UBC Wine Tasting Club! Hurrah! I wanted to open something nice for my co-workers and I as an excuse. I bounced around between several bottles before settling on this dude. And then I realized how poor I am. Yay!

1991 Chateau Musar BlancThe cork was horrifying. Upon lifting the foil at the top, we discovered that the cork almost had something like a mini-pool of wine at the top and was damp all throughout.… read more