Category: WSET Diploma

WSET Diploma

Erin O’Connor: 2007 Bellavista Franciacorta Gran Cuvée

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale gold, bubbles
Nose: clean, med intensity, youthful, mineral, rubber, apple, smoke, pear, hint of stone fruit, peach pith, lees
Mouth: dry, creamy mousse, med body, med+ acid, med+ flavour intensity, citrus, lemon, green fruit, green apple, med+ length, med alcohol, savoury, lees
All in all: Very good quality: expressive savoury flavours find themselves on the palate, leaving a long length. The nose isn’t as complex, but there are still some earthy components there. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: High-priced Non-Vintage Cava from Spain.
Is really: Premium Vintage (2007) Franciacorta from Italy.

2007 Bellavista Franciacorta Gran Cuvée[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 5]

Franciacorta! I only remember having one in the past – Ca’ del Bosco (Cuvée Prestige), which is, I believe, the most well-known Franciacorta producer along with Bellavista.… read more

WSET Diploma

“Starlight” – Muse (Vitamin String Quartet Cover): NV Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Champagne Grand Cru

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med gold, bubbles
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developing, mineral, citrus, lemon, ripe apple, yeast, autolysis, biscuit, brioche
Mouth: dry, creamy mousse, med body, med+ acid, med+ length, med alcohol, med+ flavour intensity, nuts, apple, citrus, lemon, mineral, bread, nuts, autolysis, bread, brioche, not super toasty
All in all: Very good quality: the sparkling wine isn’t super autolytic though the traditional method complexity is there. There is a fair amount of intensity along with a long length. Drink now, not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: High-priced Non-Vintage New World Traditional Method Sparkling.
Is really: Premium Non-Vintage Champagne.

NV Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Champagne Grand Cru[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 5]

Not fair. If you put this wine right after a toastnutbomb-y vintage Champagne, of course I’d get it wrong. … read more

WSET Diploma

“Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550” – Mozart: 2002 Pierre Paillard Champagne Grand Cru

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med+ gold, bubbles
Nose: clean, pronounced intensity, developing, ripe red apple, autolysis, citrus, lemon, nuts, butter, hint tropical fruit, bread, caramel, mushroom, honey
Mouth: dry, creamy mousse, med body, med+ acid, long length, med+ flavour intensity, med alcohol, nuts, bread, caramel, ripe red apple, butter, lemon, mineral, oxidized characteristics on finish
All in all: Very good (to outstanding) quality: the wine is complex, with no shortage of expressive aromas on both the nose and palate. The finish persists with hints of tertiary nuttiness and the wine is well-balanced, though the alcohol is slightly imbalanced. Can drink now, but has potential for short-term ageing.
Identity Guess: Premium Vintage Champagne.
Is really: Premium Vintage (2002) Champagne.

2002 Pierre Paillard Champagne Grand Cru[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 5]

Boom.… read more

Life · WSET Diploma

WSET Diploma – Section 2 – Week 4

Posted on by Josh

Jan 29-30, 2014

What happened to the good ol’ days when I actually used to talk about what I learned in WSET class? We’re virtually halfway for sessions this unit, and I feel like I haven’t even studied anything yet. Today’s sparkling-centric class mainly concerned the vineyard, where the main topics included grape varieties and vinification. Fun stuff. The cue cards have begun, and learning which diseases that each grape is susceptible to is sort of fun in a stupid way.

We tasted a Californian blanc de noirs, a vintage Champagne, a Riesling Deutscher Sekt, a Cava with a large proportion of Chardonnay, a Cava with very little Chardonnay, and a sparkling Vouvray (this one was corked). Analyzing sparkling wine is evidently becoming a little more tricky than analyzing still wines.… read more

WSET Diploma

“Thrift Shop” – Macklemore: NV Parés Baltà Cava Brut

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med lemon, bubbles
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developing, yeastiness, rubber, earth, slight herbaceous, mineral, citrus, green apple, citrus, skunky
Mouth: dry, aggressive bubbles, med body, med+ acid, med intensity, med- alcohol, dry and savoury finish, citrus, earth, apple skin, citrus, green apple, herbs, med+ length
All in all: Good quality: this traditional style of Cava has a long and earthy length framed by structure, though the overall character is relatively uncomplicated. Drink now, not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: Mid-priced Non-Vintage Cava from Spain.
Is really: Mid-priced Non-Vintage Cava from Spain.

NV Parés Baltà Cava Brut[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 4]

This was a Cava that I definitely expected to be Cava, in a contrast to the cleaner and more steely style that we tried right before this one.… read more

WSET Diploma

Muscled jerk at the beach: NV Codorniu “Anna de Cordoniu” Cava Brut

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clean, med- lemon, bubbles
Nose: clean, med- intensity, youthful, green apple, citrus, mineral, pear, hints of stone fruit, hint yeastiness
Mouth: dry, aggressive mousse, med acid, med- body, med- alcohol, med- intensity, green apple, citrus, hint bitterness, med length, pear, lemon, green apple, melon
All in all: Good quality: though well-balanced and clean, the wine seems a bit simple and short. Drink now, not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: Inexpensive Non-Vintage Sekt from Germany.
Is really: Mid-priced Non-Vintage Cava from Spain.

NV Codorniu "Anna de Cordoniu" Cava[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 4]

Though I find myself agreeing with most of the write-ups and wine spiels in Tom Stevenson’s sparkling wine bible, this is one of those moments where I straight-up just don’t.… read more

WSET Diploma

“Love Shack” – The B-52s: NV Dr. Loosen Sparkling Riesling

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med lemon-green, bubbles
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, rubber, petrol, mineral, citrus, stone fruit, peach, apricot, apple, apple skin
Mouth: off-dry, creamy mousse, med+ intensity, med body, med alcohol, med+ acid, citrus, rubber, mineral, apple skin, stone fruit, med length. stony finish
All in all: Good quality: the sweeter and simple ripe stone fruits are balanced well with the bright acid, bubble, and Riesling mineral tones. Average length. Drink now, not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: Mid-priced Non-Vintage New World sparkling wine.
Is really: Mid-priced Non-Vintage Deutscher Sekt from Germany.

NV Dr. Loosen Sparkling Riesling[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 4]

Disclaimer: I liked this. Bite me.

This was the third wine in our six-wine flight and it was obvious that the first two were a traditionally-made blanc de noirs and a traditionally-made blanc de blancs.… read more

WSET Diploma

“Minuet” – Luigi Boccherini: 2006 Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Brut

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med lemon, bubbles
Nose: clean, pronounced intensity, developing, brioche, hint butter, baked apple, vanilla, citrus, yeast, biscuit
Mouth: dry, creamy mousse, med+ intensity, high acid, med- body, med alcohol, long length, ripe citrus, hint butter, brioche, baked apple, biscuit, slightly oxidized and nutty finish
All in all: Very good quality: high acid frames the surprisingly plusher mid-palate, while a concentrated palate persists on the oxidized finish. Though there is a fair bit of tertiary character, the wine could have a bit more complexity. Can drink now, but has potential for short-term ageing.
Identity Guess: Premium Non-Vintage Blanc de Blancs Champagne.
Is really: Premium Vintage Blanc de Blancs Champagne.

2006 Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Brut[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 4]

Ahh.… read more

WSET Diploma

“Embers” – Just Jack: NV Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale onion skin, bubbles
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developing, hint yeast, citrus, hint brioche, floral, red apple, hint red fruit, red berry, spice
Mouth: dry, creamy mousse, med+ acid, med body, med alcohol, mineral, med flavour intensity, hint yeast, mineral, citrus, hint red fruit, med length
All in all: Very good quality: a balanced structure supports a fair amount of secondary characteristics. Flavours are intense and present but don’t have more than an average length.
Identity Guess: Premium Non-Vintage Blanc de Noirs Champagne.
Is really: Premium Non-Vintage Blanc de Noirs Sparkling Wine from California.

NV Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 4]

Austere Champagne really does call for the pairing of either the equally austere string-driven royal classical numbers, OR, what I personally deem the quasi royal-ish equivalents of frowned-upon current times.… read more

WSET Diploma

NV Domaine Breton “La Dilettante” Vouvray Brut (corked bottle)

Posted on by Josh

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 4]

[Retried a proper bottle during the next class (Week 5)]

Unfortunately the bottle was corked! A big shame since it’s always nice to retry wines that were previously had in the past, especially with more tools under the tasting belt. Among other things, I’m pretty bad at detecting TCA unless it’s it’s a purple elephant in the glass – I was pretty sure with this one but at the same time I was doubting it. Huzzah – corked. I knew something was up.

NV Domaine Breton "La Dilettante" Vouvray Brut

Producer: Domaine Breton
Designation: “La Dilettante”, Brut
Region: France
Sub-Region: Vouvray, Touraine, Loire
Variety: Chenin Blanc
ABV: 12%
Vintage: NV
Tasted: January 24, 2014
Price: $39

… read more