Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, youthful, red fruit, cherry, spice, earth, game, cola, white pepper, oak, savoury
Mouth: dry, med body, med- acidity, earth, med- fine tannin, med flavour intensity, med+ alcohol, game, red fruits, cherry, slightly herbal, med length
All in all: Good quality: a moderate complexity is held up by a softer structure. Lacks a bit of concentration, but is still enjoyable. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.

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

This poor little wine was shoved within the last 5 or so minutes we had of the class, and it was also bought with the intention to display some for of a Grenache and Syrah dominated blend (i.e.… read more

WSET Diploma

2007 Delas “Les Clos” Crozes-Hermitage

June 8, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med+ ruby, garnet rim
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developing, leather, game, soy, oxidizzled
Mouth: dry, med body, med+ acid, med- fine tannin, med+ flavour intensity, med+ length
All in all: Graced with the likes of oxidizzlement. I mean oxidation.

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

Premature oxidation, unfortunately. Had a nutty stewed smell, though, sort of like a chestnut ale. Would one day love to retry this.

Producer: Delas
Designation: N/A
Region: France
Sub-Region: Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône Valley
Variety: Syrah
ABV: 13%
Vintage: 2007
Tasted: June 5, 2013
Price: $60

WSET Diploma

2009 Château L’Argilus du Roi Saint-Estèphe

June 7, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

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.

[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

June 7, 2013November 16, 2015 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.

[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

2011 Louis Latour Pinot Noir Bourgogne

May 28, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clean, med- ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med- intensity, youthful, red fruits, cherry, earth
Mouth: dry, med- body, high acid, med- fine tannin, med alcohol, med+ length, med flavour intensity, cherries, strawberries, earth
All in all: Good quality: a well-balanced high acidity cleanses the comparatively simple aromas and slightly bitter finish, but good concentration is delivered despite the light body. Drink now: not suitable for ageing.

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 7]

A wine selected by the instructor within our series of wines to illustrate the idea of pasteurization, and probably flash pasteurization in this case (confirmed as per the cute website), where the wine is heated up to a high temperature for a small amount of time to kill all the extras we don’t need, whether they be yeasts, bacteria, or some other organism I’ll need to know about for the exam.… read more

WSET Diploma

2011 G. Descombes Morgon

May 27, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, developing, red fruits, raspberry, cherry, earthiness, spice, floral
Mouth: dry, med- body, high acid, med fine tannin, med alcohol, med length, med flavour intensity, red fruits, floral
All in all: Good quality: a good balance is evident in the well-integrated high acidity. Although the flavour characteristics need a bit more time to show their best, the wine is elegant, being light but concentrated in the flavours, despite having a mere med length (although some said med+). Drink now, but has potential for short-term ageing.

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 7]

I’m a big fan of the earthier Beaujolais crus, the ones I encounter being Juliénas, Moulin-à-Vent, and Morgon.… read more

WSET Diploma

2011 Christophe Pacalet Beaujolais-Villages

May 17, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med+ ruby, purple rim
Nose: clean, med intensity, youthful, red fruit, black cherry, juicy raspberry, spice, floral, grapey
Mouth: dry, high acid, med- tannin, med alcohol, med- body, med flavour intensity, grapey, cherry, juicy, med length
All in all: Good quality: the high acidity and tongue-coating brightness is well balanced; 100 percent ambient yeast gives a lovely complexity. The finish could be longer, and the mid-palate seems a little hollow.
Identity guess: Mid-priced Beaujolais-Villages from France; 2 years old.
Is really: Mid-priced Beaujolais-Villages from France; 2 years old.

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 6]

YES.

Let the record show that I actually guessed this wine correctly right down to the very wine – it was the only wine during the class in which I didn’t really second guess the grape, region, or any other factor.… read more

Quaffing

2009 Château du Bois de la Salle “Les Armoiries” Juliénas

May 13, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, earth, cinnamon, red fruits, cherry, raspberry, white pepper, floral, hints of smoke
Mouth: dry, med bodied, high acid, med fine tannin, med flavour intensity, med+ finish, med alcohol, raspberries, spice
All in all: Good quality: amazingly woven acid and a persisting earthy red fruit flavour show good quality, but a relatively simple combination of aromas and a slight alcohol imbalance are the negative points. Drink now, but has potential for short term ageing.

Sometimes chunky Beaujolais is what I want after a bittersweet day. An area known for its bright and cheery red fruit is met with a fair amount of earthy sass in the Gamay grape of some of the ten Beaujolais crus (like Juliénas). … read more

WSET Diploma

2009 Baron Philippe de Rothschild “Baron Nathaniel” Pauillac

May 3, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, blackberry, plum, spice, oak, cola, earth, mint, eucalyptus
Mouth: dry, med+ acid, med+ coarse tannin, med+ alcohol, med body, med flavour intensity, long finish, savoury, black cherry, black fruits
All in all: Good quality (apparently on the higher end of such): a long finish is complemented by a balanced structure. Age can both add character to the average complexity and soften the slightly rough tannin. Can drink now, but has potential for ageing.
Identity guess: High-priced Merlot from Chile; 2 years old. (although I was TRICKED, I TELL YOU)
Is really: High-priced left bank Bordeaux from France; 4 years old.

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 4]

Hi.… read more

WSET Diploma

2011 Barton & Guestier The Pairing Collection “Lobster and Shrimp” Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine

April 27, 2013November 16, 2015 by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale lemon (almost water white), legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, youthful, citrus, lime, slight green vegetal note, green apple
Mouth: dry, med+ acid, med- alcohol, med- body, light flavour intensity, med length, citrus, lemon, mineral
All in all: Good quality: light without being dilute with good med+ acid structure despite elegance. The flavour characteristics are simple, though, and the alcohol isn’t perfectly woven into the wine. Drink now, not suitable for ageing.
Identity guess: Mid-priced Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley, France; 2 years old.
Is really: Mid-priced Muscadet (Sèvre-et-Maine) from the Loire Valley, France; 2 years old.

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

It’s been a long while since I’ve had Muscadet.… read more

@sommeligay

Tag: France

2009 Chateau du Trignon Sablet Côtes du Rhone Villages

2007 Delas “Les Clos” Crozes-Hermitage

2009 Château L’Argilus du Roi Saint-Estèphe

2011 Thierry Germain “Cep by Cep” Saumur-Champigny

2011 Louis Latour Pinot Noir Bourgogne

2011 G. Descombes Morgon

2011 Christophe Pacalet Beaujolais-Villages

YES.

2009 Château du Bois de la Salle “Les Armoiries” Juliénas

2009 Baron Philippe de Rothschild “Baron Nathaniel” Pauillac

2011 Barton & Guestier The Pairing Collection “Lobster and Shrimp” Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine