Tag: Italy

Quaffing

The Two-Day Crush: 2012 Sacchetto Pinot Nero

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med- ruby, legs, (med viscosity)
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, red fruit, fruity, strawberries, raspberries, earth, mineral, spice, hint cola, jam, floral
Mouth: dry (almost off-dry), med- body, low acidity, med- coarse tannin, med+ flavour intensity, med alcohol, med- length, red fruit, strawberries, hint cherry, mineral, cola, brush of dark fruit, hint herbal, velvety
All in all: (Acceptable to) Good quality: the wine’s strength lies in its hedonistic and varietally correct intensity, though there is a lack in length, complexity, and structure. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.

2012 Sacchetto Pinot NeroFor a bottle surrounded by mostly rustic Italian wines of sour cherry earthiness – here, we have a wine that maybe seems more than a little out of place. … read more

WSET Diploma

2007 Vietti “Masseria” Barbaresco

Posted on by Josh

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

Posted on by Josh

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

Posted on by Josh

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

WSET Diploma

2011 Citra Trebbiano d’Abruzzo

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, pale lemon-green, legs
Nose: clean, med- intensity, youthful, citrus, mineral, lemon, earthy, vegetal
Mouth: dry, med- body, med+ acid, med- alcohol, med- length, med- flavour intensity, mineral, creamy texture, soft, citrus, pear
All in all: Acceptable quality: relatively inoffensive and refreshing, but there seems to be a lack in intensity, concentration, balance, and persistance. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.
Identity guess: Inexpensive (Trebbiano/Pinot Blanc/Viognier) from Alsace; 2 years old.
Is really: Inexpensive Trebbiano from Italy; 2 years old.

2011 Citra Trebbiano d'Abruzzo

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

This was a real tossup between wines one and three in the lineup, because they both seemed rather neutral to me at first, but this wine was clearly of lesser quality.… read more

Quaffing

2011 Andrea Oberto Barbera d’Alba

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med+ ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, developing, earth, spice, dark cherry, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, dried fruit
Mouth: dry, med body, med+ acid, med- tannin, med+ alcohol, med+ finish, earth, spice, dark cherry, sour cherry, tartness, strawberry, med flavour intensity
All in all: Good quality: the length of the wine is relatively long, but the intensity and power of the flavour characteristics are what propel the wine. Unfortunately, both the acid and alcohol are a little bit off balance, and the nose is dominated by a smoky spice which mitigates other complexity. Can drink now, but has potential for short term ageing.

2011 Andrea Oberto Barbera d'AlbaYay! I chose this wine to celebrate my year’s 1st birthday (although let’s be real here this was just an excuse to open something), and so here I am.… read more

WSET Diploma

2006 Ruffino “Riserva Dicale Oro” Chianti Classico Riserva

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep garnet, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developing, spice, oak, stewed red fruit, sour cherry, oak, dried herbs, cola, cedar, leather, smoke, prune
Mouth: dry, med+ bodied, high acid, med tannin, med+ flavour intensity, med alcohol, med+ length, sour cherry, spice, leather
All in all: Very good quality: the components are very well balanced. The high acidity is integrated with the concentrated and complex flavours. The length is long, but the alcohol was slightly imbalanced. Drink now, but has potential for ageing.
Identity guess: High-priced Chianti from Italy; 4 years old.
Is really: Premium Chianti Classico Riserva from Italy; 7 years old.

2006 Ruffino "Riserva Dicale Oro" Chianti Classico Riserva

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 5]

In theory I’ve never really been hot about Chianti.… read more

WSET Diploma

2011 Ruffino Chianti

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med+ ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, youthful, ripe red fruit, cherry, spice, black pepper, dried herbal notes, slight confected note
Mouth: dry, med bodied, med+ acid, med- tannin, med- flavour intensity, med alcohol, med- finish, cherry, red fruit
All in all: Good quality: despite simple characteristics and a relatively short finish, this wine had a well-integrated high acidity that provided structure wish fresh intensity. Drink now; not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: Mid-priced Chianti from Italy; 2 years old.
Crossed that out like a dingus and instead guessed: Mid-priced Beaujolais-Villages from France; 2 years old.
Is really: Mid-priced Chianti from Italy; 2 years old.

2011 Ruffino Chianti

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 1 – Week 5]

I always thought that tasting wines comparatively always helped – and it does – but the strength can also be a pitfall. … 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

WSET Advanced

2009 Pieropan Soave Classico

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med lemon, watery rim
Nose: clean, med- intensity, developing, oak, nutty, floral, stone fruit
Mouth: dry, med body, med acidity, med intensity, med- alcohol, med length, citrus, mineral
All in all: Good quality; drink now.

2009 Pieropan Soave Classico

I’ve read about the definition and forgot about a million times, but the term “classico” refers to the original area in which these wines and grapes originated from. For example, since its inception, places like Chianti have extended to include regions like Chanti Rufina, which generally use the same grapes with different elements of terroir. “Classico” refers to those original areas in Italy.

Although Italian whites are known for their neutrality, they can often have a certain subtle nuttiness to them as well.… read more