Tag: Red

WSET Diploma

2011 Ata Rangi “Crimson” Pinot Noir

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clean, med- ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, red fruit, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, spice, cloves, nutmeg, mushroom, herbal, earthy
Mouth: dry, med body, med+ acid, low fine tannin, med+ alcohol, med length, med+ flavour intensity, red fruits, strawberry, cherry, mushroom, vegetal, baking spice
All in all: Good quality: the balance is generally showing well, especially with the high acidity, but the alcohol shows on the finish. There is also a concentrated amount of fruit and a moderate amount of Burgundy-like complexity.
Identity: Mid-priced (Tempranillo/Barbera/Sangiovese/Pinot Noir/Nebbiolo/Zinfandel) from California; 4 years old.
Is really: High-priced Pinot Noir from New Zealand; 2 years old.

2011 Ata Rangi "Crimson" Pinot Noir

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

We were originally supposed to try an Old World Pinot but it ended up being graced by the likes of TCA.… read more

WSET Diploma

2011 Louis Latour Pinot Noir Bourgogne

Posted on 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.

2011 Louis Latour Pinot Noir Bourgogne

[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

Posted on 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.

2011 G. Descombes Morgon

[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

2008 Eternum Viti “Los Comillos” Toro

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clean (slightly hazy due to sediment), deep ruby, legs
Nose: clear, med+ intensity, developing, oak, vanilla, spice, red fruits, strawberries, black fruits, earth, oak, smoke, bacon, black cherry
Mouth: dry, med+ bodied, high fine tannin, med acid, med alcohol, med+ finish, med+ flavour intensity, red fruit, oak, black cherry, cinnamon, chocolate
All in all: Very good quality: complex developing aromas are help up by a balanced structure worthy of ageing, despite current high and slightly unbalanced tannin. Med+ length.

2008 Eternum Viti "Los Comillos" Toro

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

One of the small tidbits I’ve learned from WSET Advanced is that Toro is known more for their more robust and strong expressions of Tempranillo. A quick flip through my past textbook says that this is due to a thick-skinned clone of Tempranillo (Tinta de Toro).… read more

WSET Diploma

2002 Anciano Tempranillo Gran Reserva

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developing, oak, bright red fruit, spice, strawberries, earth, touch of barnyard, opened up with: mocha, chocolate, cacao
Mouth: dry, med bodied, med fine tannin, med acidity, med+ alcohol, med finish, med+ flavour intensity, strawberry, leather, savoury, oak
All in all: Good quality: the structural components are well-balanced, and the wine is very complex. The alcohol is slightly imbalanced and the length could be longer. Drink now: not suitable for ageing.

2002 Anciano Tempranillo Gran Reserva

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

I didn’t believe it, and even during my first liquor store gig ever, I scoffed when this came onto the shelves. A Gran Reserva for 16 dollars makes the wine-savvy ruffle their eyebrows and go oh-please.… read more

WSET Diploma

2009 Clos de los Siete

Posted on by Josh

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med intensity, developing, earth, musty, pepper, spice, blackberry, black fruits, blueberry, blackcurrant, oak
Mouth: dry, med+ acid, med+ fine tannin, med+ alcohol, med+ body, med+ flavour intensity, blackberry, blueberry, earthy, gamey, savoury, bitter, med+ length
All in all: Good quality: the flavour components are intense and concentrated as is the structure, with a well-integrated acidity and a high level of smooth tannin; however, there is a bit of a bitter finish. Drink now, but has potential for ageing.
Identity guess: High-priced Shiraz from Australia; 2 years old.
Is really: Mid-priced red blend (57% Malbec, 15% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah, 3% Petit Verdot) from Argentina; 4 years old.

2009 Clos de los Siete

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

First off: the label and the name.… read more

WSET Diploma

2011 Christophe Pacalet Beaujolais-Villages

Posted on 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.

2011 Christophe Pacalet Beaujolais-Villages

[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

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

Quaffing

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

Posted on 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.

2009 Château du Bois de la Salle "Les Armoiries" JuliénasSometimes 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

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