Tag: Red

Life · WSET Diploma

WSET Diploma – Unit 3 – Week 18: Workshop #4

Posted on by Josh

Because I skipped Workshop #3 for drunk studying.

Like I know I’m supposed to be pseudo-sentimental right now because it’s the last class of WSET ever, but all I can think of is how much material I have to learn until the exam in June. Holy shit. I really need to make a study plan. That I won’t end up sticking to. Ugh.

Life has been on the rise in a vague way. A good (wine) friend has moved to the other end of the country which really sucks, but it was a good sendoff.

2005 Coulée de Serrant = amazing. 2006 Elderton Botrytis Semillon = amazing. Everything in between = amazing. Taxi rides home, hugs in between. Background violin – no, cello – solo. … read more

Life · WSET Diploma

WSET Diploma – Unit 3 – Week 17: Southern France & South America

Posted on by Josh

I just realized that this is the penultimate WSET diploma class ever, and the next Monday will be the last, so perhaps I’ll temporarily be free from making these posts instead of legit studying. It’s almost been exactly two years since I started the diploma. WOAH DUDES. I’ll save more I-can’t-believe-it’s-been-this-long-etc-etc-omg sentiments for next week.

My best friend’s birthday was on the 4th and he planned some long string of activities including pool, clubbing, and other miscellaneous turnt-esque activities. Still not feeling life, generally, so I stayed for just the first bit, which means I attempted the geometrically bro-y activity of pool (after much external convincing) while studying German flash cards on my phone when people weren’t looking. I went home after that to watch The Grand Budapest Hotel and drink Alsatian Gewurztraminer in lieu of clubbing (sorry Chris) which raised my mood in the slightest. … read more

Life · WSET Diploma

WSET Diploma – Unit 3 – Week 16: Spain

Posted on by Josh

Fun: wine fest, sort of.

Not fun: PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. I’m debating whether or not I should squeeze another post dedicated to the Wine Fest 2015 because that’s what I’ve done in the past, but I feel like I’m being a late bitch.

I mean, these posts should be good enough. Right? Meh. Fun:
Decades Apart
Shiraz: Aussie Superstar
All About Syrah
Mod Oz

Not fun: falling right back into wine class right after wine fest.

Fun: Spanish wine, and definitely ignoring half the lecture to write in my journal because I’m a bad student.

Not fun: Having an odd week-long and spirit-encompassing feeling of wanting to do nothing, including sleep or eat or work. Not sad or happy or tired or angry, just a state of existing.… read more

Life · Tasting

Vancouver International Wine Festival 2015: “Mod Oz”

Posted on by Josh

It just feels slightly unfortunate that this seminar didn’t sell out – I mean, if the idea of Australian Shiraz is being purportedly tired, why aren’t we getting excited about every other fucking grape that can be grown there? Did you see Australian Grüner Veltliner coming? The answer is no. You didn’t.

I mean yes – I tire my face out by tensing my eye sockets and resisting an eye roll every time someone says they “don’t like Australian wine”, which is somewhat fair considering that the market can be saturated with its own stereotypes. I suppose it’s just good business sense, but there’s so much potential past the generic back-of-the-bottle tasting notes that preach deep berry fruit, “smooth”, and an empty promise that it’ll pair well with barbecue.… read more

Life · Tasting

Vancouver International Wine Festival 2015: “All About Syrah”

Posted on by Josh

Legit tried to give my ticket away or sell it just hours before like a chump, because the previous day’s Australian Shiraz tasting made me seriously question what possessed me to buy a ticket to an event where I was subject to taste eleven more Syrah wines. No ma’am. I couldn’t even give my ticket away to someone for free, as he reluctantly looked at me as if I’d just knocked on his door and asked if his life had been saved by Syrah yet.

I thought it was a bad sign when some sort of false fire alarm went off right when the beginning of the event rolled around. As soon as I was going to test if the rhythm would match up with an Iggy Azalea song, the blaring Windows 98-like noises stopped.… read more

Life · Tasting

Vancouver International Wine Festival 2015: “Shiraz: Aussie Superstar”

Posted on by Josh

Legit just took some Tums right now because the ride home was a sketchy acidic one. Maybe ask the woman who sat to my right at the seminar because she didn’t spit anything she tasted, but I guess that weird cheesy number I had for lunch didn’t really do me any favours. But yes: I wasn’t exactly super stoked about a seminar that had to do with 12 glasses of mouth-destroying Shiraz, but sometimes the best way to appreciate something so seemingly daunting is just to go for it. Just jump right into the pool of tannin and rip the bandaid off, maybe packing a toothbrush in your bag for later. Which I almost legit did, because I want my teeth to look decent and not like they belong to a Disney villain.… read more

Life · Tasting

Vancouver International Wine Festival 2015: “Decades Apart”

Posted on by Josh

I’m feeling inconveniently gross because I was supposed to study the rest of Australia last night, so it seemed like a good idea when my best friend posed the idea of doing some late night work together at a café. We drove around, and the few places we could think of were all full at 9PM on a Tuesday, so we thought we could grab a small bite at the Union before heading back out to scout a place to get some shit done.

It was not a small bite. We did not do work afterwards.

Long story short: it’s the day after. I’m tired and gross and for some reason I decided to wear this really thick button-up because I’ve been saving it for semi-relevant moments like these, and I’m thanking God that there isn’t a saccharine Chardonnay in the flight that raises my body temperature by a few degrees.… read more

Life · Quaffing

Pre-Vancouver International Wine Fest 2015

Posted on by Josh

Days are leading up to the wine fest. Not that it’s daunting or anything – if that’s how I’m making it seem – but I’m purposefully not training my palate for the Shiraz-fest to come in favour of gracing my mouth with more refreshing whites. I’m sort of mirroring the sunny weather we’ve been having in the form of alcohol, and I find that it also helps to have some inspiring wine when you feel anything but. Yesterday’s Martin Códax “Burgáns” 2010 Rías Baixas ($25) was just that – perhaps not as fresh as it should be at that age, but bringing an unintentional spotlight to its funky hint of brine, along with something that seemed a bit nutty and yeasty amongst its peachy fruit.… read more

Life · WSET Diploma

WSET Diploma – Unit 3 – Week 14: Business of Wine

Posted on by Josh

Woah! I’m feeling mighty uninspired. I think it might have to do with the clouds and rain, which are normally quite nice, but something’s blocking my brain and I feel like I have to obligatorily blame it on the weather. Maybe I need to watch a movie, or go on a mini vacation, or just hug someone for a really long time. It sure is an excuse to get juices flowing with actual alcoholic juice, but I’m going to not because my brain is telling me no. (Which means it’s going to be one can of beer or just a hint of scotch. And then maybe more scotch.)

Two weeks ago, I skipped class on southern Italy to attend an afternoon whisky seminar followed by a sobering nap.… read more

Life · Quaffing · Tasting · WSET Diploma

WSET Diploma – Unit 3 – Week 11: Central Italy

Posted on by Josh

Sangio-crazy.

So on some last Tuesday of some sort, we were supposed to have practice (I love referring to practice blind tasting sessions as such because it sounds like I’m vaguely into sports) but it was cancelled because there’s a bit of a cold going around. The viruses have decided disregard me over the past few months so I’m lucky, and that’s saying something when you’re in retail because you’re basically touching everyone. I’ll get it at the worst time, I’m sure. That one birthday when I invited my friends over but was wrapped up in a blanket the whole time.

I hopped onto the 2015 Vancouver Wine Festival tickets slightly more ravenously than I did for Lady Gaga concert tickets last year, even though I’m not supremely stoked that Australia is the theme country.… read more