Tasting Training for WSET Level 4, Units D4 + D5 - Session 6 (Madeira, non-blind)
Tasted Wednesday, October 13, 2021 by PSPatrick with 136 views
Introduction
As opposed to my usual tasting notes, I have written these tasting notes in accordance with the "WSET Level 4 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine".
The notes may hence seem technical for readers not applying the same tasting grid. Also, the WSET system has a different approach to the ageability of wines than I personally do. Consequently, while I typically age most of my wines, in the WSET system most wines are not expected to "improve" in bottle and even a wine that will hold or keep but not necessarily gain in complexity is hence considered "not suitable for further aging in bottle". Also, the WSET quality classifications of poor, acceptable, good, very good, and outstanding do not fully correspond to the 100-point scale used on CT. Please bear this in mind when reading these notes.
NV Henriques & Henriques Madeira Rainwater 87 Points
Portugal, Madeira
Wine 1: The wine has a light amber colour. The intensity of the nose is medium, aromas include dried apricot, dried apple, almond, toffee, and coffee.
On the palate the wine is medium-sweet, with medium(+) acidity, high alcohol and a medium(-) body. The flavour intensity is medium(+), flavours include dried apricot, dried apple, almond, walnut, toffee, coffee, burned sugar, and salty caramel. The finish is medium. The wine has an oily texture and tastes salty. The alcohol is lightly warming.
This is a good quality wine since it shows good complexity, has good balance of sweetness and acidity, and has medium length. To be considered being of very good quality it would need greater complexity and greater length.
This wine is ready to drink. It will keep for a number of years thanks to its good acidity and high levels of sugar and alcohol, but it was bottled mature and will not benefit from additional ageing and is hence not suitable for further ageing in bottle.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Blandy's Madeira Sercial 5 Years Old 87 Points
Portugal, Madeira
Wine 2: The wine's colour is medium gold. The nose has medium(-) intensity and shows aromas of dried peach, caramel, almond, walnut, coffee and chocolate.
On the palate the wine is medium-sweet, with highacidity, high alcohol and a medium(+) body. The flavour intensity is medium(+), flavours mirror the nose and include dried peach, caramel, almond, walnut, honey, coffee and chocolate. The finish has medium(-) length.
This is a good quality wine since it has medium complexity and good balance of acidity and sweetness, and medium(-) length at least. To be considered being of very good quality the wine would need better integration of the alcohol, greater complexity and greater length.
The wine has been matured in oxidative and warm conditions. It will hence keep on its current level for a number of years, but will not improve, and is hence to be considered not suitable for further ageing in bottle.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Barbeito Madeira Sercial Old Reserve 10 Years Old 90 Points
Portugal, Madeira
Wine 3: The wine's colour is medium gold. The wine has medium intensity of aromas on the nose. Aromas include dried apricot, almond, walnut, caramel, toffee and coffee.
On the palate the wine is medium-dry, with high acidity, high alcohol, and a medium body. The intensity of flavours is medium(+), flavours mirror the nose and include dried apricot, almond, walnut, caramel, toffee and coffee. The alcohol is well-integrated, the texture is oily, the wine has medium(+) length.
This is a very good quality wine since it has very good complexity, very good concentration, very good balance of sweetness and acidity, and very good length. To be considered being of outstanding quality the wine would need even greater complexity and even greater length.
The wine has been matured in oxidative and warm conditions. Thanks to this maturation and to his high acidity and high alcohol it will keep on this level for many years, but it will not improve, and is hence to be considered not suitable for further ageing in bottle.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Cossart Gordon & Co. Madeira Verdelho 5 Years Old 86 Points
Portugal, Madeira
Wine 4: The wine has a medium amber colour. The nose has medium(-) intensity and shows aromas of walnut, almond, toffee and caramel.
The palate is medium-sweet, with high acidity, high alcohol, and a medium body. The flavour intensity is medium. The alcohol is warming, the finish is short and alcoholic, with a sugary aftertaste.
This is an acceptable quality wine since it has no major flaws and shows some aromatic complexity. However, the overall impression is simple, and to be considered being of good quality the wine would need greater complexity, better integration of the alcohol, and better intensity of aromas and flavours.
The wine has been matured in oxidative and in warm conditions. Thanks to this maturation and to his high acidity and high alcohol it will keep on this level for a few years, but it will not improve, and is hence to be considered not suitable for further ageing in bottle.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Barbeito Madeira Verdelho 10 Years Old Reserve 91 Points
Portugal, Madeira
Wine 5: The wine's colour is deep gold. The nose has medium intensity and offers aromas of dried apple, dried peach, almond, walnut, coffee, toffee, caramel and chocolate.
On the palate the wine is medium-sweet, with high acidity, high alcohol and a medium(+) body. The intensity of flavours is medium(+), flavours mirror the nose and again include dried apple, dried peach, almond, walnut, coffee, toffee, caramel and chocolate. The wine has a smooth and oily texture, the alcohol is very-well integrated, the finish is long.
This is an outstanding quality wine since it has very good complexity on the nose and palate, very good balance of sweetness an acidity, good balance of fruit and acidity, very good integration of the alcohol, and a long finish.
The wine has been matured in oxidative and warm conditions. Thanks to this maturation and to his high acidity and high alcohol it will keep on this level for many years, but it will not improve, and is hence to be considered not suitable for further ageing in bottle.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Henriques & Henriques Madeira Finest Full Rich, 5 years old 87 Points
Portugal, Madeira
Wine 6: The wine has a medium brown colour. The intensity of aromas is medium. Aromas are mostly tertiary and include raisin, walnut, hazelnut, coffee, caramel and toffee.
On the palate the wine is sweet, with medium(+) acidity, high alcohol and a medium body. The flavour intensity is medium, flavours are mostly tertiary and include walnut, coffee, toffee, caramel, burned sugar and honey. The finish has medium length. The wine's texture is lightly creamy, the alcohol is lightly warming.
This is a good quality wine since it shows medium complexity, has a smooth, creamy texture, and has medium length. To be considered being of very good quality the wine would need greater complexity and greater length.
This wine is ready to drink. It will keep for a number of years thanks to its good acidity and high levels of sugar and alcohol, but it was bottled mature and will not benefit from additional ageing and is hence not suitable for further ageing in bottle.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Justino's Madeira Boal 10 Years Old 88 Points
Portugal, Madeira
Wine 7: The wine has a medium amber colour. The nose has medium intensity and shows aromas of walnut, roasted almond, toffee, coffee, caramel and VA.
On the palate the wine is sweet, with high acidity, high alcohol, and a medium body. The flavour intensity is medium, flavours are tertiary and include walnut, roasted almond, toffee, coffee and caramel. The wine has a creamy texture, the alcohol is warming, the finish has medium length.
This is a good quality wine since it has medium complexity, medium intensity and medium length. To be considered being of very good quality it would need better integration of the alcohol and greater length.
The wine has been matured in oxidative conditions. Thanks to this maturation and to its high acidity and high alcohol it will keep on this level for a few years, but it will not improve, and is hence to be considered not suitable for further ageing in bottle.
NB: Much less convincing than a bottle I tasted five years ago.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Cossart Gordon & Co. Madeira Bual 15 Years Old 89 Points
Portugal, Madeira
Wine 8: The colour is deep gold. The nose has medium(-) intensity and shows aromas of walnut, almond, toffee, caramel and coffee.
On the palate the wine is sweet, with high acidity, high alcohol and a medium body. The flavour intensity is medium(+), flavours include walnut, almond, toffee, caramel and coffee. The texture is creamy. The alcohol is warming. The finish has medium(+) length.
This is a very good quality wine since it has good intensity on the palate, good balance of sweetness and acidity, and very good length. To be considered being of outstanding quality the wine would need greater complexity and better integration of the alcohol.
The wine has been matured in oxidative conditions. Thanks to this maturation and to the wine's high acidity and high alcohol it will keep on this level for a few years, but it will not improve, and is hence to be considered not suitable for further ageing in bottle.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Justino's Madeira Malvasia 10 Years Old 90 Points
Portugal, Madeira
Wine 9: The wine has a medium amber colour. The intensity of aromas is medium, aromas include dried fruit (dried apricot), walnut, toffee, caramel, coffee, chocolate and VA.
On the palate the wine is sweet, with high acidity, high alcohol and a full body. The intensity of flavours is pronounced, flavours include dried fruit (dried apricot), walnut, toffee, caramel, coffee and chocolate. The alcohol is integrated well, the texture is creamy, the finish has medium(+) length.
This is an outstanding quality wine since it has good balance of sweetness and acidity, great intensity on the palate, great concentration and well-integrated alcohol.
The wine has been matured in oxidative conditions. Thanks to this maturation and to its high acidity and high alcohol it will keep on this level for many years, but it will not improve, and is hence to be considered not suitable for further ageing in bottle.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue