WSET Diploma Practice Tasting - Various Combinations

More practice tasting with the team.

Chablis against a Cote d'Or from the Code de Nuits end, so quite far north. The Chablis had higher acidity and great finesse, the Marsannay was quite reach and also more developed despite being younger.

• 2009 Domaine Billaud-Simon Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  The wine is clear and pale lemon in colour.
  The nose is clean with medium (+) intensity aromas of citrus (lemon), green fruit (apple, pear, quince), floral (white blossom, honeysuckle), other (wet stone, flint), lees (waxy, dough), tertiary (smoke, nuts). The wine is developing.
  The palate is dry with high acidity, medium alcohol, medium body, pronounced intensity flavours of lemon, apple, flint, smoke, nuts, almonds, pastry. The finish is medium (+) length.
  The wine is very good quality. The acidity balances the fruit concentration, which has complexity from primary, secondary and tertiary flavour clusters. The wine has great finesse but the finish is a little short to be outstanding.
  The wine can be drunk now but is suitable for further ageing (3-5 years). It has the primary fruit concentration supported by the acid structure to allow further tertiary development.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2010 Huguenot Père & Fils Marsannay Blanc 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Marsannay

  The wine is clear and medium lemon in colour.
  The nose is clean with pronounced intensity aromas of citrus (grapefruit, lemon pie), stone fruit (peach, nectarine), yellow fruit (apple), oak (vanilla, toast), mlf (cream) and tertiary development (hazelnuts, smoke). The wine is developing.
  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium alcohol, medium (+) body, medium (+) intensity flavours of grapefruit, cooked apple, peach, nectarine, vanilla, cream, smoke, nuts. The finish is medium (+).
  The wine is very good quality. The acidity is balanced by the fruit and it is has complexity from primary, secondary and tertiary flavours clusters, It has power but lacks finesse. The concentration on the palate and the length of the finish are slightly short and stop it being outstanding.
  The wine should be drunk now (next 12-18 months) and is not suitable for further ageing. The fruit appears to be starting to fade on the palate and is therefore unlikely to develop significantly more tertiary characteristics.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Good to taste and compare several naked whites. The Rioja appeared to be the least naked but was served very cold, which definitely suppressed the flavours. The Chenin Blanc had higher acidity, tropical fruit and clear chennin characteristics (waxy, honey). The Californian Chardonnay had signature ripe fruit and vanilla oak.

• 2014 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Blanco 86 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  The wine is clear and pale lemon in colour.
  The nose is clean with medium intensity aromas of citrus (lemon), stone fruit (peaches), tropical fruit (melon), floral (white blossom), oak (vanilla, toast). The wine is youthful.
  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium alcohol, medium body, medium intensity flavours of lemon, peaches, melon, blossom, vanilla. The finish is medium (-).
  The wine is good quality. It has a straightforward fruit driven profile with fairly subtle oak, which is well integrated. It lacks concentration, complexity and length of finish.
  The wine should be drunk now and is not suitable for further ageing. The fruit is likely to fade leaving just the acidity and it will not develop tertiary complexity with time.
  Note to self: We drank this rather too cold, which definitely masked the flavours and led me to marking it down overall.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2014 Kleine Zalze Chenin Blanc Vineyard Selection 87 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  The wine is clear and medium lemon in colour.
  The nose is clean with pronounced intensity aromas of ripe fruit such as green fruit (green apple), tropical fruit (pineapple), other (wax, honey, lees), oak (vanilla, toast), mlf (butter), spice (white pepper). The wine is youthful.
  The wine is dry with medium (+) acidity, high alcohol, medium (+) body, medium (+) intensity aromas of pineapple, honey, toast, cream. It has a slight petillence. The finish is medium length.
  The wine is good quality. The acid and fruit are well balanced and the oak is nicely integrated and not to dominant. It shows good typicity for an oaked chenin blanc. However it lacks complexity and length to be anything more than good.
  The wine should be drunk now (next 12-18 months) and is not suitable for further ageing. It lacks the fruit and acid structure to allow development of tertiary flavours before the fruit fades, leaving just the acid.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2012 Geyser Peak Chardonnay Block Collection Water Bend 87 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

  The wine is clear and pale lemon in colour.
  The nose is clean with medium (+) intensity ripe fruit aromas of stone fruit (peace, nectarine), tropical fruit (melon), oak (vanilla, toast), mlf (butter), hint of nuts from tertiary development. The wine is developing.
  The wine is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium (+) alcohol, medium (+) body, medium (+) intensity flavours of peach, nectarine, melon, vanilla, butter, nuts. The finish is medium (+).
  The wine is good quality. The acid balances the fruit, which has moderate intensity and some complexity from primary and secondary flavour clusters. It is very typical of a Californian oak-aged chardonnay. The oak is however a bit too dominant and overall the wine lacks complexity to be rated very good.
  The wine should be drunk now (over the next 18 months) and is not suitable for further ageing. It has not started to develop any significant tertiary flavours and the fruit is likely to fade before it does so, leaving just the acid and oak.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Nothing really to say about these. All good examples of their type.

• 2014 Inama Soave Classico Vigneto du Lot 89 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Soave Classico

  The wine is clear and medium lemon in colour.
  The nose is clean with medium (+) intensity aromas of citrus (lemon, lemon zest), floral (honeysuckle, elderflower), stone fruit (peach, apricot), hint of nuts (almonds). The wine is youthful.
  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium alcohol, medium body, medium (+) intensity flavours of lemon, honeysuckle, peach, apricot, cream. The finish is medium (+).
  The wine is very good quality. The acid balances the fruit, which has good intensity and complexity from several primary flavour clusters. It lacks a little length to be outstanding.
  The wine should be drunk now and is not suitable for further ageing. This is a wine that is best enjoyed with primary fruit flavours and it is unlikely that any tertiary flavours will develop, rather the wine will fade to leave just the acid backbone.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2014 Viticultori Associati Canicattì Nero d'Avola La Ferla 86 Points

  Italy, Sicily, Sicilia

  The wine is clear and medium purple in colour.
  The nose is clean with medium intensity aromas of simple ripe red fruits (cherry, strawberry, raspberry) and spice (liquorice). The wine is youthful.
  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium ripe tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, medium intensity flavours of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, liquorice. The finish is medium.
  The wine is good quality. It has straightforward red fruit character of moderate intensity, which is balanced by the acidity. It lacks complexity and the finish is of only moderate length.
  The wine should be drunk now and is not suitable for further ageing. This is a wine best enjoyed in its youth before the fruit starts to fade.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2014 Terredora di Paolo Falanghina Campania IGT 88 Points

  Italy, Campania, Campania IGT

  Clear, pale lemon
  Clean, medium intensity aromatic aromas of lime, green apple, apricot, tropical fruit (melon), mineral, white pepper. The wine is youthful.
  The palate is fry with high acidity, medium alcohol, medium body, medium (+) intensity flavours of apricot, lime, green apple, melon, mineral. The finish is medium (+).
  The wine is very good quality.
  The wine should be drunk now and is not suitable for further ageing.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue