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WSET Diploma Practice Tasting - Mixed Bag
Fredericks, Islington
Tasted April 27, 2016 by Andrewbdc with 434 views
Introduction
Mixed bag of practice tasting - notes written in 7 minutes per wine, then discussed in detail. Aim was to assess quality and make a stab at region and grape variety.
Flight 1 - White Wines (2 notes)
Nahe Riesling Spatlese: Typical riesling characteristics; acidity, sweetness suggested Germany, ripe fruit suggested it couldn't be mosel therefore Nahe a better choice. No botyrised characteristic so more likely to be spatlese or auslese.
Burgenland Scheurebe Beerenauslese: Clear botyrised characteristic (marmelade), ripe fruit and medium (+) acidity suggested quite warmer region (not Germany), no oak so unlikely to be Sauternes
White - Off-dry
2005 Weingut Dr. Crusius Traiser Rotenfels Riesling Spätlese
90 points
The wine is clear and pale lemon in colour.
The nose is clean with medium (+) intensity aromas of citrus (lemon, lime), floral (white blossom), stone fruit (peach), other (mineral, wet stones), tertiary (honey, petrol, beeswax). The wine is developing.
The palate is medium sweet with high acidity, low alcohol, medium body, medium (+) intensity flavours of lemon, lime, honey, petrol, white blossom, ginger. The finish is medium (+).
The wine is very good quality. It has the typicity of sweeter style German Riesling. The acid balances the sweetness and the fruit concentration, which is good, and it has complexity from primary and tertiary flavour groups. It lacks enough concentration to be outstanding.
The wine can be drunk now but is suitable for further ageing. It has enough fruit concentration and the acid structure to enable further development of tertiary flavours.
The nose is clean with medium (+) intensity aromas of citrus (lemon, lime), floral (white blossom), stone fruit (peach), other (mineral, wet stones), tertiary (honey, petrol, beeswax). The wine is developing.
The palate is medium sweet with high acidity, low alcohol, medium body, medium (+) intensity flavours of lemon, lime, honey, petrol, white blossom, ginger. The finish is medium (+).
The wine is very good quality. It has the typicity of sweeter style German Riesling. The acid balances the sweetness and the fruit concentration, which is good, and it has complexity from primary and tertiary flavour groups. It lacks enough concentration to be outstanding.
The wine can be drunk now but is suitable for further ageing. It has enough fruit concentration and the acid structure to enable further development of tertiary flavours.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2011 Zantho Scheurebe Beerenauslese
90 points
The wine is clear and medium gold in colour.
The nose is clean with pronounced intensity ripe fruit aromas of tropical fruits (lychee), citrus fruits (orange, marmalade), floral (acacia), stone fruit (peach, apricot), spice (ginger), tertiary (nuts, honey). The wine is developing.
The palate is luscious with medium (+) acidity, low alcohol, medium (+) body, pronounced intensity flavours of orange, marmalade, lychee, apricot, peach, honey, nuts. The finish is long.
The wine is very good quality. It has great fruit concentration, complexity from primary and tertiary flavour groups, and has a long finish. It does however lack a little acidity which makes it slightly unbalanced.
The wine an be drunk now but has the potential for further ageing. It has enough acid structure and certainly enough fruit concentration to continue to develop further tertiary characteristics. However, it is drinking beautifully now with plenty of primary fruit that makes it extremely enjoyable.
The nose is clean with pronounced intensity ripe fruit aromas of tropical fruits (lychee), citrus fruits (orange, marmalade), floral (acacia), stone fruit (peach, apricot), spice (ginger), tertiary (nuts, honey). The wine is developing.
The palate is luscious with medium (+) acidity, low alcohol, medium (+) body, pronounced intensity flavours of orange, marmalade, lychee, apricot, peach, honey, nuts. The finish is long.
The wine is very good quality. It has great fruit concentration, complexity from primary and tertiary flavour groups, and has a long finish. It does however lack a little acidity which makes it slightly unbalanced.
The wine an be drunk now but has the potential for further ageing. It has enough acid structure and certainly enough fruit concentration to continue to develop further tertiary characteristics. However, it is drinking beautifully now with plenty of primary fruit that makes it extremely enjoyable.
Flight 2 - Red Wines (4 notes)
Australian Cab Sav: Menthol characteristic suggested a cabernet base (although this was easy to miss); ripe fruit suggests a new world style; spiciness suggested syrah - need to be careful about this.
Bourgueil Cabernet Franc: Herbaceous and black fruit clearly suggested Cabernet Franc; freshness and acidity suggest cooler climate - Loire
Luberon Grenache/Syrah: Red fruit and high alcohol suggested grenache, black fruit and pepper suggested syrah - in fact a 50/50 blend
Marlborough Pinot Noir: The reductive nature of this bottle made it very hard to identify; I thought the confected red fruit and kirsch suggested carbonic maceration and a Beaujolais Gamay; the reductive character masked the tertiary development much more typical of pinot noir.
Red
2006 Hardys Cabernet Sauvignon HRB D636
90 points
The wine is clear and deep garnet in colour.
The nose is clean with pronounced intensity aromas of ripe black fruit (blackcurrant, plum, black cherry), spice (pepper, liquorice), herbs (menthol), floral (violets), oak (toast, smoke), tertiary development (leather), dried fruit (prune, date). The wine is developing.
The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, high ripe tannins, medium (+) alcohol, medium (+) body, medium (+) flavours of blackcurrant, black cherry, pepper, liquorice, toast, earth, leather. The finish is medium (+).
The wine is very good quality. The acid and tannins balance the fruit, which has good concentration. It has complexity from primary, secondary and tertiary flavour groups. It however lacks a little concentration on the palate and the finish is not as long as would be expected for an outstanding wine.
The wine should be drunk in the next couple of years and is not suitable for further ageing. The fruit appears to be starting to fade and is unlikely to develop much more tertiary characteristics.
The nose is clean with pronounced intensity aromas of ripe black fruit (blackcurrant, plum, black cherry), spice (pepper, liquorice), herbs (menthol), floral (violets), oak (toast, smoke), tertiary development (leather), dried fruit (prune, date). The wine is developing.
The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, high ripe tannins, medium (+) alcohol, medium (+) body, medium (+) flavours of blackcurrant, black cherry, pepper, liquorice, toast, earth, leather. The finish is medium (+).
The wine is very good quality. The acid and tannins balance the fruit, which has good concentration. It has complexity from primary, secondary and tertiary flavour groups. It however lacks a little concentration on the palate and the finish is not as long as would be expected for an outstanding wine.
The wine should be drunk in the next couple of years and is not suitable for further ageing. The fruit appears to be starting to fade and is unlikely to develop much more tertiary characteristics.
Red
2012 Domaine de la Butte Bourgueil Mi-pente
89 points
The wine is clear and medium ruby in colour.
The palate is clean with medium (+) intensity aromas of black fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry), vegetal (blackcurrant leaf, green pepper), oak (clove, nutmeg), tertiary (leather). The wine is developing.
The palate is dry, medium (+) acidity, medium (+) grippy tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, medium (+) intensity, flavours - blackcurrant, blackberry, green pepper, clove, leather. The finish is medium (+).
The wine is very good quality. It has a straightforward fruit profile with some concentration and emerging complexity.
The wine is very good quality. It is good typicity of a loire cabernet franc. The acid and tannins are balanced by the fruit concentration and tertiary complexity is starting to develop. The tannins are still quite grippy but well integrated. The finish is a good length. It lacks enough concentration and length to be outstanding.
The wine can be drunk now but is suitable for further ageing. It needs time for the tannins to soften and it has the structure and fruit concentration to allow further development of tertiary characteristics.
The palate is clean with medium (+) intensity aromas of black fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry), vegetal (blackcurrant leaf, green pepper), oak (clove, nutmeg), tertiary (leather). The wine is developing.
The palate is dry, medium (+) acidity, medium (+) grippy tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, medium (+) intensity, flavours - blackcurrant, blackberry, green pepper, clove, leather. The finish is medium (+).
The wine is very good quality. It has a straightforward fruit profile with some concentration and emerging complexity.
The wine is very good quality. It is good typicity of a loire cabernet franc. The acid and tannins are balanced by the fruit concentration and tertiary complexity is starting to develop. The tannins are still quite grippy but well integrated. The finish is a good length. It lacks enough concentration and length to be outstanding.
The wine can be drunk now but is suitable for further ageing. It needs time for the tannins to soften and it has the structure and fruit concentration to allow further development of tertiary characteristics.
Red
2011 Cave de Lumières Luberon Source Mas des Infermières
86 points
The wine is clear and medium ruby in colour.
The nose is clean with medium intensity ripe red fruits (red cherry, raspberry), black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry), floral (violet), spice (liquorice, white pepper). The wine is youthful.
The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium ripe tannins, high alcohol, medium body, medium intensity flavours of red cherry, raspberry, cassis, blackberry, spice). The finish is medium length.
The wine is good quality. The acidity and tannins balance the fruit, which has a straightforward ripe profile. It lacks complexity, concentration and length.
The wine should be drunk in the next couple of years and is not suitable for further ageing. Despite its age, it is not showing any tertiary development, and the fruit is likely to start to fade, leaving just the structure.
The nose is clean with medium intensity ripe red fruits (red cherry, raspberry), black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry), floral (violet), spice (liquorice, white pepper). The wine is youthful.
The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium ripe tannins, high alcohol, medium body, medium intensity flavours of red cherry, raspberry, cassis, blackberry, spice). The finish is medium length.
The wine is good quality. The acidity and tannins balance the fruit, which has a straightforward ripe profile. It lacks complexity, concentration and length.
The wine should be drunk in the next couple of years and is not suitable for further ageing. Despite its age, it is not showing any tertiary development, and the fruit is likely to start to fade, leaving just the structure.
Red
2014 Brancott Estate Pinot Noir Marlborough
84 points
The wine is clear and pale ruby in colour.
The nose is clean with medium intensity confected red fruit aromas (strawberry, cherry, cranberry), dried fruit (kirsch), hint of banana (possible semi-carbonic maceration?), tertiary flavours (forest floor, vegetal). Quite reductive. The wine is developing.
The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, low ripe tannins, medium (+) alcohol, medium (-) body, medium intensity flavours of red fruits, kirsch, forest floor. The finish is medium (-) length.
The wine is acceptable quality. It has a straightforward red fruit profile. The acidity balances the fruit. Finish, complexity and concentration are all lacking and the reductive component is too dominant.
The wine should be drunk now and is not suitable for ageing - it lacks the fruit concentration to develop any further tertiary profile and is likely to fade, leaving the acidity to dominate.
I wonder if this was a poor bottle given the other tasting notes, but I certainly found this difficult to rate and identify.
The nose is clean with medium intensity confected red fruit aromas (strawberry, cherry, cranberry), dried fruit (kirsch), hint of banana (possible semi-carbonic maceration?), tertiary flavours (forest floor, vegetal). Quite reductive. The wine is developing.
The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, low ripe tannins, medium (+) alcohol, medium (-) body, medium intensity flavours of red fruits, kirsch, forest floor. The finish is medium (-) length.
The wine is acceptable quality. It has a straightforward red fruit profile. The acidity balances the fruit. Finish, complexity and concentration are all lacking and the reductive component is too dominant.
The wine should be drunk now and is not suitable for ageing - it lacks the fruit concentration to develop any further tertiary profile and is likely to fade, leaving the acidity to dominate.
I wonder if this was a poor bottle given the other tasting notes, but I certainly found this difficult to rate and identify.
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