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D3 DipWSET STILL WINES - Prep with Lauren

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Tasted June 9, 2022 by Heynetty with 89 views

Introduction

Lauren and I sat down and knocked out a tasting. I was tasting open and she tasted blind

The Cabs seemed dreary but the rest were a triumph.

Flight 1 - Same Country (2 notes)

Lauren guessed the country handily. I thought that they were an excellent representation of their style and the country, First time I have had a chardonnay from Tasmania. It was lovely.

Red
2020 Ministry of Clouds Shiraz Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
A: Deep ruby with a purple tinge
N: Pronounced nose of SMOKE, smoked meat, prunes, stewed blackcurrant , stewed bramble, fennel, sage , black pepper and eucalyptus
P: Smoke, smoke meat, prunes, stewed blackcurrant, liquorice, sage, fennel, black pepper , dark chocolate and eucalyptus
Dry, medium (+) acidity, high ripe tannin, high alcohol (14.5%), medium (+) intensity and medium body, medium (+) finish
This feels slightly watery. I don’t know how the alcohol is so high but the body feels inconsequential somehow. It is off kilter. The cooked fruit and smoke , very typical of the style shows sound intensity and pushes through to a sound finish. This is a very good quality wine

TWO DAYS later....body feels much more full. How did that happen?

Some stem (12%) and some destemmed gently to preserve whole berries,3 day cold soak, aged in open vessels with punchdowns, basket press and matured in either foudre or old French oak puncheons for 12 months

Suitable for ageing with enough tannin and acid to keep it fresh as it increases in complexity
White
2019 Ministry of Clouds Chardonnay Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills
A: Pale Lemon
N: Pronounced nose of struck match, flint, lime aplenty, lemon, pear grapefruit, light smoke
P: Lime, lemon, peach pit, struck match, smoke, guava
Dry, high acidity , high alcohol, medium (+) body, pronounced intensity and long finish. Creamy texture
C: A one fresh wine with excellent balance of acidity and ripe fruit concentration. The fresh sharp citrus and tropical fruit is forthright, well defined and leads to a long strong finish. The wine is of outstanding quality.
Lees and so some extra body from 11months on them.
All grapes were hand harvested prior to wool bunch pressing into old French barriques and left to ferment wild. Wine was sulphured.

I love this wine and at all of $30, its a win for me

Suitable for ageing. Plenty of fruit here and acidity to keep it fresh as it ages.
1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 2 - Same Grape (3 notes)

These felt lacking in concentration for the most part. Have had far better super Tuscans for certain. I think that the Bolgheri cost $27 but tasted like $15. The Duckhorn , which I see in stores everywhere, was intolerable for me AND I am not at all certain that I could have spotted this in a blind tasting lineup.

Red
2017 Tenuta Guado al Tasso (Antinori) Bolgheri Il Bruciato Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri
87 points
Deep ruby with purplish edge
Medium nose of raspberry, red cherry, tomato, light bramble, chocolate, coffee,
P: raspberry, red cherry, tomato, light bramble, chocolate, coffee
Dry, high green tannins, medium (+) acidity, high ()14%) alcohol, medium body, medium intensity and medium (-) length
Poorly articulated fruit and simple.
Tannin is poorly integrated and this is an acceptable quality wine.

There is no sign of tertiary fruit here despite its age and the fruit it has isnt wildly interesting. This is not suitable for ageing. That unripe tannin is really unpleasant and not softening.

This producer is rock solid but this wine is fairly terrible.
Red
2019 Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon USA, California
85 points
Medium ruby
Medium (+) nose of black cherry, plum, blackcurrant, pine resin, simple wine
P: Dry, medium (-) acid, high rustic tannins, medium (13.9%) alcohol, medium body, medium intensity and finish
C: Acceptable quality only. Half marks for intensity and finish. Its hollow and watery.

Not enough concentration so not suitable for ageing
Red
2013 Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
a revisit of a bottle coravined in January 2022

A: Deep garnet
N: Medium (+) nose of black cherry, prune, dried red cherry, dried raspberry,, dried blackberry, baking spice, tomato puree, minor green bell pepper
P: Smoke, black cherry, prune, dried red cherry, dried raspberry,, dried blackberry, baking spice, tomato puree, menthol, minor green bell pepper. Dry, medium (+) acid, medium (+) chewy tannin, medium (+) intensity, high alcohol, full body, medium (+) length
C: Balanced, intensity is good, good length but not complex . very good quality. I think this may have lost a few points since it was coravined in January.

Suitable for ageing as still some fresh fruit in here and enough acidity and tannin to keep the wine fresh

Vinification:
vines on average 21 years old
about 50hl/ha
5.5 days of skins in open vat at 28 oF with punchdown every 2nd hour
24months in French oak (50% new and 50% 2nd fill)

Flight 3 - Wine Icons (2 notes)

Both of us tasted these open ie label exposed. What a treat.

Red
2000 Chateau Musar Lebanon, Bekaa Valley
92 points
A: Pale garnet
N: Medium (+) nose of Brett, VA, roses, raspberry, dried cherry, smoke, leather, cedar, stinky mushroom
P: roses, violet, mushroom, raspberry, dried cherry, smoke, dried tobacco, dry, medium (+) acidity, pronounced intensity, medium (+) chalky tannin, medium alcohol, long length
C: Outstanding quality wine here with real finesse. Several of these notes could feel faulty but the judicious use of them in the wine has just added to the complexity. The length and intensity are ideal and it is complex.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White - Sweet/Dessert
2015 Château d'Yquem France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
93 points
Deep gold
N:
P: Pronounced intensity, Semolina pudding, pineapple, vanilla, ripe apricots, mango, saffron, candied ginger, orange marmalade, honey and orange blossom, passion fruit
P: Semolina pudding, pineapple, vanilla, nutmeg, ripe apricots, fresh ripe nectarine, mango, saffron, candied ginger, orange marmalade, honey, passion fruit, Sweet, high acid, medium alcohol, pronounced intensity , full body , long finish
P: Absolute mastery of balance between the sugar concentration and acidity, ideal length and concentration. Superb complexity. Is there a category beyond outstanding? Its a joy. Honestly. Need to share this far and wide. This finish is the longest that I have ever experienced.,
Very exciting stuff. I coravined the bottle so lets see if it lasts to the next tasting.
3 people found this helpful Comment

Closing

Must buy more Musar. That was the best red that I have had in years.

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