WSET Level 3 Week 4 Burgundy

This Week it was Burgundy, mmmm some good stuff really, It almost makes me not dislike Chardonnay so much, Maybe there is something I just don't find appealing in Overripe [warmer climate] and Over Oaked Chardonnays no balance? no finesse? But these Just seem different yeah I do pick up the oak but it intergrates in a bout 30mins. And Pinot Noir, Bruno Clair I mean that wine is meant to drink in a couple years for sure. Beaujolais for me is still hit and miss.

WSET LEVEL 3 WEEK 4 BURGUNDY - Downtown Vancouver [AI School] (5/4/2010)
Week 4 of WSET level 3, Burgundy
Showing the Difference between A Chablis, Macon, Burgundy Chard and Two Different Burgs and a Beajolais Cru

• 2007 Terra Incognita Chardonnay Mâcon-Villages Terra Incognita - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon-Villages
  Clear, Med Lemon
  
  A: Clean, Med+ Intensity, Developing
  Apple[Ripe], Pear, Mineral, Dried Tropical, Spice, Honey
  
  T:Med+Acid, Med- Intensity, Med- Body, med- Finish
  Apple Juice [Yellow Apple]
  
  Conclusion I really like the nose, but the finish is just meh, not very complex on the palate (85 pts.)
• 2007 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis 1er Cru Montmains - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
  Clear, Pale Lemon, Watery Rim
  
  A: Med Intensity, Youthful
  Mineral, Earth[white mushrooms], Pear, Zest
  
  T: High Acid, Med+ Intensity, Med- Body, Med- Alc, Med+ Finish
  Green Apple, Lemon Juice, Mineral
  
  Conclusion Opens up nicely (88 pts.)
• 2007 M. Doudet-Naudin Meursault Au Village - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
  Clear, Med-Gold
  
  A: Med+ Intensity, Youthful
  Eggnog spice, Freshly Grated Nutmeg, Apple, Floral, Candied Zest/Orange Peel
  
  T: Med+ Acid, Med+ Body, Med+ Intensity, Med Alc, Long Finish
  Creamy Apple Pie, Nutmeg, A Chinese Style Egg Custard, Pear
  
  Conclusion Opens up beautifully especially once you let it breath and let the oak intergrate for 30mins. Very Good use of Oak (90 pts.)

• 2006 Domaine Bruno Clair Vosne-Romanée Champs Perdrix - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée
  Clear, Med- Ruby
  
  A: Med+ Intensity
  Earthy, Woody [Forest Floor], Red Fruit/Plums/Cherry/Strawberry, Spice/Thyme, Mineral, Floral, Tobacco!
  
  T: Med+ Acid, Med+ Tannin, Med Alc, Med- Body, Med+ Intensity, Med Finish
  TIGHT! Red Fruit, Ripe Cranberry/Dried Cranberry
  
  Conclusion TIGHT, needs a good decant, or some aging tannins and acid yeah are there good quality for sure (91 pts.)
• 2006 Domaine Pavelot (Jean-Marc et Hugues) Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Vergelesses - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru
  Clear, Med Garnet
  
  A: Med+ Intensity, Developing
  Vanilla, Spice/Cinnamon, Cola, Cherry, Red Currant, MILD->"Ammonia like from a Aged Brie"
  
  T: Med Acid, Med- Tannin, Med Alc, Med- Body, Med+ Intensity, Med+ Finish
  Ripe Cherry/Tart/Cranberry, Creamy, Compost
  
  Conclusion, Very good (88 pts.)
• 2006 Dominique Piron Moulin-à-Vent Les Vignes du Vieux Bourg - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent
  Clear, Med+ Garnet
  
  A: Med+ Intensity, Developing
  Cheesy/Savoury, Earthy/Rock Aquarium, Darker Fruit/Grape Jelly, Licourice
  
  T: Med Acid, Med+ Tannin, Med Body, Med+ Alc, Med Intensity, Med Finish
  Grape Jelly, Stemy/Earthy, Soil
  
  Conclusion, Lots of Tannins, more so then fruit. Very Dry (88 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Overall/Reflection: Score: 88 THE 100-POINT RATING SCALE (Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate describes this in more detail.) • Extraordinary (96-100 points) • Outstanding (90-95) • Very Good to Excellent (85-89) • Good (80-84) • Average (75-79) • Below average (70-74) • Avoid (50-70)

Double Champagne Night

So one of my cooks at work entered this competition contest for the Provence, I told him if he won I would buy him a magnum of champagne. He Won I bought him a bottle of Alain Vesselle Cuvee St Eloi Brut A Bouzy - Grand Cru and then he said if he won he would buy a bottle of Dom Perignon, he ended up buy the 1995 Dom off our Wine list at work.

So To start we had the Alain Vesselle Cuvee St Eloi Brut A Bouzy - Grand Cru, has that Atypical Champagne nose of Cream Cheese Tartness, that Yeastiness. then the Taste was Green Apple (Malic Acid) Tartness lots and lots of acidity definitely not sweet. The Manager at the wine store I bought it said it was a light champagne and easy food pairing and one to start the night with, definitely was that tons of acidity.

1995 Dom Perignon (55% Chard, 45% Pinot Noir)
Aroma of a Nutty, Nutty Oil very strong, yeasty champagne atypical I pick up but this Nuttiness was so uniqiue and different kinda of cool
Taste of Pure Fruit, but so Balance so Light yet not boring we had a bottle (750ml) between like 9 people.


Champagne is Just so Cool.

California Wine Fair

Went to the California Wine Fair here in Vancouver, Canada lots of wines to drink from, Didn't taste them all some stood out, a lot were good, but nothing special, definitely some creamy chardonnays, had one chardonnay that almost tasted like a Chablis but I don't know the vineyard name it was beside the stag's leap stand but that doesn't help me hah. Pinot Noir were good, lots of acidity on most and nice balance mostly sonoma, some really nice Zins, all the Cabernet Sauv tasted the same Coffee/Cocoa, fruit big, Some were better then others like the Miners.

Bubbly

Domaine Chandon

Blanc de Noirs [Check]

Brut Classic [Check]

Rose, California [Check] Good fruitiness I really enjoyed this I went back at the end of the show to end off on this but they were all gone ah well

Whites

Bonny Doon [Both these stood out really interesting and good]

Albarino 2008

A: Lime "Candy" not over done candy tho hints

T: Lemon Lime Green Apple [Malic Acid I have Malic Acid Powder at work so it tasted like that]

Le Cigare Blanc [Best tasting note for Aroma of the day]

A: Ocean (Beach) Dried Shellfish, Shells, Oyster shells like when they sun dry on the sandy beach.

T: Can't remember forgot to right down hah the nose was to interesting.

Newton

Unfiltered Chardonnay, I liked

Truchard

Roussane, old world stinkyness coming through, good nose / taste, The people around the booth tasting were more excited about this then I was.

There Chard was nice too

Reds

Dutton-Goldfield Winery A really nice show among all their reds. Both their Syrah and Zin were not your typical style and I liked them both, the lady from the winery was up here and she said you don't like the typical wines eh, yeah sounds like me Not liking what everyone else likes hah

Pinot Noir 2006

A: Fruit, Heat

T: Raspberry, Tingly

Cherry Ridge Syrah Definitely would buy

A: Game, Flower, Syrup Fruit (In A good way and I liked it at GV would say)

T: lighter then expected, very Northern Rhone, my style of Syrah no Pepper Bomb (Didn't taste like Aussie Syrah) nice acidity on it nice balance

Morelli Lane Zin

A: Good nose

T: Good finish fruity not your typical Zin I liked it.

Gary Farrell

Pinot Noir 2006

A: Old World Nose (Barnyard / Game / Poop Combo Kinda)

T: Lots of Fruity and Acidity Blackberry Black Cherry very Balanced also very nice

Justin Vineyard

All Wines were good the Syrah my notes have Cherry with a hint of Greenness I think it was a vegetable or a herb but couldn't nail it down

Miner Family Vineyard

Probably the Best of the Cab Sauv I tasted at the show then again they were 100 and 120$ bottle prices (Remember Canadian BCLD mark up 117%)

Cab 2006

The Oracle 2005, The Big Boy Wine

Patz & Hall Wine Co.

Jenkins Ranch Pinot Noir 2007

A: B-O (yes body odor hah)

T: Nice Fruit, Acid really nice Balance.

Stags' Leap Winery (Not Stag's Leap)

Petit Syrah 2005 One of my Favorite of the Show.

A: Interesting Nose, Could not nail down the aromas.

T: Coffee, Sugar (Not over done)

Truchard (Red)

Pinot Noir 2005

A: Stinky Dirt

T: Creamy, Fruit, Acid Nice Balance hint of Bitterness

Cab Sauv 2005

Coffee Grounds, Big Tannins, Really smooth

Best of Show

Bonny Doon Albarino

The Chablis Tasting Chard If I remember what it was

Stags' Leap Petit Syrah

Dutton-Goldfield Winery Cherry Ridge Syrah

Poplar Grove 2007 Chardonnay

The Stats:
Poplar Grove Winery
Okanagan Valley
2007
14.5% Alc.
50% Barrel Fermented New Oak 6 month Sur lee
50% Stainless Steel
405 Cases produced
22$ (From Winery) 24-28$ Liquor store

Sight:
Pale Golden, with a tinge of green, light colour.

Aroma:
It was definitely opened picked up passion fruit mixed with apricot hints of vanilla and lime. Their was a hint of Rubber Cement Petrol'ness to it.
(My mom said she picked up some mineral notes too it)

Taste:
Dry wine with fruit more on the tropical side and a little bit of "bitterness" from the Oak the Pheonal notes. It was creamy definitely from the Barrel Fermentation.

Went well with vegetarian egg rolls and with Sea Salt Caramel.

Overall Score I rated 14-15. It was a nice white had the oak'iness which I like in Chardonnays.

The After Work Drink of Choice

So at work I get two drinks a night part of my pay (salary, tips, 2 drinks). What I end up choosing every night (about 75% of the time) is Blasted Church Chardonnay Musque 2007. It is a refreshing wine that just at the end of the night I fall into drinking, there are about 10 wines by the glass to choose from, its the one I pick. Why do I pick it, one reason is its a big seller so the bottle is always fresh even on the slow nights, and the Monster Vineyard Pinot Blanc 2007 is a little fruity for an after work drink (10PM~). The Monster Rose is awesome btw (I think its 2007) and the Pinot Blanc 2006 was really nice had the nice fruit / acid balance.

Anyways Back to the Blasted Church, it has the fruit, the acid, the refreshing'ness for an after work drink. And To quote cellarmaster from Urbandinar.ca forum "I call it Chardonnay for people who don't like Chardonnay." Which in reality I am. The Chard is Unoaked (Which Im not generally a fan of). I like my chards oaked but barrel fermented oaked like the 2005Pacific Breeze Chard. (Made in New Westminister BC, grapes from California.