WSET Lvl 2 Class [Sauv Blanc, Semillon, Riesling

I should of did this for my other wines at class for the other days  but hey Im on the ball now
Gotta love it when the instructor gets super excited about a wine [the german riesling] that we are about to taste, I think he bought it more for himself then for us haha

WSET CLASS, SAUVIGNON BLANC, SEMILLON, RIESLING - Downtown Vancouver [AI School] (2/1/2010)
From Our WSET level 2 Class, on Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Riesling

Sauvignon Blanc

• 2008 Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Les Baronnes - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
  Appearance: Clear, Pale Plus, Lemon Tinge of Green
  
  Nose: Clean, Pronounced,
  Fruit, Gooseberry, Floral, A Confectioners Icing Sugar, Touch of Veg not really green tho
  A very pretty nose
  
  Taste: Dry, Grassy, Red apple, Gooseberry
  High High Acid, med body, Long finish
  
  Conclusion: I enjoyed this riper then a NZ style, not super complex on the palate, but well made (87 pts.)
• 2008 Shepherds Ridge Sauvignon Blanc - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
  Appearance: Clear, Pale, Lemon
  
  Nose: Clean, Pronounced
  Vegetal, Pepper, Herbs, Leafy, Mild Fruit, Tropical Red Apple, Confectionist Sugar
  
  Taste: Dry, Med + Acid, Med Body, Finish Med minus
  Ripe Fruit, tropical, Herbs
  
  Conclusion: Simple in its approach but it is that NZ style so it is true to its place (87 pts.)

Semillon

Semillon and Semillon Blends

• 2007 Château Saint-Jean-Des-Graves Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves
  Appearance: Clear, Medium, Med Lemon
  
  Nose: Clean, Med Plus Intensity
  Waxy, Melted Butter/Brown Sugar[light] Apple, Oak[light balanced] Opened up with lots of Lanolin nice and musky good way
  
  Taste: Dry, med Plus Acid, med body, finish med
  Good use of Oak nicly balanced, Apple, Raison, Yellow Grapefruit Pith[the bitterness] Creamy
  
  Conclusion: I really did enjoy this wine, as again not super complex could see this going really nice with a White Fish and Butter Sauce (86 pts.)
• 2006 Peter Lehmann Sémillon The Barossa - Australia, South Australia, Barossa
  AppearanceL Clear, Pale Plus, Lemon
  
  Nose: Clean, Med Intensity
  hazelnut, lanolin, plastcine, waxy, light fruit
  
  Taste: Dry, med plus acid, med plus body, finish med
  Fruit Apple, Green Fruit, Waxy, Toasty BRioche
  
  Conclusion: As mentioned by some other people tasting with it did seem to have a...different sensation as if there were "tannins" some people thought maybe the Acidification was balanced properly as it high acid for a barossa which can't really be natural
  Not a bad wine, but the graves we tasted was much better tho it was blended with SB and Oak (85 pts.)

Riesling

One Off Dry and One Dry

• 2007 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Appearance: Clear, Pale, Lemon tinge Green
  
  nose: Clean, Light Intensity
  Little Rubber, Very light Peach, apple lime
  
  Taste: Off Dry to Medium [7.5% alc] High Acid, Medium Minus Body, Finish LONG
  Green Fruit, Citrus, fantastic Balance, Purity exceptional
  
  Conclusion: Kickass Balance and Purity, Clean! but not in your face intensity very delicate (89 pts.)
• 2008 Wolf Blass Riesling Yellow Label - Australia, South Australia
  Appearance: Clear, Pale, Lemon
  
  Nose: Clean, Med + Intensity,
  Seven Up [Sugary Lemon/Lime] Rubber Cement
  
  Taste: Dry, High Acid, Med Minus Body Finish Medium Plus
  Citrus Grapefruit [mix of Yellow/Ruby] Touch of Rubber, Bitter Grapefruit Pith also
  
  Conclusion: has that dry riesling "bitterness" that personally doesn't suit me, also the wine isn't overly complex not like a german riesling can be (84 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker
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)

SaltSpring Island Vacation Wines (6)

So I went down to my local wine store [Liberity Wine Merchants, Granville Island] Always so helpful, it must help being in a tourist location so that's great. I mean I know enough about wine but I don't know what each individual wine taste like and that's why you need to ask these people what they have tasted and if its any good, and if so is it worth the money 5$ to 100+$

I wanted wines that I generally don't drink, and one expensive one that I would assume I would like [we will get to that later on]. I wanted a Loire Sauv [check] a sparkling [no-check] why no sparkling didn't really want to buy a bottle of champage shrug. Another white was thinking a Viognier Condrieu [check Viognier, no-check Condrieu]. Italian, I don' drink Italian, have been turned off by Sangioveses [check Nebbilio, Check Chianti] And I wanted a Bandol! [check] Because It was summer - Vacation - warm - water front property - just like Provence minus all the people? Then I had some Coronas too but eh that beer is too sweet for me, I prefer Kronenberg 1664

2007 Domaine des Corbillières Touraine Blanc
This was such a nice surprise for me, I went to a NZ wine tasting and really was turned off by all the Green Pepper [under ripe IMO]. This had a touch of that but with a touch of sweetness, lots of fruit just fantastic, the nose translated to the palate which was really good. Ripe Roaring Acidity which I love, which is why on Cellartracker I gave it 92Pts.

2008 Marichel Vineyards Viognier
A Viognier Trying to be a Sauvignon Blanc? As weird as it sounds it was maybe the fact that the fruit was very Sauvignon Blanc with good acidity (with no Greenness). Had Aromas of Zestyness with some Candied Orange Peel Day 2. Floral Notes were more pronounced becoming more Viognier but still not there. Tasting it It got my thinking is this a Viognier or a Sauvignon Blanc. Lots of really good acidity pure fruit can start to taste the alc at room temp. This wine is good but I wanted a Pure Viognier! this would be really amazing to I think someone who liked a Sauvignon Blanc but didn't like those under ripe greenness that usually it comes with. I gave this a 90pts

2004 Mauro Veglio Langhe Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo I have had a Barberesco, which I thoroughly enjoyed and so this was better then that one. At First it hits you with all those Tannins that you are going to get, some fruit. I stopped after that glass, and moved to the Bandol and had a glass of that then came to this again, and now the wine was tasting better maybe because of the fruit of the Bandol made it more palatable? I would of liked to decant this a lot longer tho. I have gave this a 90pts I would definitely like to try it again

2004 Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico
This was very nice but not my style because of the spiced Plums, its not a smell I generally like myself but it was good in that sense. Aromas of Stewed Spiced Plums Taste not stewed, initial attack was bubble gum then opened up into good dark cherry touch of spice good acidity. I gave this a 88pts

2004 Bunan Bandol Moulin des Costes
Ah Bandol the Warm Climate wine, the Original Fruit Bomb? This was Pure Fantastic Fruit, not over the top but controlled, it was fruit it was real. Just big dark Jammy (but not over cooked jammy) Really Yummy. This wine I could drink all the time just for shear pleasure I mean, want to open a wine for yourself and for someone who doesn't drink wine you both will like this. Maybe even two bottles! I gave this 91pts

2005 Domaine du Coulet (Matthieu Barret) Cornas Brisse Caillou
This was suppose to be my piece de resistance, the most expensive a North Rhone Syrah! I love Northern Rhone Syrah because of the cooler climate Syrah, then after I drank it I read that Cornas is the warmest of the northern, or something like that! Now I know pfft. I think this would of tasted better if Let it sit for 10years but nope I didn't. Day 1. Aromas of Sugar Fruit, over the top crazy not pleasant to me. Day 2. Got more interesting Of Moroccan Dried Olives like really shriveled salty olives with little splash of Cherry Juice over it (Real Juice not that Sugary stuff from earlier). but the olives were in your face. Tasting wise they both followed the same path. I had a beautiful lamb dinner made from Salt Spring Island Lamb and everything it failed to live up to the expectation ah well. 88pts I gave it 89 on cellartracker I just down graded it. Tho maybe in 10years this vintage will be good.

New Zealand Wine Tasting Part 1 - White....err Sauv Blanc

Part 1 White Wine! Oh who am I kidding its like 99% Sauvignon Blanc and a bunch of them smell and taste like Green Peppers or for the New Zealanders, Capsicums. I think this picking of Sauv Blanc at low brix 21-22 is too much under ripe green pepperness coming through, I like grassiness! not Green pepper damnit

Sauvignon Blanc (The first Bunch were tasted a Room Temp)

Esk Black Label Hawke's bay 2008
I like the Grassy, round, imo could use a touch more acidity. Tho I think if slightly chilled it wouldn't matter

Alexia Wairarapa 08
Aroma of Good tropical Fruit, Taste good fruit apples

Pegasus Bay Sauvignon/Semillon Waipara 08
Aroma was a little dirty, not poppy just dirty

Mt. Difficulty Central Otago 08
Aroma of Green Peppers straight up, taste of Veggies sprinkled with Lemon Juice mmmm tasty =P

Stoneleigh Rapaura Series 08
Oily Nose, Light Taste

Wither Hill Rarangi Single Vineyard 08
A: Green fruit, hint of veggie not over powering in the GP aspect. Taste of Papaya greeness of veggies

Konrad 08
Boring~ yawn

O:TU Single Vineyard 08
A interesting wine, it had the smell of ripe veggies not green peppers something riper. and the taste was of a veggie Dip like veggies with ranch dip or something

Te Mata Estate Cape Crest Hawke's Bay 08
A: Good amount of Mango, Passionfruit, and Griddle Brick (I suppose some people call this minerality) T: Creamy, white peach

Matahiwi Estate Holly 07
all my notes say is "Nice" So I guess I liked it


Auntsfield Estate ( I think I liked everyone of their wines)
Long Cow Sauvignon Blanc 08 - A very good Sauv Blanc not offensive at all I like it
Orchard Hill Chardonnay 08 UnOaked - First of all I don't like Chardonnay Grapes, and not a fan of Oak in white wines. This Chard really good almost reminds me off a Chablis or some Burg wine really good

Kim Crawford SP Waipara Riesling 2005 - A: Petrol, good fruit T: Petrol (minimal) very nice served a little to chilled tho

Waitiri Creek [Central Otago]
Pinot Gris 08 - Fantastic Pinot Gris, and the vines are like 5 or 6 years old. I mean this wine was awesome. Okanagan grows alot of Pinot Gris and this beats all the ones I have had hands down. Tho the price is more then 50% more its worth it ($30Canadian/BCLD)

My First Post! Tua Tua Bay Sauv Blanc and CHICKEN!!! (Sous-Vide Duh)

Ok this is my first wine “review” with food pairing. So bare with me. Didn’t do to well in high school with the grammar and such. More of a math geek. Also a big thanks to Lou for giving me this wine tasting / journal very nicely done helped me break down flavor and go through the wine step by step.

I knew what I was cooking and decided to pick a wine from my mini wine fridge (holds about 30 about 15 types of wine in it).

How I came across with wine was through the opimian wine society of Canada I'm a member and ordered this last year

For Dinner

Sous-Vide Free Range Chicken Breast glazed with Chestnut Honey, Bird eye Chili and Fresh Thyme (from my backyard) served with Israel Couscous; Carrot Scented (hints of brussel sprouts and tomatoes in it), and for veg (just because I should be healthy) wilted Swiss Chard [Champagne Vinegar, and no its not fizzy hah, Caramelized Onions and Garlic and Butter]

What I paired it with

Tua Tua Bay

Marlborough

Sauvignon Blanc

2007

13.5% Alc

Why Did I pick this wine you ask, well I didn’t want to drink red wine for dinner firstly I looked through all my wine saw some reds that could of went but really with the bird eye chili glaze (not really that spicy when I ate it) Chestnut Honey (has a medicinal taste can be over powering) and carrots (sweet duh!) I figured I nice NZ Sauv Blanc would work [Though the Alsatian Gewurtz was calling my name too btw and the Mini bottle of Champagne was looking mighty tasty]. I went with the Sauv Blanc.

The Wine First off

Sight:

Clear with pale yellow / tinge of green colour very light.

Taste:

The Nose med intensity had a sweet smell of Tropical fruit Guava I would say with touches of Grass/hay combination on the green side hints of Herbaceous’ness to it mixed with maybe a little of the methanol family (eucalyptus)

Taste:

Taste of lime, pears, pineapple, grass meets wet dampiness? Crisp clean medium finish didn’t linger on and on but at the same time it lingers where you don’t want it to go on forever it has the right lingerness (mm got to love the English language add ‘ness to everything and it makes it sound just right) soft texture too

For the Pairing:

The big question you are all asking is did it pair?!?! Well with the swiss chard I thought it was perfect because the high vinegar content of it made me want to drink the wine because it just washed away that acid on your tongue in a good way. The Israel couscous was too mild and the wine did over power it think Israel Couscous “Macaroni and Cheese” minus the cheese hah. The chicken it did go with the sweetness/acid from the wine went nice with the sweetness/”spiciness” of the chicken remember chestnut honey is a funny thing can be Way to strong on certain items especially the one I have. It isn’t made for Granola and yogurt in the morning; it will put hair on your chest.

All and All A tasty meal, wish I had more Couscous it was a good comfort food, and the wine almost finished the bottle as I write this.