Final thoughts

Hello,
Today was my graded blind tasting so that means the tasting part of my project is over. This experience has been an amazing for me! I was able to learn about wines, how to taste them, and how to evaluate them. This is a skill many Americans do not know how to do and I am really grateful I was able to learn about this. To think I started last November tasting chocolates and now I am writing my last wine tasting entry is crazy. I thought I would end by answering some questions my professor asked me a couple tastings ago.

Is more expensive or limited production wine actually better than less expensive, mass-produced kinds? 

I have learned that this really depends on what you are comparing. For example normally good wines come from one known region. For example you would see McLaren Vale on a bottle of Shiraz. A lot of the cheap wines contain grapes from a wide region. If you were to see Grapes of Australia or Southwest Australia this means that this grapes could have come from any place in that area and are more than likely grapes that were left over in that location. In this case that would not make for a very good wine. There are some wineries though that mass produce to make cheaper wine but the wine is still very good quality. Also some wines do get better with age and typically the longer they age the more expensive they are. Overall I would say that there is some correlation between the cost and the quality of the wine but typically a $300 bottle of wine to me does not taste that different from a $400 bottle on wine but there is a difference between $5 wine and $25 wine do to the difference in region and possible age.

Does learning the terminology and characteristics to look for add to your enjoyment of the wine? 

For me it does. I know that I go through a checklist in my head when drinking wine. I think it allows me to connect more with the wine and therefore with the meal or conversation too instead of just mindlessly drink down the wine. Also know that after this experience I have more appreciation for the the wine, and all the work and passion that goes into it. This understudying of viticulture and notching things about the wine does allow me to enjoy the wine more.

What would you say to the person who asserts "I may not know anything about wine, but I know what I like?"

 I would say that this used to be me. I used to know that I liked sweet white wine and that was it. To me though, now that I know about the styles of wine (which there are way more than I ever thought) and what the characteristics are for each wine, I feel comfortable making decisions out to eat or while purchasing wine. Also there is something about going out and knowing not only do I like sweet white wines, but also that typically a Riesling is a sweeter style of wine and I would prefer that style and flavor. Also I know I don't like oak contact as much so if someone where to offer me a Chardonnay, I could decline because even though it is a white wine I know that due to the oak contact I wouldn't care for it.  Its more than just knowing if you like it or not but its also the why.

Another this is a lot of people don't know what is out there. There are way more styles that I even thought of and it can be intimidating to try new things. I think it is important to try though because I never knew what Chenin Blanc was but when I tried it I absolutely loved it. There is just so much out there that I think its impossible for people to only have one type of wine that they like.  


UPDATE: Just found out I got an A on my blind tasting!!
Thanks for following me through this experience
~Karli

Yarra Vally Part 3-Killara

Hello

The last vineyard I went to was Killara. This was by far my favorite vineyard!! This vineyard creates Italian styled wines. Unfortunately I did not get to meet the owners due to their being a wedding on the property that day, but I wasn't to disappointed because the worker who showed us around had the most passion for wine making I had seen yet. 

The first wine was a 2015 Pinot Grigio

The core was a pale watery yellow with a pale straw yellow rim. Based on the color there did not appear to be any oak content. There were string aromas of honeysuckle and pear. On the palate though, there was a district almond flavor as well as the pear and green apple.  The wine was very soft but also heavy in weight. 

The next wine was a 2015 Moscato 

The rim was a light pale yellow and there was a watery yellow care. The wine appeared light bodied and to have no oak contact. There were floral aromas and intense dried apricot aromas. On the palate there were flavors of apricots, peach and honey. There also was some added texture from bubbles. I really enjoyed this wine and ended up buy a bottle before leaving.
The final wine was a 2011 Sangiovesethe rim was a cranberry color and the core was a deep cherry red. There were stron aromas of raspberry cherry and spice. The palate had intense cherry and raspberry flavors and along with some spice. Also there was a strange oak flavor with sawdust tannins.
Like I said this was my favorite vineyard. When the worker noticed I was taking notes her quickly came over and started explaining more about the wines to me. He would tell me to look for certain smells and flavors. The noted that the use french oak and what characteristics that would give which wines. You could tell that he really knew what hen was talking about and really cared about what he was doing. He was also more than helpful answering any of my questions.  This added so much to the wine tasting experience!!! 
~Karli 


Someday i wouldn't mind going back there because of how nice everyone was there, and the wines were very very good too!!

Yarra Vally Part 2-Hanrahan Vineyard

Hello
The second stop of the tour was Hanrahan Vineyard. This Vineyard was family owned and operated any you could tell that the moment you walked up. You were instantly greeted by the owners, and you were treated like family. The owners here are involved in every step of the process of wine making from planting, to pruning, to picking, to making the wines. There were able to tell me things like that they only use french oak barrels on there wines, or that there is a difference between the 2012 and 2013 Shiraz due to the change in climate that season. You could tell that they really loved making wines. While we were here we got to sample three wines.
The first wine was a 2011 Chardonnay.
The core was a very pale watery yellow and the rim was a pale golden yellow. There were no green hues so it is not a young wine. There were intense peach and pear aromas. There also seemed to be slight passion fruit and honey aromas with maybe some oak. On the palate there are string oak flavors. There is also intense peach and pear flavor with some texture in the back palate. I found out that this Chardonnay has very light french oak contact to give it its secondary flavors.
Next we got to try the 2013 and 2012 Shiraz
The 2013 had a cranberry rim with a deep cherry red core. The wine seemed young, vibrant, and was medium bodied. There were strong oak, cherry and plum aromas. On the palate there was strong oak flavors, but also cherry flavors. The wine was slightly acidic and had powdery tannins and a long persistence.
The 2012 Shiraz was more full bodied that the 2013 and it appeared more aged with sight tawny characteristics. The core was a deep plum and the rime was a cherry color. There were strong oak aromas and subtle cherry and peppery aromas. The wine tasted very peppery. There was also strong oak flavors and some subtle cherry aromas. The tannins were also softer and more suede like.

Overall I thought the wines were very good and I loved the vibe of the winery. It was fun to interact with the owners and see there input and facts about the wines.

One more vineyard to go
~Karli

Yarra Vally Part 1-Dominique Portet

Hello,
While in Melbourne, I decided to do a wine tour of the famous wine region known as the Yarra Valley.  The first stop was to a winery called Dominique Portet. Here we sampled three wines, a Chardonnay, a Brut Rose and a Cabernet Sauvignon. 

The first wine was the 2012 Dominique Portet Chardonnay.

The core was clear and the rim was a pale watery yellow. There were slight green hues suggesting this is a young wine. Due to the light color there also does no appear to be oak contact.

The aromas were quite subtle but contained scents of passion fruit, tropical fruit, and honey. 

There was little texture and little flavor in the wine. There were some subtle fruity notes but it was overpowered by the acidity. There did appear to be some oak flavor. There was a good persistence of the wine.
The second wine was a Cabernet Sauvignon 
The rim was cranberry in color suggesting a young wine. The core was a dark blood red color. Overall the wine was slightly opaque but also vibrant. There were strong cherry, plum, and oak aromas in the wine. On the palate the wine was quite drying with powdery tannins. It contained a strong oak taste but subtle cherry flavors.


I thought all of the wines lacked flavor and intensity. The did not seem like the award winning wines the worker was telling us about. Also I really did not care for this winery. Wine tasting should be a fun experience where the workers should be able to show you the wine and describe it for you. It should be easy to see there passion for it. Here it seemed like they were more interested in selling the wine than giving you a great experience. They moved so fast that I didn't even get to take notes for the Brut Rose. After the tasting, I even went up to ask questions and the worker responded that she really didn't have time for questions. We were supposed to come, sample the wine, then play a game, eat lunch and leave before the next group got there. During lunch however, the owner noticed I was taking notes and came over to talk. It was very hard to understand him though with his thick French accent but It was nice that he came over and tried to make a conversation. Overall though I thought the wines were just ok and the place did not give off a friendly atmosphere. It didn't give me the wine experiences I was really looking for.

Maybe that will happen at the next place :)
~Karli

Shiraz

Hello,
Today we talked about Shiraz and we talked about food pairing. Shiraz was first found in France but since that is has been planted in California, Argentina, and South Africa. In Australia it is found all over  the country. Some noted regions are McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, Langhorne Creek, the Yarra Valley, and Great Western Valley. The Shiraz vines though can grow a lot and often there can be canopy issues if the vines are not controlled. The color is normally a dark red to a deep plum and it will show tawny colors with age. The typical aromas for Shiraz is Black pepper is if is  a warmer climate, white pepper if it os cooler climate, plum, blackberry, cherry and tar. The app late experience can change because there are many different styles. Typically though it is full bodied and has high levels of alcohol. There are normally fruity and American oak flavors along with spicy flavors.

1) Annie's Lane
    Made in: Clare Valley 2014
    Alc/vol:14
    Price: $15

Appearance: This wine has a violet colored rim and a deep deep cherry core. This wine seems full bodied due to it being opaque. There is also a violet rim so you can tell that it is a young wine. This wine has good clarity and shine.

Aroma: The primary aromas are intense plum, blackberry and some general spice aromas. There are also some intense secondary oak aromas which makes the wine complex. There are also some subtle cherry aromas.

Palate: The most intense flavor is the oak with some subtle spice, cherry, and plum flavors. Overall the wine seems soft but it has grainy rough tannin. It is also heavy on the tongue.The flavor is persistent in the mouth. Also the flavor starts in the front palate, builds on the mid palette and then falls in the back palate.

Food match : This sort of wine needs a heavy dish to compliment the heaviness of the wine. I would pair it with slow cooked beef brisket . There would also be a rich BBQ sauce to go with it as wel. The sauce would increase the sweetness and spiciness of the wine which would compliment and enhance the wine. Also the juices from the beef would pair nicely with the drying effect of the tannins. A side of roasted vegetables, such as peppers, onions and carrots, that were cooked on the grill with olive oil and salt would pair nicely with the spicy flavors of the Shiraz as well.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Hello,
Today we learned about Cabernet Sauvignon.Typically it is grown in France but recently there have been many plantings in California, Chile, Argentina, and South Africa. In Australia it is typically grown in South Australia in McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, and the Yarra Valley. Vines are normally low yielding compared to other grape varieties. Also the flavors take time to develop so they are best suited for cooler climates. The color is normally a deep purple that turns into a brick red with age. The aromas can change with the region but typically there is tomato bush, bell pepper, blackberry, and cherry aromas.  The palate can have very aggressive tannins if it is a young wine and also have high acidity. There me be a lack of intensity in the mid palate as well. As wines develop the tannins can soften and the flavor can increase.

1) Wynn's " The Siding"
    Made in: Coonawarra
    Alc/vol:13.5
    Price: $14

Appearance: The rim id s light cranberry and the core is a dark ink black color. The wine appears to be full bodied do to its opaque color but still looks youthful due to the violet hues. It is vibrant and has good clarity.

Aroma:This wine has an intense primary aroma of black currant and has a secondary aroma of oak, which makes the wine complex. There are also some subtle leafy and earthy aromas.

Palate: The wine taste like you are licking the woods. There is intense oak flavors and also intense tomato leaf and earthy flavors. There is also a good persistence in the wine. The flavor starts out on the front palate and the drops in the mid palate, and they grows again in the back palate.

Merlot

Hello,
Today we talked about Merlot. This wine is best known for growing in the Bordeaux region of France. It is also found in Spain, Italy  the Napa Vally in the USA, and Margret River in Western Australia.  The color of the wine is typically a medium red with purple hues when you an and then a brick red with brown spots with age. The normal aromas are plum, herbs, mint and raspberry. On the palate it is normally soft with rounded tannins.


1) Grant Burge "Hillcot"
    Made in: Barossa
    Alc/vol: 14
    Price: $18

Appearance:The rim is a cranberry color where the core is a deep blood red. This is a young wine due to the violet hues it contains.

Aroma: There are intense plum and mulberry aromas as well as some subtle black olive and herbal aromas. There is also a strong oak smell making this a complex wine.

Palate: This wine is very heavy and it was also very soft/silky in the mouth. There is an intense flavor of mulberry and plums. The tannins are also very silky but leave a saw dust feeling in the mouth. There is some intensity of the mid palate and then it builds to a greater intensity in the back palate.

Thank you
~Karli

Sangiovese

Hello,
Today we talked about Sangiovese. Historically the Sangiovese is from Tuscany in northern Italy. Now it is found in more places including the McLaren Vale in south Australia. The grapes are normally small and grow in loose bunches. The color o the wine is normally light to dark red. Its aromas consist of Earthiness, caper, sour cherry, and tobacco.  On the palate there are normally intense flavors and there are dry tannins.

1) Torresella
    Made in: Toscana 2013
    Alc/vol: 13.5
    Price: $15

Appearance: The cores brick red with a pomegranate color rim. The wine is transparent which means it is light bodied,and there are some violet hues so I would say that this is a young wine.

Aroma: This wine instantly gives off a barnyard smell. This means that the wine was infected with brettanomyces. This is very overpowering but there are also some subtle cherry aromas and some subtle gamey aromas also.
Palate: There are moderately intense flavors of cherry and sour cherry that starts off with a low intensity on the front palate and builds on the mid paste coming to a high point on the back palate. Also oak is present making this a complex wine. The tannins are also very pronounced and lave a powdery texture.


Thank you
~Karli

Tempranillo

Hello,
Today we just touched on Tempranillo. Typically this is found in Argentina, France and the USA. The color of the wine is a deep brick red when young and it turns more tawny as it ages. The normal aromas are cherry, blackberry, and earthy aromas. The tannins are typically drying when the wine is young and normally the wine is dry with low acid levels.

1) Quattro Mano
    Made in: Barossa Valley
    Alc/vol: 13.8
    Price: $17

Appearance: This wine has a brick red core and a light red rim. There are some violet pigments so I think this is a young wine.

Aroma: This wine smells very fruity. There are intense cherry, raspberry, and plum aromas. There is also the slight smell of oak making this complex.

Palate: The tannins and harsh and thick, leaving a suede feeling in your mouth. There is also a strong acid flavor which hits strongly on the back on the mouth. There are also intense oak flavors as well.

Thank you
~Karli

Grenache

Hello,
Today we talked about Grenache. This grape browns best in warmer climates so it is typically found in Africa, Chile and the Napa Valley in the USA.  The grapes have a blue-black color and our think skinned. The color tends to be a light brick red to intense purple. The typical aromas are spices, raspberry, cherry, blackberry and plum. Typically if the wine is aged it will be more full bodied and have high alcohol content. Younger wines can be light bodied and have the fruit flavors in them. The tannins are often softer and more rounded that most red wines.


1) The Custodians d'ARENBERG
    Made in: McLaren Vale
    Alc/vol: 14.6
    Price: $18

Appearance: The rim is a deep brick red and the core is a bright brick red. This seems like a flu bodied wine. There are no violet or brown hues so we can assume this is not a young wine but also not aged.

Aroma: The aromas are generally very subtle but there is a spicy kick.  There are some black pepper aromas, some celery aromas and plum aromas. You can also smell the secondary aroma of oak making this complex.

Palate: There are subtle plum flavors but overall n to much flavor. There is a long persistence of the wine in the mouth. There is a little intensity in the front palate that comes to a high point in the back palate. The tannis provide a power texture in the mouth.

Thank you
~Karli

Pinot Noir

Hello,
Today we talked about Pinot Noir. This grape variety originated in the Burgundy region in France. It typically like a cooler climate. This is why it can be found in oregon in the USA and New Zealand. In Australia it can be found all over the Western and Southern regions of Australia. The vines are low yielding and tend to ripen early. This is why cool climates are best because it slows the ripening and then increase the amount of flavor in the grapes. The wine is typically light cherry red to light plum red. The typical aromas are raspberry, cherry,plum, and rose petal. It is typically light to medium bodied and have a range of flavors. There also it typically a warmth in the mid palate from the wine.

1) Hardy's Hill
    Made in: South East Australia
    Alc/vol:13
    Price: $8

Appearance: The core is a bright cherry red with a rim that is brick red in color. The wine appears to be light bodied and also a young wine due to the vibrancy.

Aroma: The aromas are very simple with only a moderately intense smell of cherry with a little cranberry as well. There many also be some very subtle aromas of oak but I would still consider this wine to have primary aromas only.

Palate: This wine contains a lot of acidity and it has subtle cherry flavors. There is some intensity in front and mid palate but it builds on the back palate. There is also a little texture of this wine due to the tannis and the acidity.

2) Ninth Island
    Made in: Tasmania 2014
    Alc/vol: 13
    Price: $15

Appearance: The core of the wine is a light plum red with hints of violet and it has a deep brick red color for the rim. This seems like a young wine due to its brightness and it is also more full bodied.

Aroma: This has a strong aroma of cherry with intense oak aromas as well. There are some subtle hints of cranberry. This wine has complex secondary aromas.

Palate: This has an intense dark cherry and oak flavors. It is also more intense than the last wine and its  flavors build in the mid palette then fall, and then slowly build again in the back palate. It also has good persistence and has suede like tannis.
Thank you

~Karli

Chardonnay

Hello,
Today we talked about Chardonnay. The grape originated in Burgundy, France although it is now grown wherever grapes can be grown. This is due to the fact that it is willing to adapt to nearly every sort of regions ( climate and soil). It can also grow in many temerpatures but the temperature and change the flavor. The wines co,or is typically pale straw to a deep gold. The warm climate aromas are typically melon, honey, perfumed and tropical. In cooler climate it has peach, stone fruit, mineral, and green apple aromas. The palate will depend in the winemaking and the climate. Typically cool climate has acidity and delicate fruit taste where warm climate has less acidity and and are fuller and rounded on the palate.

1) Bowlers Run
    Made in: Red Wine of Australia
    Alc/vol: 13.5
    Price: $3

Appearance: The wine has a light gold rim and a pale gold core. There are green hues so this is probably a young wine. There doesn't not appear to have any oak content.

Aroma: There are intense melon and peach aromas. There are no secondary aromas so it is not complex.

Palate: This wine does not have much persistence. There is also and intense acid feel. There are subtle melon taste but the acid seems to take over and clover the little flavor there is. There is low intensity on the front palate that build to the mid palate and the drops again in the back palate.

2) Robert Oatley
    Made in: Margret River
    Alc/vol: 13
    Price: $18

Appearance: The core is pale straw yellow with a straw yellow rim. There are some green hues so it may be a young wine. There does not appear to be any oak content.

Aroma: There are intense primary smells of peach, melon, and mango. Some subtle oak smells as well making this a complex wine.

Palate: This is a light and persistent wine. It has intense flavors of oak and melon. There are some creamy flavors as well. There is little intensity in the front palate, but it build in the mid palate coming to a high point in the back palate.

Thank you
~Karli

Pinot Gris & Pinot Grigio

Hello,
Today we talked about pinot gris and pinot grigio. Both terms mean grey pinot but gris is French where grigio is Italian. Pinot gris is typically found in Alsace in france and Grigio is found in Friuli in Italy. Also there are varieties that are found in European countries and in the norther states of the USA. In Australia there are many places that both varieties can be found especially in Yarra Valley and Tasmania. These vines both are mutations of Pinot nior and so they have loose cylindrical bunches. The wine is typically straw to pale gold in color. The gris may actually have some pink color due to its contact with the skins when in it being fermented. The aromas are typically perfumed, rose petal, passion fruit,  and honey. This can have high levels of alcohol and low levels of acidity. It is typically rounded in the mid palate and pinot gris has pronounced fruitiness, where pinot gris can be more steely on the palate.

1) Santa Margarita 2014
    Made in: Valdadige, Italy
    Alc/vol: 12.5
    Price: $18

Appearance: The core is straw and the rim is a light gold color with green hues showing that it is a young wine. It looks full bodied and has good vibrancy and clarity. This has no oak content.

Aroma: This wine contains primary aromas of ripe pear and honey. There are also subtle secondary aromas of stinky socks. This makes the wine complex and these aromas are true to the grape.

Palate: This has intense flavors of pear and green apple. There is also a dryness to the wine especially as it builds from the fore palate to the back palate. There is a good persistence and a slight after taste of buttered toast.

Pinot Gris

2) Reserve 2013
    Made in: Alsace
    Alc/vol: 13
    Price: $22

Appearance: The core is a very yellow gold and the rim is a golden yellow. There are some yellow fleck ins in the wine and there does not appear to be oak contact.

Aroma: There are intense floral aromas with a hint of honey as well. Smells similar to perfume. There is some subtle green apple aromas and some buttery secondary aromas as well.

Palate: This wine is soft on the palate. It tends to only hit the back of the palate. There is also a strong taste of green apple and there is a short persistence.


Thank you
~Karli

Verdelho

Hello,
Today we talked about Verdelho. I had never heard on this wine until now. It originated in Madeira in Portugal. It is also grown in France in Anjou. Other than those places though it is typically only grown in Australia, especially in Hunter Valley, Margret River, and South Burnett. The berries take on a gold color when ripe and are grown in small loose bunches. The color of the wine is Straw to pale gold. The typical aromas are cut grass, pineapple, citrus, and tropical fruit. The palate has a pronounced acidity all over with some of the aroma characteristics detectable. Typically this wine is not aged. This wine was originally used for fortified wine and for inexpensive dry table wines.


1) Tyrree's Fordwich
    Made in: Hunter Valley 2014
    Alc/vol: 12.5
    Price: $16

Appearance: The core is a pale pale straw in color where the rim is a pale gold with green hues showing that this is a young wine. There does not appear to be any oak content and the wine has good clarity and vibrancy.

Aroma: This wine does contain an intense aroma of cut grass and hay. There is also a slight smell of green apple and some yeasty smells adding to the complexity.

Palate: There are moderately intense flavors of pineapple that starts off with a low intensity on the front palate and builds on the mid paste coming to a high point on the back palate.


Thank you
~Karli

Chenin Blanc

Hello,
Today we talked about Chenin Blanc. This variety is the dominant grape in Loire Valley, in France. It is also found in South Africa, Chile, Argentina and the USA. In Australia it is typically found in Margaret River and McLaren Vale. Bunches are normally medium in size and have thin skinned berries. The color of the wine is typically pale straw to light gold. young wines can contain more of a tropics fruit, perfumed, peach and apple aromas where an aged wine would contain dried fruit and honey aromas. This wine is very crisp and has a lot of acidity but also contains residual sweetness.

1)Amberly
    Made in: Western Australia
    Alc/vol: 13
    Price: $14

Appearance: The core contains a pale straw yellow color and the rim is a pale golden yellow. There are some green hues making it seem like a young wine. The body of the wine seems to be light and the wine has great clarity and vibrancy. It also appears to be light bodied and have no oak content.

Aroma: There are intense aromas of Tropical fruit, peaches, pineapple, and pears. It smells like a fruit salad. There do not appear to be any oak content based on small and there is no secondary aromas.

Palate: There are subtle flavors of peach and passion fruit that slowy build from the front palate to the back palate. The flavors though are extremely subtle especially for the intensity of the aromas. It has a good persistence and there is slight taste of acid as well but it is balanced with the sweetness of the wine. It also dries the mouth slightly.



Thank you
~Karli

Semillon

Hello,
Today is all about Semillon. This variety is found all Australia but especially in the Hunter Valley, Baross, Queensland, and Riverina in New South Wales. These grapes grow in compact bunches with thins skins. This makes it asker for these bunches to get a disease.  The color of Semillon is pale straw but can turn into a rich gold with age. It tends to have green bean, pea pod, hay, citrus, lemon, apple and tropical fruit aromas. The way it interacts with the palate can actually vary between regions. Those made to drink right away tend to have more tropical flavors and attack the mid palate but the drier styles tend to have lingering citrus with more acidity.

In class we tasted two Semillon

1) Mount Pleasant Elizabeth (2015)
    Made in: Hunter Valley
    Alc/vol: 10
    Price: $14

Appearance: The core contains a pale pale straw yellow color and the rim is a light golden yellow. There are some green hues making it seem like a young wine. The body of the wine seems to be light and the wine has great clarity and vibrancy. It also appears to be light bodied and have no oak content.

Aroma: This wine contains a mixture of aromas including hay, cut grass, lime/lemons but it is a delicate balance b between these.

Palate: The wine is very light and the intensity starts off slow in the front palate and then build in the mid palate and then drops again on the back palate. There is a faint taste of tropical fruit in wine with the acidity.


2) Mountain Valley Blue label (2007)
    Made in: Hunter valley
    Alc/vol: 11
    Price: $22

Appearance: The Rim is a golden yellow color where the body is a pale golden yellow. This wine seems to be full bodied. The color shows that this is aged or has had oak contact. It is a full bodied wine  and it is clear and vibrant.

Aroma: The smell shows that there is no oak contact. It smells heavy of petroleum, asparagus, and buttered toast.

Palate: This wine is very heavy on the tongue and is very rich. It also have a buttery aftertaste. The flavors are not in the front palate, the start to build in mid palate and then keep building to back palate where then it drops quickly.


Thank you
~Karli

Sauvignon Blanc

Hello,
This week in class we tasted two Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc is typically grown in the Lorie Valley in France, Washington, New Zealand, and South Australia and Tasmania. Sauvignon Blanc tends to ripen early so it is best when they are grown in colder temperature to slow down the ripening process and allow for an increase in flavor. The grapes are typically small and tightly packed with, small, think skinned grapes. When the grapes are made into wine the color is a watery pale straw yellow to a light gold color.  These wines do not age well so a darker color is not normally a good sign.  Tropical fruit, kiwi fruit, leafy, steely, cut grass, and green beans are some aromas typically found in Sauvignon Blanc. There is normal a refreshing crispness all over the palate due to the acid. If there is less or oak contact there may be creamy characteristics as well.

In class we tasted two Sauvignon Blanc

1) Warburn est "Gossips" (2015)
    Made in: South East Asia
    Alc/vol: 12.5
    Price: $4

Appearance: The core contains a watery pale straw yellow color and the rim is a pale straw yellow. There are some green hues making it seem like a young wine. The body of the wine seems to be light and the wine has great clarity and vibrancy.

Aroma: This wine smells very acidic. The acid id very overpowering and masks many other aromas but there are  minor fruity smells like tropical fruit. I do not detect and secondary aromas as it seems to be a simple wine.

Palate: The wine does not have much intensity in the front palate but builds in the mid palate and reaches a high point in the back palate.


2) Villa Maria (2015)
    Made in: Marlbrough NZ
    Alc/vol: 13
    Price: $14

Appearance: The core contains a watery pale straw yellow color and the rim is pale gold. Some green hues show that this is a young wine also.

Aroma: This wine has intense smells. The main one is a passion fruit and other tropical fruits.

Palate: This wine is very heavy on the tongue. It fall short in the secondary flavors so it is not complex. The taste is very fruity with passion fruit. This seems to have some intensity on the front palate and builds in the mid palate and the falls again in the back palate.

Next up is Semillon

Thank you
~Karli

Riesling

Hello,
Today I learned about and tasted Riesling. Riesling was first grown in Germany but is now also grown in France, New Zealand, Canada, and Oregon. This is due to the fact that they love cool climates. The cool climates allow for the acid and sugar to balance while enhancing flavor. Therefore in Australia it is mostly grown in Southern Australia in the Clare Valley and the Eden Valley. Riesling grapes are typically small bunches that are tightly packed that vary from a pale gold and gain dark spots when ripe.
The wine they produce is typically pale straw yellow with green hues when the wine is young. As it ages it becomes more full bodied and develops a rich gold color. It can have many different aromas including citrus, lemon ( especially when young), tropical fruits, floral, guava, and apple. Aged Rieslings can also gain aromas of honey, toast and kerosene. The taste seems to have an apparent acid crispness with subtle viscosity in the mid palate.

In class we tasted three Rieslings

1) Jacob's Creek Classic (2015)
    Made in: Australia
    Alc/vol: 12.1
    Price: $6

Appearance: This Riesling had a pale pale straw yellow color in the core and appeared more white on the rim with hues of green indicating a young and vibrant wine.

Aroma: This has a intense acidic smell but there are also aromas of floral and hints of green apple and honeysuckle.

Palate: There seemed to be a strong taste of citric acid especially the front and mid palate. This intensity falls short of the back palate though. There is also a soft sweetness even though it is very dry and makes your lips pucker.

Overall Quality and Balance: The color is nice but it is a bit watery. Also it falls short as a Riesling due to the acidity.


2) Annie's Lane (2015)
    Made in: Clare Valley
    Alc/vol: 13
    Price: $16

Appearance: This Riesling had a pale yellow color in the core and appeared pale stray yellow on the rim with hues of green indicating a young and vibrant wine.

Aroma: This has very faint and almost undetectable but there are hints of grapefruit and green apple.

Palate: This wine has a strong intensity on the front and middle palate but then falls short in the back palate. It seems like there are slight floral notes and a slight taste of green apple.

Overall Quality and Balance: This was a very nice Riesling and had a vibrant color. It contained many characteristics of a good Riesling.

3) Annie's Lane (2009)
    Made in: Clare Valley
    Alc/vol: 12
    Price: $22

Appearance: This Riesling is golden yellow in the core color and slightly deeper on the rim. This means that it could be aged with oak or be aged. ( since it is a Rielsing though it would not have had contact with oak)

Aroma: This has a strong sense of petroleum and a slight mix of honeysuckle and some citrus fruits.

Palate: This is not as acidic, however there is still a dry sense in the back of the palate. It taste a bit like kerosene.  

Overall Quality and Balance: This was very smooth and had many characteristics of an aged Rielsing.


More wines to come!
Karli

Wine studies #2

Hello,

Today we started the tasting process but not yet with wine.

First my professor wanted us to see how the wines could attack different parts of our tongue and have different intensity. 

We first started with a sugar solution. Most of the sensation came from the back of the palate. When compared to water the sugar solution is rounder, softer and heavier on the tongue. Also the sugar solution is more viscous than water.

Citric acid (tasted like lemon water)

 The citric acid seemed to attack the middle and back palate. It also tasted very sour and bitter. Compared to the sugar solution it was harder and heavier.

Tartaric acid

This acid attacked very strongly in the front palate, fell in the mid palate, and then grew slightly again in the back palate. This was the most bitter out of all of the samples and it was the hardest out of the samples. Also Tartaric acid contains Aperitif, which cleanses the palate and stimulates appetite. This is also found in sorbet and wine. This is what some places will give you sorbet between meals.

American Oak water solution

This tasted exactly what I think the inside of an oak tree would taste like. The sensation came in the back part of the mid palate. It tasted woody and made my top lip feel dry. This was a result of the Tannins in it. We tasted this to allow us to pick this out as a secondary taste. 

This session was very interesting but also challenging. It was hard at first to determine where the flavors were on the palate because I have never thought about that before when tasting food/drink. I also learned about words like softer/ harder and heavier/ lighter. Softer and harder are distinguished but the way they feel and roll of the tongue. If it easily rolls off the tongue it is probably softer and if it does not glide off the tongue it is harder. Heavier and light describe the physical weight of the liquid on the tongue. This was a very eye opening experience and I cant wait to use my new knowledge.

~Karli

Wine studies #1

Hello, 

So today I began my wine tasting class. In the first class we mostly discussed the history of wine in Australia. We did though talk about the most important part of tasting which is the ability to discern specific taste and smells. My professor noted that we should all go to the grocery store and smell the produce in order to commit the smells to memory. Also that we should not only know good smells, such as fruits and flowers, but also bad smells such as dirty socks and sweat horse blanket. These "bad"  smells occur when something in the wine has gone bad. Typically it is from mold in the grapes or from a build up of 2,4,6 trichloroanisole in the cork of the wine. This 2,4,6 trichloroanisole can sometimes be considered good by adding complexity to the wine but more often it will ruin the wine. That is why now in Australia they use screw caps instead because then none of the wine will go bad from the corks. 

Taste is also important so I have decided to do a run to the store after class to pick up different fruits, and fruits I have never had before, to try to commit those to memory. Also I will have to learn to distinguish primary and secondary tastes. Primary tastes are the typically fruity taste of the wine and secondary tastes are the ones that come from the wine making process such as an oak flavor if stored in an oak barrel.

We also learned that we would be tasting the wines and then writing about their Appearance, Smell, Palate (taste and feel), Overall quality, and then giving it a food match. 

This part will start next week and I can't wait to get started. 

~Karli