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