Wine tasting is such fun!

Last week, I was lucky enough to attend a wine testing with a number of people, some I knew from my WSET 3 course, and some that were new to me. This is part two of that evening. And there are some truly great wines that we had!

After a wonderful break of fancy cheeses, and some stimulating conversation about wine, we proceeded to the next flight of wines. Unlike the first flight, where we silent evaluated all of the wines at once before discussing, this time we tried a wine, took some notes and then had a (sometimes raucous) discussion on the wine. Although most of us spat some of the wine from the first four tastings, the wine certainly was having an effect and a lot more wine ended up being drunk in the second flight!

The first was the only white - one that most people were stumped by although I think that Verity nailed it.... The 2016 Granbazan Albarino Etiqueta Amber from Rias Baixas, Spain ($26 Vivino) had a very floral aroma with peach, apricot, apples, and a mineral taste on the palate that came from extended lees contact. There was also some citrus flavours on the palate as well. This was a high acid wine with medium body, medium alcohol, medium plus intensity, and a medium finish and complexity. I would rate this as a Good wine - not fabulous but still a drinkable glass.

Next was a wine that fooled us all. I tasted a spicy, minerally, funky, herbal, gamey wine that had red fruit. I was surprised that it was a Nebbiolo grape wine as the aroma profile for Nebbiolo is tar and roses. Nevertheless, this was a 2006 Giribaldi Barbaresco from Italy ($169 Vivino). The tannins on this wine had softened considerable but I could tell that this had once been a real mouth puckerer, The tannins were n ow just medium plus with high acidity, and additional flavours of tobacco and cedar on the palate. The group felt that it had been faked but not with new oak. I love a wine like this that has had enormous tannins and has softened to a tamed beast state! I rated this wine as Outstanding, despite not smelling tar and roses.

Our third wine had aromas of both red fruit and black fruit, at least for my nose. Along with cherry, strawberry, and plum, there was oak, leather and a nice, funky earthiness. This high acid, medium tannin wine was another one that the experts struggled with, although there were a couple correct guesses. It was a 2013 Ricasoli Colledila Chianti Classico Gran Selezione from Italy ($50 Vivino). The way this works is Chianti is the big region, Chianti Classico is the best of that region, Chianti Classico Riserva had additional ageing and quality markers, and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, a relatively new designation, has more ageing (30 months), 100% single estate fruit, and has to pass a selection board for each vintage. It's a rare feat and probably why I had such a hard time figuring out what it was. I would rate this as Very Good.

Our last wine in the flight was one that I should have got but I didn't. I was thinking a southern Rhone, Petit Sarah, or maybe a Mouvedre - but, no. It was a 2015 Chateau des Annereaux Lalande-de-Pomerol ($36 Vivino). This blend 60% Merlot and 20% each of Cab Sauv and Cab Franc had flavours and aromas of blueberry, black currant, blackberry, tobacco, vanilla, smoke, barnyard, and leather. I found the barnyard smell so strong - as did a couple others - that someone joked that it was like your grandmothers bathroom - a slight whiff of poo with a floral scent of perfume! Maybe we had all had a bit of wine at this point? Medium plus tannins, full body and medium acidity made for a balanced, fairly complex wine with a medium plus finish. Overall, a Very Good wine.

But wait! That's not all!

Our host, Andrew, brought out a bottle that, it turned out, had been given to him by one of the guests a while ago! It was excellent...

The last wine was my favourite of the night. I guessed, Syrah - right! Then I guessed Northern Rhone Syrah - right! Then I was asked the year - I guessed 2014 but it really was just a guess - my wine expertise is not there yet! So what was it? A 2015 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert from Tain Hermitage in the Northern Rhone ($61 - BC Liquor for a 2016). Crozes- Hermitage wines are usually not quite as good as Hermitage but this was wonderful. The next best region is Cornas and then Cote-Rotie. This wine was almost as good as some of the Cornas wines I have tried! I was impressed. There were medium plus tannins, medium acidity, medium plus body, and a balanced array of tastes and aromas including blackberry, blueberry, cassis, plum, black cherry, black olive, leather, smoke, mushroom, tobacco, and chocolate. This could probably age for another 5 years but it was delicious now. A stellar Outstanding rating.

And that is it!

Cheers!