Tasting

Question 1

Describe Albarino Profile?

Answer 1

Sight
Pale to deep Yellow
Green Rim variation
Med. to Med. + tears

Nose
Aroma Int.: Med. to Med. +

Citrus fruit: Tart/ Ripe Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon

Stone fruit: Canned / Overripe Peach, Nectarine

Orchard: Ripe green apple, Green Pear

Floral: Orange Blossom

Herbal: Lemon Grass, Sweet Herb

Spice: Cardamom, Allspice

Other: Saline, oyster shell

Vinification: Yeast, bread, dough

Oak: None

Organic Earth: None

Inorganic Earth: Wet Stone, Dusty Rock

Structure
RS: Dry to Bone Dry
Tannin: Phenolic Bitterness
Acid: Med. +
ABV: Med. to Med. +
Finish: Med. to Med. +
Complexity: Moderate to Complex
Quality: None

Question 2

Albarino vs. Viognier

Answer 2

Albarino has lower ABV
Lighter body
Never has oak

Question 3

Albarino vs. Riesling

Answer 3

Albarino will be drier
Albarino lower acid
less mineral and petrol than Ries

Question 4

Albarino vs. SB

Answer 4

Albarino will have less herb and Vegetal

Question 5

Albarino vs. Alsace PG

Answer 5

Albarino isn’t as rich in texture and higher acid

Question 6

Albarino vs. Italian PG

Answer 6

Albarino more color and more aromatic

Question 7

Albarino vs. Gruner

Answer 7

Gruner has more Vegetal note, herbal
less floral
Crunchier texture than Alba

Question 8

Describe the profile of Cab Franc

Answer 8

Sight
Red to deep Ruby
Garnet to purple rim
stain: light to moderate
Tear : med. to medium +

Nose
Aroma Int: Medium

Red fruit: Tart/ Ripe Rasp., Currant, Cranberry

Black Fruit: Blackberry, Black Currant

Floral: Red Rose, Tulip, Geramium Purple flowers

Herbal: Tobacco, Green herbs, Grass, Tea

Vegetal: Pyrazine, Beer, Greens

Spice: light pepper

Other: leather, chocolate, coffee

Vin: Stem usage

Oak: Used French

Organic Earth: Soil, compost, dust

Inorganic Earther; Stones, Pencil/ Graphite

Palate
Dry
Tannin: Med. to Medium +
Acid: Medium plus to high
ABV: Med. to Med. +
Finish: Med. to Long
Complexity: Moderate to Complex
Quality: none

Question 9

Cab Franc vs. Cab Sauv)

Answer 9

less tannin, alcohol and new oak

Question 10

Describe proile of OW Cab Sauv

Answer 10

Sight
Moderate to deep Ruby/ Purple
Pink/ Purple rim
moderate staining to Mod +
Med to high viscosity

Nose
Red fruit Tart/ ripe Cherry, Plum

Black fruit: Tart/ ripe Cassis/ Currant, Blkberry, Plum, Cherry

Floral: Purple flowers: Lilac, Lavender

Herb: Fresh or Dried thyme, rosemary, tobacco

Veg: Pyrazine, Fennel

Spice: Ansise, light pepper

Other: leather, Coffee, Cedar, Brett (band-aid, clove, leather)

Vin: blend merlot or Cab Franc

Oak: French oak, smoke, toast, baking spice

Org. earth: mushroom, forest floor
Inorg earth: graphite, iron, stony

Palate
Dry
Tannin: med + to high
acid: med to med +
ABV: med to high
Finish: Med to long
complex: mod to complex
quality: medoc system

Question 11

OW Cab vs. Brunello or Chianti

Answer 11

Darker color
lower acid
more dark fruit
Riper, less sour fruit
lower tannin level

Question 12

OW Cab vs. OW Merlot

Answer 12

Higher tannin
less concentration of flavor
Fruit more tart
Rougher texture
less dark fruit leading

Question 13

OW cab vs. NW cab

Answer 13

fruit is more under ripe
ABV will be lower, thus body is lighter
Earth components will be more dominant

Question 14

Nw cab vs. NW merlot

Answer 14

Higher acid, higher/ firmer tannin
Tends to have more Black fruit than merlot
Pyrazine is more green pepper where merlot is more bay leaf

Question 15

Discuss character of Cab differences around the world

Answer 15

Bordeaux- earth, new oak, possible under ripeness but never too overripe fruit, higher acid

Cali- Fruit forward, high new oak, earth & pyrazine are more faint in the background, lower acid, high extraction, elevated tannin

Chile-most pronounced pyrazine, more red fruited & higher acid for NW

Australia- dominated by Eucalyptus/ Mint character, fruit can be baked, overripe from warm area, black fruit dominated, tannin is softer
Coonawarra iron clay soil may give ?_______

Question 16

NW cab vs. Malbec

Answer 16

Often less purple more Ruby
No grapey character
more herbs/ vegetal
Malbec has pepper, game & meat often

Question 17

NW cab vs. shiraz

Answer 17

More ruby than shiraz purple
Shiraz can have wider fruit profile
Cab doesnt have pepper, game, meat character
Eucalptus less present than shiraz
Vegetal

Question 18

Discuss differences in French Chardonnay styles

Answer 18

Aroma is moderate to low intensity from grape, shows winemaking easily

Chablis- Austere, tart citrus, bone dry w/ med. to high acid, integrated oak, Minerals strong (Chalk)

Cote d’or- fuller body, rounder, power,ripe apple, wood is more evident, earthy less mineral

Maconais: less complex, earth & mushroom character

Question 19

Chard vs. Chenin

Answer 19

Chenin has oatmeal, wax or wool component
RS

Question 20

Chard vs. PG

Answer 20

Chard has more depth
less citus peel/ pith
less floral

Question 21

Discuss regional differences in flavor from Cali / NW chard

Answer 21

North Coast: Ripe forward fruit
(baked apple totropical) elevated ABV
Strong oak aroma

Central Coast- tropical fruit, higher acid = sweet tart character

Australia: wider array of fruits, both ripe & tart + herbal floral element

Question 22

Describe OW chard profile

Answer 22

Pate straw to light god
Green, gold or brass rim
No staining
Tears Med. to high

Nose
Tart to Ripe or Baked Apple/ Pear range from Green, yellow, red
Citrus Tart to ripe or pith lemon/ lime tart, core, pith Banana, mango , papaya, pineapple

Floral: suttle orange blossom
Herb: suttle dried/ savory herb
Veg: none
Spice: none except oak

other: oxidative, Hazelnut or almond

Vin: malo: butter, cream, and lees/ dough

Oak: vanilla, smoke, clove, cinnamon , toast (Chablis less, Macon more, Cote d’or the most)

Org earther: compost, forest floor, mushroom

In earth: Chablis: mineral, chalk , flint, oyster shell
Macon: clay

Palate: dry
Tannin/ bitter: slight tannin from barrel
Acid: med. to high
ABV Med to med +
Finish: medium to long
complexity: mod to complex
quality: Village, 1er, GC