Barolo (Nebbiolo) DOCG Tenuta Cappallotto 2011 - WSET Level2 Tasting (Week One)

APPEARANCE
Clarity: hazy
Intensity: deep

Colour: red: garnet/tawny

NOSE:
Condition:  clean
Intensity: medium
Aroma Characteristics: fruits (stewed fruit, cherries), flowers (rose petal, violets), oak (vanilla), other

PALATE
Sweetness: dry
Acidity: high
Tannin: high
Body medium/full
Flavour characteristics: fruits (bold stewed fruits and cherry), some chocolate, oak (vanilla)
Finish: medium
Balance: good (teacher - high acid and tannin balanced by reach fruits), personally I found it hard to drink

CONCLUSIONS
Quality: acceptable/good

My Notes:

• Difficult to drink on its own
• Need to balanced by heavy food, stews, beans and rich savory dishes (Grilled food, roasts, game, salty cheese … slightly difficult for vegans)

Here are some good tasting notes I found online:

Degustation notes:  Red garnet colour, a concentrated and fruity nose with scents of cloves and wood, which evolve with notes of tobacco, spicy in the mouth, characterized by aromas of cinnamon and a hint of licorice, aromatic and very powerful, with perceptible tannins.
Special notes: Barolo - a small area south of Alba, produces one of the best italian red wines. Production is concentrated in Castiglione Falletto, Monforte d'Alba, Serralunga d'Alba as well as in Barolo and La Morra. The required ageing is 3 years and 5 years for the Riserva.
https://www.coopathome.ch/en/promotions/vini-italiano/barolo-docg-tenuta-cappallotto/p/1000062011

Ca'Rugate Valpolicella Rio Albo 2014 - WSET Level2 Tasting (Week One)

APPEARANCE
Clarity: clear
Intensity: medium/deep

Colour: purple (red/blue)

NOSE:
Condition: clean
Intensity: medium
Aroma Characteristics: fruits (blackcurrants, strawberries), leaves/rocket

PALATE
Sweetness: dry
Acidity: medium
Tannin: low/medium
Body: light/medium
Flavour characteristics: lots fruits (blackcurrants, strawberries, cherries)
Finish: short
Balance: very good, a bright young wine

CONCLUSIONS
Quality: acceptable (teacher) although I thought this was very good


I liked this review on vivino

"The opening palate is quite bright and light-bodied. Loaded with bright red fruits along the lines of raspberry, cranberry, cherry and tomato. Not unlike the nose. The mid-palate softens up dramatically with light Asian spice notes, noticeable acid and persistent under-ripe cherry. The viscosity appears to almost get lower. The close is fresh with just picked cranberry, ripe cassis and mild cracked black pepper. Finish is surprisingly long for such a light wine. which last for Medium length on the finish."

https://www.vivino.com/wineries/ca-rugate/wines/rio-albo-2014

Amaren Rioja Barrel Fermented 2013 - WSET Level2 Tasting (Week One)

I'm just a beginner (starting WSET Level2) but here are my tasting notes:

APPEARANCE
Clarity: clear
Intensity: medium
Colour: white:lemon/gold

NOSE: 
Condition: clean 
Intensity: pronounced
Aroma Characteristics: oak (vanilla), fruits (apple + some pineapple after a while), minerality (petrol)

PALATE
Sweetness: dry 
Acidity: medium 
Body full (teacher) - medium (my rating)
Tannin: low
Flavour characteristics: fruits (apple), rich oak some minerality
Finish short

CONCLUSIONS
Quality: good 


Other note:

• This wine is slightly unusual as it is heavily oaked (via barrel fermentation)
• Oxidize wine (soak up oxygen via oak barrel)
• The White Rioja is a 'neutral grape variety' and suitable for this 'heavy oak' treatment.

https://www.vivino.com/wineries/amaren/wines/rioja-barrel-fermented-2013

Uvam Mavu Pinot Grigio delle Venezie IGT - WSET Level2 Tasting (Week One)

I'm just a beginner (starting WSET Level2) but here are my tasting notes:

APPEARANCE
Clarity: clear
Intensity: medium 
Colour: white:lemon/gold

NOSE: 
Condition: clean 
Intensity: medium 
Aroma Characteristics: fruits (apple/peach, some apricot and honey)

PALATE
Sweetness: dry
Acidity: medium (I feel the saliva)
Tannin: low (typical of white wines)
Body: medium 
Flavour characteristics: fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables, oak flavours, other
Finish medium (4 to 5 seconds … seem a bit longer to me, but hard to benchmark)

CONCLUSIONS
Quality: very good (one the better Pinot Grigio's I've tasted)

Link: http://www.wine-searcher.com/wine-348906-0001-mabis-uvam-mavu-pinot-grigio-delle-venezie-igt-italy 

Gilbert Ruhlmann Gewurztraminer Alsace 2013 - WSET2 Tasting (Week One)

I'm just a beginner (starting WSET Level2) but here are my tasting notes:

APPEARANCE
Clarity: clear
Intensity: deep

Colour: white:gold

NOSE: 
Condition:  clean 
Intensity: pronounced
Aroma Characteristics: fruits (strong lychee), flowers (rose petrol), a little citrus fruit

PALATE
Sweetness: off-dry (Lysander) – medium (my rating)
Acidity: medium
Tannin: low
Body: full
Flavour characteristics: fruits (apple), other (honey) some citrus 
Finish: long

CONCLUSIONS
Quality: very good (I like Gewurztraminer generally and this was a very good bottle)

NB Food Pairing - worked well with apple slices but didn't pair quite as well with cheese (although I would have been happy with both)

Link: https://www.vivino.com/wineries/gilbert-ruhlmann/wines/gewurztraminer-alsace-2013