2020 - Leaders Forum(WSET 3 Notes)

2019 Tyerrll's Semillon

Hunter Valley, Australia

Hand- and machine-picked grapes, followed by gentle pressing and cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks.  

There is some complexity, due to the short time spent on the lees.

10% abv.

Primary aroma and flavour clusters produce citrus notes of lemon, lime, and grapefruit.  The wine is light- to medium-bodied with well- balanced acidity.  Drink this refreshing Southern Hemisphere wine now. 

Why?  

The majority of Southern Hemisphere wines are harvested approximately six months earlier in the vintage year!  Consume this wine in its youth, because additional cellaring time is not suitable for further development.  

2017 Bourgogne Chardonnay

  Meursault, Côte de Beaune, France

Chardonnay variety sourced from Meursault.

This is a traditional Burgundian wine aged in old French oak producing a light buttery, creamy, and spicier style that is complex and longer-lived.   

13.5% abv.

Primary aroma and flavour clusters of both lemon and lime citrus fruits, with more pronounced notes of white apricot, nectarine, and peach stone fruits, as well as hints of tropical pineapple.  

Secondary aroma and flavour clusters of light cream, butter and allspice.  The wine has medium acidity with a medium(+) finish.  Drink now or cellar for a few months for potential ageing.

2016 Vatan Tinta De Toro

   Bodega Ordonez Vatan

100% Tinta de Toro (Spain's original Tempranillo clone).  

 The sandy alluvial soils underlain (~8 meters) with clay have remained untouched by phylloxera; therefore, this wine was produced from an ungrafted single vineyard that it is not to be missed!  

Fermented in open-topped stainless steel using indigenous yeast, followed by MLF.  

Aged for 18 - 20 months in new French Bordeaux and Burgundy barrels, with some puncheons and demi-muids.  

15% abv.

Primary aroma and flavour clusters of blackcurrants, blackberry, liquorish, with notes of spice and violets.  The wine is balanced with medium(+) acidity and medium(+) tannin.  

Secondary aroma and flavour clusters consist of cedar and cigar box.  

Tertiary aromas and flavours will continue to develop with a minimum of 2 - 4 additional years of bottle age.  This Tinta de Toro is  powerful, so drink now or keep this one in the cellar whilst the balanced acidity and tannins further develop in this spectacular wine!

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6 Sept 2020 - Progress Tasting Notes

Decanted via Coravin

Tasters:  Bryan Turcios and Margaux Bereston

Tertiary aroma and flavour clusters continue to develop with distinctive notes of bacon, leather, smoked meats, as well as forest floor!   

2018 G.D. Vajra Langhe Nebbiolo

Vergne, Langhe, Italy

100% Nebbiolo. 

The Vergne village vineyards are located at the highest elevation in northwest Italy, with the altitude topping out at 400 meters.  The dry micro-climate of this village produces smashing Nebbiolo!

The 2018 vintage of Langhe DOC Nebbiolo was harvested from 7 October to 22 October.

Fermentation time was 19 days, followed by MLF.  

Aged for 10 to 14 months in stainless-steel vats, with a small fraction of wine aged in neutral oak.

14.5% abv. 

Primary aroma and flavour clusters of red fruit and some black fruit, such as red cherries, red plum, black plum, and black cherries, as well as wet stone with floral notes of rose petals and violets.  This is a full-bodied wine with high acidity and high tannins.  Secondary aroma and flavour clusters show notes of sweet spices and toast, 

Tertiary aroma and flavour clusters show fruit development of cooked red plum, red cherries, and dried orange peel.  Hints of red bottle age consist of earth and tar.  Drink this wine now or cellar for further ageing.