WSET Advanced Certificate Course - Class 2 - "Wine Making"

Our second class at the WSET was a rapid-moving overview of wine making the world over in 90 minutes. It made a clear distinction between two different aspects of this subject - "viticulture" and "vinification".

"Viticulture" refers to the various stages of the growing of grapes (vineyard, the vine, planting, cultivation) whereas "vinification" relates to the processing of turning grapes into finished wines (white, rose and red wine making, maturation, finishing and bottling).


(Picture Courtesy of Wikipedia)

We also learned how the development of modern viticulture arose from the wholesale destruction of European vineyards by the American louse "Phylloxera" in the 19th Century. Most importantly, we learnt to appreciate the role that both viticulture and vinification play in producing good quality wines.


The phylloxera, a true gourmet, finds out the best vineyards and attaches itself to the best wines
(Cartoon from Punch, 6 Sep. 1890 via Wikipedia)



It was interesting to learn about some of those terms that I had heard many times over the years but never really fully understood. For example "malolactic fermentation" (process which turns harsh malic acid into gentler lactic acid giving a more rounded, 'buttery' flavour) or the use of "noble rot or botrytis" (a natural mould which dries up the grapes to produce some of the most luscious and valuable sweet wines like Sauternes). Another useful snippet of learning is that French oak maturation gives rise to toast, hazelnut and vanilla flavours in wine, whereas American oak gives more coconut tones.

(Botrytis Riesling via Wikipedia)

To illustrate some of the issues around viticulture and vinification, we had a blind tasting of two pairs of wines made from the same grape. It was interesting to note how different the Australian and French Syrah were (indeed the palate evoked so much more than just the grape!), but also the two Chardonnays produced by the same wine maker but from different vintages. Fascinating stuff!

Below are the wines that we tasted on this evening:

Enate 234 Chardonnay 2009, Somontano, Spain, Vinedos Y Crianzas Del Aragon SA @ £10.99 from Hallgarten Wines

Enate Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2007, Somontano, Spain. Vinedos Y Crianzas Del Aragon SA @ £16.99 from Hallgarten Wines

Crozes-Hermitage 2008, Les Launes, Rhone Valley, Delas Frere @ £13.99 from Berkmann Wine Cellars

Shiraz 2006, Chateau Reynella Basket Pressed Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia @ £14.99 from Constellation Wine

Next week is Week 3: "Introduction to EU labelling"

WSET Advanced Certicate Course – Week One – “Course Induction and Tasting Techniques”

I have always been interested in wine and used to go to the Dulwich Wine Society for many years whilst living in South London.  Lately, I felt it was time to learn a little more about it and in a more structured way, and so decided to join the Advanced Certificate Course of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET).

To be eligible for this course, an online exam containing 50 multiple choice questions (based on the intermediate course) must be taken in 45 minutes and a score of 65% achieved. The test is not particularly difficult for anyone who has an interest in wine and wine regions, and I was lucky enough to pass it without taking the beginners or intermediate classes.

The course will run for 15 weeks every Tuesday. Our first class was on 5th October 10, at the WSET on Bermondsey Street and was led by the course organizer Michael Buriak. Michael was knowledgeable and rather entertaining in his explanations of the course syllabus and the WSET 'Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine'. 

This is an internationally recognised method for describing wines, with comments on the appearance of the wine, the nose, the palate, and conclusions including the quality, price category (inexpensive=£5.99 or less, mid price=£6.00-£9.99, high price=£10 to £14.99, premium=£15 or more), and readiness for drinking. 

These were discussed at some length as shown by our first four wines below. These tasting notes mean little to anyone unfamiliar with these wines but they help to illustrate the systematic approach used by WSET for tasting wines.

1.  Muscadet sur Lie

Appearance: clear, pale, lemon coloured

Nose: was clean, youthful, with green apple and lemon characteristics

Palate:  dry, high in acidity, with citrus and floral characteristics

Conclusions: Good quality, mid-priced, and ready to drink now.

2.  Tokay 5 Puttonyos 2000 Vintage

Appearance: clear, deep amber

Nose: clean, pronounced, fully developed, apricot, fig, honey, marmalade

Palate: sweet, high acidity, no tannin, high alcohol, full bodied, pronounced flavour intensity, apricot, tangerine and honey flavours, long finish

Conclusion: Outstanding quality, premium price, ready to drink now, but can improve with ageing.

3.  Beaujolais

Appearance: clear, medium intensity, purple

Nose: clean, youthful, raspberry, red plum and red cherry

Palate: dry, high acidity, low tannin, medium alcohol, red fruit flavours, medium length

Conclusion: good quality, mid-price, ready to drink now, and will not improve with ageing.

4. Rioja Gran Reserva 1999

Appearance:  Clear, medium intensity, garnet

Nose: clean, medium intensity, fully developed black cherry fruit,with spice, oak and cedar notes

Palate: dry, medium acidity, tannin and alcohol, black fruit, spice and cedar, medium to long finish

Conclusion: very good quality, premium price, ready to drink now and will not improve

These four contrasting wine styles were intended to introduce us to the range of descriptors conveyed by the standard WSET vocabulary.  Over the coming weeks, we look forward to using them with increasing rigour and to describe wines in a fairly objective, unfussy and unpretentious language, and sharing the wines we taste whenever we are told their provenance (we were not on this first tasting). 

Week 2: Wine Making!