Grapes and Classic Tasting Notes Flashcards
What is the classic tasting note for Cabernet Sauvignon and what are it’s classic styles?
Visual- Dark ruby/purple moderate plus concentration.
Aromas- moderate plus intensity,
•fruit- black fruits(black current/cassis, black berry, black cherry) slight red fruit and plum.
•floral- purple flowers, violets
•Herbal-sage, green bell pepper, mint, tobacco, dried savoury herbs
•Spice(savoury)- green peppercorn, anise, clove, exotic spice
•other- leather, pencil shavings, cédar, iodine, medicinal, game, cigar box
•Oak- Moderate to moderate plus use of oak (baking spices, cloves, smoke, coffee, vanilla, roasted nuts, cédar)
Structure Dry Body - Moderate plus Tannins - Elevated Acidity - Moderate to elevated Alcohol - Moderate to elevated
Styles
•Bordeaux - see above
•Coonawarra- ripe/lush Blackfruit and red fruit, prune, intense green character especially eucalyptus, sweeter spice of licorice/anise, cocoa, cinimon, moderate to moderate plus minerality, clay and earth. Structurally dry but with ripe attack, elevated to high alcohol.
•Napa/California- highly concentrated dark purple colour, ripe black and red fruit, blueberry, green notes only in cooler vintages, sweet spice, low to moderate + minerality, volcanic ashen, gravel. Moderate to high use of oak. Ripe attack, full bodied, elevated to high tannin, moderate acidity, elevated to high alcohol.
•Chilean- ripe lush black and red fruits, sweet spice, moderate to moderate + minerality, damp earth, mushroom/compost, iron. Moderate use of oak. Ripe attack, elevated tannins, moderate to elevated acid, moderate to elevated alcohol
What is the classic tasting note for Merlot and what are it’s classic styles?
Visual- Ruby with garnet tones, M to M+ concentration
Aromas- M+ intensity
•fruit: blue fruit(plum, blueberry) redfruit(strawberry, raspberry, red cherry), blackfruit(blackberry, black cherry) fig/fruit cake.
•floral: purple flowers, violets
•Herbal: Mint, bay leaf, fern, tobacco
•Spice: licorice/anise, Christmas spice
•Earth: M+ to high minerality, clay, mushroom, truffle
•Oak: M to M+ use, chocolate, coffee, cinnamon vanilla
Structure Dry Body: M to M+ Tannin: M to Elevated Acidity: M Alcohol: Elevated
Classic styles:
•Right bank Bordeaux - above
•Napa - stewed fruit character, ripe/lush fruit, prune, low-M minerality, M to high use of oak, ripe attack, M+ to full body, M tannin, diminished to M acid, elevated to high Alcohol
What is the classic tasting note for Cabernet Franc and what are it’s classic styles?
Visual: Dark ruby colour, M to M+ concentration, pink/purple rim in youth
Aroma- M+ intensity
•Fruit: Bright redfruits(raspberry, cranberry, red cherry), tart black fruit(black cherry, black current, blackberry),underripe fruits
•possible carbonic maceration and/or stem inclusion
•floral: lilacs, violets, white and red flowers
•herbal: Pyrazine, Black current bud/leaf, green bell/ Serrano pepper, celery, seed, sage, tobacco
•other: leather, cigar box, cedar
•earth: High minerality, graphite/pencil lead, dust
•Oak: neutral oak, some top cuvées will use new oak
Structure Bone dry to dry Body: M+ Tannins: Elevated Acidity: Elevated Alcohol: M
Classic examples:
Chinon: see above
What is the classic tasting note for Carmenére and what are it’s classic styles?
Visual: Dark ruby with purple tones, M+ concentration
Aromas: M+ intensity
•Fruit: ripe lush black fruits(cassis, blackberry, black plum, black cherry), stewed tomato
•florals: Violets, purple flowers
•Green: green notes contrast with ripe fruit, green bell pepper, celery, camphor
•Spice: Black pepper
•other: bitter chocolate
•Oak: low to M use of new oak
Structure Dry with ripe attack Body: M+ Tannin: M Acidity: M Alcohol: Elevated
Classic examples
Chilean - see above
What is the classic tasting note for Malbec and what are it’s classic styles?
Visual: Dark ruby/purple with blue tones M+ to high concentration, electric pink rim
Aromas- M+ to high intensity
•Fruit: ripe/lush black(black raspberry, black cherry, blackberry) blue(concord grape jam, blueberry, plum) lush red fruit(raspberry liqueur) fig, raisin, prune.
•Floral: Purple and red flowers (especially expressive at high altitudes)
•herbal: potential for green notes
•Earth: M- to M minerality, clay/mud
•Oak: low to high use of new oak(Vanilla, baking spice, chocolate, cinnamon
Structure Dry with ripe attack Body: full Tannins: Elevated Acidity: Diminished to M Alcohol: Elevated to high
Classic example
Mendoza, Argentina
What is the classic tasting note for Dry semillon and what are it’s classic styles?
Visual: straw/green M- intensity
Aroma: M+ intensity
•fruit: citrus(lemon, lemon marmalade), tart tree fruit(green apple, fig)
•floral: honeysuckle, lemon blossom
•herbal: slightly grassy, savoury herb, hay
•Bottle age aroma: honey, browned toast, crème brûlée, umami
•other: Waxy, candle wax/panna cotta
•earth: strong stony minerality
•Oak: None
Structure Dry Body: M- Acidity: High Alcohol: diminished m
Classic region: Hunter Valley
What is the classic tasting note for Sweet semillon and what are it’s classic styles?
Visual: gold, high concentration
Aromas: High intensity
•fruit: stewed/cooked treefruit(apple, quince) cooked peach, dried apricot, fig/fruitcake, sweet citrus(orange, tangerine, lemon marmalade) ripe melon, tropical fruit(pineapple)
•floral: honeysuckle, orange blossom
•herbal: sweet hay, dried grass, savoury herbs
•botrytis: honey, gingerbread/ginger, saffron, candied pineapple/dried apricot
•Oxidation: Blanched nuts, hazelnut, almond
•Earth: M to high minerality, mushroom, truffle
•Oak: M to high use of new oak
Structure Sweet (85 to 150 g/l residual sugar) Body: full Acidity: Elevated Alcohol: moderate to elevated
Classic region: Sauternes
What is the classic tasting note for Sauvignon Blanc and what are it’s classic styles?
Visual: straw with hints of green, M intensity
Aroma: M to high intensity
•Fruit: citrus(Grapefruit, lemon), Tropical(Pineapple, passion fruit), Tree fruit(green fig, green/yellow apple), melon, stonefruit(nectarine, peach, apricot)
•floral:faint white flowers, citrus blossom
•Herbal: cut grass, green bell pepper, black current bud, box tree, tarragon
•earth: minerality, wet stones, chalk
Structure Dry Body: M Acidity: H Alcohol: M to M+
Classic regions:
•Sancerre: tart fruits, high minerality , cut grass
•Marlborough: Passion fruit and green bell peppers, low to M minerality
•Napa/Sonoma: M+ aroma, ripe fruit, low to moderate minerality, some low to M use of new oak in Fume Blanc, M+ Body, M+ to high acid, M+ to high alcohol
•Graves Bordeaux Blanc(semillon blend): M aroma, honeysuckle, gravel, wet rocks, beeswax, lanolin, cream soda, sunflower seed, M to high(50%) new oak(vanilla, toast), M to M+ body, M+ to high acid, M to M+ alcohol
•Casablanca valley, Chille: Crisp, strong minerality, cuts through weight
