Wines to taste

Common region (Burgundy)

Chablis Premier Cru or Grand Cru very good or outstanding quality
Bourgogne Rouge of acceptable quality
Premier Cru or Grand Cru Red Burgundy showing distinct tertiary characteristics of very good or outstanding
quality

Common Grape Variety (Riesling)

Alsace Riesling of good quality
German Riesling Kabinett or Spätlese
Riesling (Clare or Eden Valley) of very good or outstanding quality

Tasting
Common region (Burgundy)

Wine 1: Domaine Gaston & Pierre Ravaut, Côte de Nuits

Villages 2010

Wine facts
ABV: 13%.

Appearance
The wine is pale ruby.

Nose
Medium intensity red fruit (raspberry, red cherry, blueberry), orange peel, tertiary (leather, earth). Simple.

Palate
The palate is dry with medium(+) acidity, medium tannins of a just-ripe and fine-grained nature, medium
and warming alcohol, medium(-) body, medium intensity, medium(-) finish.

Flavours of raspberry, red cherry, blueberry, orange peel, leather, earth. Simple.
Conclusion
Good.

The acidity is well integrated with the primary fruit, lending freshness. The tannins are sufficiently ripe and
of an elegant, fine-grained nature so they compliment rather than distract from the delicate red fruit
— better than expected of an “acceptable” wine. However, a very good wine would have more integrated
alcohol; here, it is very warming, and the flavour intensity is insufficient to counter this — one would expect
much more intensity from a very good wine. The body feels dilute and is out of balance with the firm
tannins. Complexity is overall low with basic one-dimensional red fruit, showing some noticeable tartness,
and mild tertiary notes. The length is below average and dominated by a simple, almost bitter, earthiness.

Suitability for further ageing

Not suitable for further ageing. There is insufficient complexity of primary character to suggest any benefit
to be gained from allowing tertiary development. The intensity is already only medium and insufficient to
counter the alcohol; further ageing would only exacerbate this imbalance.

Wine 2: L&C Poitout, Stellaris 2015, Vaucoupin, Chablis

Premier Cru

Wine facts
ABV: 12.5%.

Appearance
The wine is pale lemon.

Nose
Pronounced intensity citrus (lemon, lime, orange peel), orchard fruit (green apple, pear), lees (cream, fresh
bread), tropical (cantaloupe, pineapple), flower (honeysuckle).

Palate
The palate is dry with medium(+) acidity, medium and warming alcohol, medium body, medium(+) intensity,
medium(+) finish.

Flavours of lemon, lime, orange, green apple, pear, cream, bread, cantaloupe, pineapple, honeysuckle,
almond.

Conclusion
Very good. The acidity is well integrated into the primary fruit so its level is harmonious with the citrus
flavours and there is freshness in the tropical fruit. The alcohol is slightly warming, though not wholly
distracting, and an outstanding wine would address this. The intensity, especially on the nose, is better
than “good” and there is complexity within and between clusters with primary, secondary, and faint tertiary
characters. The secondary characters, though obvious, are in balance with the primary and serve as a
support rather than dominating. The length is well above average; however, an outstanding wine might
show more complexity in the finish, as here it is a little simple with only lees (cream, bread) and faint citrus.

Suitability for further ageing

Suitable for bottle ageing.

The elevated and integrated acidity will support further tertiary development; the intensity is still medium(+)
and clearly focused on the primary, even given the strong secondary and the traces of tertiary, so there is
ample room for further ageing without imbalance. The complexity of primary characters suggests there is
much to be gained from tertiary development.

Wine 3: Louis Jadot, Les Baudes 2009, Chambolle-Musigny

Premier Cru

Wine facts
ABV: 13.5%.

Appearance
The wine is pale garnet.

Nose
Medium(+) intensity ripe red fruit (red cherry, strawberry, raspberry), black fruit (blueberry), flowers (rose
petal, violet), minerals (wet stone), oak (vanilla, coffee), tertiary (leather, earth, truffle).

Palate
The palate is dry with medium(+) acidity, medium tannins of a velvety and ripe nature, high alcohol,
medium body, long finish.

Flavours of red cherry, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, rose, violet, wet stone, vanilla, coffee, leather,
truffle, earth, chocolate.

Conclusion
Outstanding.
The acidity is perfectly integrated with the ripe red fruit, giving freshness and balancing the high alcohol,
which is well integrated into the fruit and only mildly noticeable due to the medium(+) intensity. The tannins
are ripe and delicate, supporting the flavours without distracting. The finish is long and complex with
primary (red fruit), secondary (vanilla), and tertiary (earthiness). Overall complexity is far better than “very
good” with ample descriptors within and between clusters covering all of primary, secondary, and tertiary.
The intensity is above average; primary and secondary are almost matched for strength but primary fruit
still takes the lead; the tertiary, though present in abundance, still acts to support the primary.

Suitability for further ageing

Not suitable for bottle ageing.

The primary and secondary characters are in excellent balance now but further ageing risks allowing the
primary to fade and the secondary to come to the forefront, which would cause imbalance and loss of
perceived complexity. The alcohol is well integrated but this is in part reliant on the intensity, so further
development risks causing imbalance via warming alcohol too.

Common Grape Variety (Riesling)

Wine 1: A. J. Adam, Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Spätlese 2016,

Mosel

Wine facts
ABV: 8%.

Appearance
The wine is pale lemon.

Nose
Pronounced intensity citrus (lime, lemon, grapefruit), orchard fruit (green apple, pear), tropical (cantaloupe,
passion fruit, mango), flowers (elderflower, honeysuckle).

Palate
The palate is off-dry with high acidity, low alcohol, medium body, pronounced intensity, long finish.

Flavours of lime, lemon, green apple, pear, cantaloupe, passion fruit, mango, elderflower, honeysuckle.

Conclusion
Outstanding. The acidity is perfectly integrated with the pronounced intensity fruit and is enough to
counter the residual sugar and ripe fruit flavours, so the mouthfeel remains fresh — this is better than “very
good”. The intensity is pronounced and the distribution of clusters (citrus, orchard, tropical…) is even so
the profile is harmonious. There is high complexity within and between clusters with pure and distinct
primary fruit; the length is long and complexity carries into the finish too, with mainly honeysuckle, melon,
and green apple flavours.

Suitability for further ageing

Suitable for bottle ageing. The high acidity and residual sugar, being in perfect balance with each other, will
support long ageing for tertiary development. The pronounced intensity and high complexity of primary
characters suggest much benefit to be gained in complexity from tertiary characters.

Wine 2: Willy Gisselbrecht, Frankstein Riesling 2012, Alsace

Grand Cru

Wine facts
ABV: 12%.

Appearance
The wine is medium lemon.

Nose
Pronounced intensity citrus (lime, orange peel), dried orchard fruit (ripe red apple), stone fruit (dried apricot,
nectarine), tropical fruit (cantaloupe), flowers (elderflower, honeysuckle, acacia); tertiary (hazelnut, honey).

Palate
The palate is off-dry with medium(+) acidity, medium alcohol, medium(+) body, medium(+) intensity,
medium(+) finish.

Flavours of lime, orange peel, dried apple, dried apricot, nectarine, cantaloupe, elderflower, honeysuckle,
acacia, honey, hazelnut, walnut.

Conclusion
Very good.

The acidity is well integrated with the fruit, giving freshness; it also counters the residual sugar and
medium(+) body, avoiding heaviness. This overall balance of the acidity then is better than “good”. The
alcohol is well integrated and hardly noticeable, in no small part due to the medium(+) intensity, though an
outstanding example might show pronounced intensity. The complexity is better than “good” with both
fresh and dried fruit, and the tertiary notes supporting and adding complexity without dominating, though
there is more complexity between clusters than within; the two sides are overall harmonious now. The
medium(+) length would be much longer on an outstanding wine; here, it is also a little simple, with a focus
on citrus and honey — an outstanding example might show more complexity here.

Suitability for further ageing

Not suitable for bottle ageing. The primary (fresh fruit) and tertiary (dried fruit, nuts, honey) are balanced
now but further ageing would cause loss of primary and therefore a loss of freshness — though the
medium(+) acidity would remain and therefore stick out and be unbalanced. Any further decrease of
intensity also risks causing imbalance between the intensity and the residual sugar, such that the sugar
alone might become too obvious and reduce perceived complexity.

Wine 3: Grosset, Polish Hill Riesling 2019, Clare Valley

Wine facts
ABV: 12.5%.
Residual sugar: “bone dry”.

Appearance
The wine is pale lemon.

Nose
Medium(+) intensity citrus (lemon, lime), orchard fruit (green apple, pear) minerals (wet rock, flint, steel),
saline.

Palate
The palate is dry with high acidity, medium alcohol, medium(-) body, medium(+) intensity, medium(+) finish.

Flavours of lemon, lime, orange peel, green apple, pear, wet rock, flint, steel, saline.

Conclusion
Very good.

The high acidity is well integrated with the primary fruit, lending freshness without distracting from the
flavours, and the alcohol is so well integrated as to be barely noticeable. The medium(+) length places it a
step above “good” and the finish also shows complexity (minerals, saline, lime, apple). Complexity
generally is a little lower than expected of “outstanding” with a focus on citrus and orchard fruit mainly, as
well as some minerals. Similarly, “outstanding” intensity would also be higher for this clearly aromatic
variety, probably leading to a longer finish; however, the intensity here is nevertheless in good balance with
the acidity so the wine is not tart.
Suitability for further ageing
Suitable for bottle ageing.

The high acidity and medium(+) intensity will easily support tertiary development. Balance between acidity,
intensity, and alcohol is very good so there is little cause to worry about ageing exacerbating any existing
imbalance. The primary fruit shows sufficient complexity to suggest that there are gains to be had from
allowing tertiary characters to evolve.

Notes
Very confused about how to assess this wine under the SAT. It is undoubtedly simple in its primary form,
with minimal descriptors, yet clearly capable of long ageing and ample tertiary development, and is also
very enjoyable in its primary stage just because of the structure.

Is it valid for the conclusion to focus more on the firm structure than explicit complexity?
Can “suitability for further ageing” say that, even though it lacks complexity, it has the intensity and balance
to develop an interesting tertiary profile?
How does one write a conclusion about a wine that is simple because it is in a very closed and “tight” stage?
Should one make predictions about the future (“it is simple and closed now but has the structure to develop
further with age”), or should that section only focus on what is present in the glass?