Wine Tasting - Guess The Grape

Bassenthwaite Lake Station, Cumbria. Thursday 07-November-2024. 

As usual for these tastings we booked ourselves a dinner, bed and breakfast deal at The Pheasant Inn just minues walk from the station. We have a very early supper to line our stomachs before the tasting.

Today was an entertaining variation on “guess the grape”. For this tasting they presented nine varietals in three groups of three: 3 white, 3 light red, 3 heavy red. For each trio they gave us a crib sheet with four grapes described. We then had to identify which of the wines was which grape and which grape was the ringer. 

We did have a little help on the notes sheet in that we knew which country each wine was from. If you know your wines you can make an initial guess based on that knowledge but that was no guarantee. 

All wines were from Lakeland Vintners.

The Whites:

Pinot grigio

• On the nose - typically presents ripe pear, apple, and peach notes. In cooler climates, it may lean towards citrus and green apple, while late-harvest versions give tropical fruit, honey, and spice.
• On the palate - Dry, light to medium body, medium to high acidity. Green apple, pear, lemon, lime, stone fruit.

Sauvignon Blanc

• On the nose - expect pungent, in-your-face aromas ranging from freshly cut grass, peas, and asparagus to tropical and ripe passion fruit, grapefruit, or even mango.
• On the palate - dry, light to medium body. Lime, grapefruit and hints of green herbs.

Chardonnay

• On the nose - unoaked, or 'Chablis-style' Chardonnays, tend to offer fragrant notes of green apple, pear, and citrus, with some chalky or mineral-like aromas.
• On the palate - dry and medium bodied. Notes of ripe pears and quince, lemon, apple and butter. There are subtle aromas of vanilla, honey and pineapple. Oaked versions have a subtle toasted oak character.

Viognier

• On the nose -Viognier is a very aromatic wine with rich aromas of tangerine, mango, honeysuckle, rose, and peach. Oaked versions will also have subtle vanilla and smoke aromas.
• On the palate - dry and full bodied. tangerine, mango, apricots, peaches hints of pears and blossom.

Tasting notes: 

1. Light nose, slight peach / apple, fresh, good acidity; green apple and citrus. ✱✱
2. Oaky, slight green notes, aromatic; gooseberry, grapefruit, grass. ✱✱✱
3. Soft oak, vanilla; honey, pears. ✱

No.	Country	Mark's Guess	Mary's Guess	Correct Grape	Wine	Price
1	Italy	Pinot Grigio	Pinot Grigio	Pinot Grigio	Villa Sandi Pinot Grigio, 2022, 13%	£16
2	Chile	Sauvignon Blanc	Sauvignon Blanc	Sauvignon Blanc	Santa Luz Sauvignon Blanc Gran Reserva, 2021, 13.5%	£11
3	France	Viognier	Chardonnay	Chardonnay	Domaine St Andre Barrel Fermented Chardonnay	£18

So I identified 2 out of 3 right but Mary got all three correct!

The Light Reds:

Pinot noir

• On the nose - Red fruits, layers of earthiness, spice, and, when oak-aged, gentle wafts of vanilla and smoke. As it ages, you might catch hints of mushroom and leather.
• On the palate - Dry and medium bodied. Flavours of raspberry, cherry and vanilla with subtle smoky and peppery hints.

Grenache

• On the nose - Fresh and aromatic with notes of wild berries and chocolate
• On the palate - Overt and spicy aromas with a hint of white pepper, the palate is concentrated with ripe black cherry fruits and liquorice intensity. The varietal character shines through with an underlay of garrigue and a spicy herb finish.

Sangiovese

• On the nose - You'll experience notable aromas of cherry and fig, followed by a flavour profile of sour cherry, cranberry and red plum
• On the palate - Medium bodied with soft red fruits with hints of spice and tobacco on the finish complimented by a smoky note.

Merlot

• On the nose - Merlot ranges from fresh red plum and cherry in cooler climates to baked blackberry and fruitcake in warmer climates. As Merlot ages it becomes chocolatey, meaty, and can have tobacco aromas.
• On the palate - Typical scents include raspberry, plums and herbal flavours. A chocolate edge can be noted on the finish. The Merlot tends to be less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tasting notes: 

4. Ruby, slight brown on rim; vegetable?, Soft fruit, metallic; soft, fruity, metallic. ✱✱
5. Deeper colour, slightly more mahogany; lighter nose; astringent. ✱✱✱
6. Mahogany; more pungent, ripe fruit, cherry, sweet; soft fruit, smooth. ✱

No.	Country	Mark's Guess	Mary's Guess	Correct Grape	Wine	Price
4	France	Pinot Noir	Pinot Noir	Grenache	Grenache 223, 2023, 14%	£11
5	Italy	Sangiovese	Sangiovese	Sangiovese	Chianti Duca di Saragnano Barbanera, 2022, 13%	£18
6	Australia	Merlot	Merlot	Merlot	Irvine Springhill Merlot, 2022, 14.5%	£18

So we guessed the same and both got 2 out of 3. Although the Italians do grow other international grapes they are also very patriotic so Sangiovese was always going to be a safe bet. 

The Heavy Reds:

Malbec

• On the nose - Red fruits, fresh, chocolate and coffee aromas.
• On the palate - Red and black cherry flavours with scents of flowers. French oak can often be noted on the finish, very complex yet balanced.

Cabernet sauvignon

• On the nose - When sniffing Cabernet, you may note subtle aromas of green peppercorn, dark chocolate or even bell pepper.
• On the palate - Rich, ripe, blackcurrant and cassis fruit, with smoky and peppery hints. Ripe tannins and a savoury coffee note with a delicate hint of oak.

Shiraz

• On the nose - Black and red fruits with flavours of blackberry
• On the Palate - A rich fruit-filled Shiraz displaying al the characteristics of this popular grape. Vibrant red in colour, with dark plum and spice flavours and wonderful soft tannins.

Petit Verdot

• On the nose - Violets, dark fruits, black pepper and vanilla, followed by flavours of blackberry, cherry, plum, cassis and dark chocolate, as well as strong spicy notes.
• On the palate - hints of ripe blackberry and black cherry. A gentle vegetal note brings freshness. The palate is juicy, packed with fruit and a touch of spice and bay, with a fine texture and beautiful tannic structure. Long and powerful.

Tasting notes: 

7. Deep ruby red; red fruits, chocolate, slight tobacco; tannic. ✱✱
8. Similar colour to above; lighter / brighter but less depth; green notes, plums?; good length. ✱✱
9. Deep purple, dense; green pepper, earthy. ✱

No.	Country	Mark's Guess	Mary's Guess	Correct Grape	Wine	Price
7	Argentina	Malbec	Malbec	Malbec	Bodegas Gougenheim Malbec Reserva, 2021, 13.5%	£19
8	Australia	Cabernet Sauvignon	Cabernet Sauvignon	Shiraz	Helmsman Shiraz, 2021, 14%	£15
9	France	Shiraz	Shiraz	Petit Verdot	Nuit de Lumieres Petit Verdot, 2023, 12.5%	£12

So we both got a pathetic 1 out of 3! Petit Verdot is not a grape we know at all and I was pleasantly surprised by its full character.

After the tasting the attendees finish off what’s left in the bottles. As we were staying locally, we had a good long chat with the owners and a couple of locals and were the last to leave.

A last beer nightcap at the Pheasant and then off to bed.