#oriveto

I was lucky enough to be given a bottle of Oriveto for my birthday last week - just in time for my first wine tasting as part of the WSET Level 2 Course I have just embarked on.

The brief was to taste an inexpensive neutral italian wine and Oriveto fits that bill quite well.  I could have picked a Pinot Grigio or Frascati too but it just seemed fortuitous that this was given to me at just the right time

This is the first time I have tried to taste 'formally' as I always find it awkward to explain what I can smell and taste so here goes:

Producer: Conte Ottavio Piccolomini d'Aragona

Region: Vimodrone, Italy

Vintage: 2008

Grape Variety: Oriveto DOC

Price: Unknown (Gift)

Appearance: Clear, Medium Gold (Straw) Colour

Nose:  Clean, fresh fragrance (not floral but not overly fruity either)

Palate: Clean Fresh taste. Fruity - Apple and Pear - ripe fruit flavour (almost honey like) with a crisp citrus after taste - like grapefruit. Medium body and length.

Now for the fun bit - cheese and apple - the course tutor suggested that after the initial tasting we go again first with some cheese and then with some green apple - thank you for such a brilliant idea!

Cheese first - I found it cut out the acidity and citrus notes leaving a really creamy ripe fruit flavour (pear and honey)

Next the green apple - this had the complete opposite effect.  It brought out all the acidity and removed all the fruitiness. I didn't like it.

Sunday (Wine) School

Having spent the last 17 years of my life in academic or professional study (shudder) I must admit I was slightly daunted about adding yet another area of learning and going ‘back to school’.  However I have just spent the most amazing Sunday immersed in the wonderment of Wine.

Its week one of my WSET Level 2 in Wines and Spirits.  I have been reading my text book and other materials for the last couple of weeks but today I got to login to my online classroom and start flexing the brain cells for the first time.

There are 5 activities to complete this week plus two wine tastings – bit apprehensive about the ‘Test’ at towards the end of the week but I’m sure that’s just nerves.

One thing’s for sure my foreign language skills are certainly going to need some improving.  I spent the day looking at French, German and Spanish wine labels so not only is it mostly in ‘foreign’ its technical jargon! I loved it! I even pulled out my old school German Dictionary (16 years old and still in mint condition – I never did master it!)

The group have had to post some personal bios and they seem like a really diverse cool bunch and I am looking forward to sharing the experience with them.

Did my first proper tasting tonight too – that’s to follow in the next blog – and it was actually really enjoyable processing my thoughts beyond ‘Yum that tastes nice’.  Its been sent off to my course tutor so fingers crossed it sounded vaguely like I knew what I was talking about – but then you’ll read it too now and hopefully let me know your thoughts.