What A Group Of WSET Level 3 Candidates Drink

WSET, Wine and Spirit Education Trust, the de facto entry ticket to the wine trade industry.

See what a dozen of of level 3 candidates did on a dinner gathering:

Greatest Disappointment of the night

Domaine Des Sénéchaux, Chateauneuf Du Pape 2006:

A Southern Rhone white blending Grenach Blanc with another two local varieties. Overhyped expectation for a CDP, the clean pale yellow has the nose of flint stone and subtle note of oak.

The wine has medium body and alcohol level, however the medium rough tannin and bitter finish dismiss any possibility that the wine represent the needed quality of a white from this region.

There is much disappointment with the quality of the wine, especially considering the price of just under HK$400.   

Wine of the night:

Royal Tokayi 2006 5 Puttonyos

I hope I have another wine to take this position.  However, the best wine is always the eventual winner, no matter how much external impact to it.

The wine is the last one tasted by the group, but you can tell how much it it welcomed by the group.  No one can stop pour him/herself after their first taste. In fact, how can you compare a delicate and well made Tokji Asuz Puttonyon 6?

After opened for more than an hour, the wine display the fantasic nose of floral, pineapple, dried appricot, exotic fruit.  On palate, the acidity is high, otherwise the higher sweetness/sugar level, is well matched with the amount of residue sugar in this wine.

Unable to stop smelling the wine, sip a mouthful of integrated sweetness and acidity.

The wine has a very good quality, acidity and consistency.  There could not be a better wine to finish a course of wine sampling, especially after a few bottles of  wines with uncompetitive quality.