14 days to go

It's been a while - too long - since my last post. Life seems to have been a fast paced blur of studying and trying to have a life also - eating, sleeping, working and some socialising where at least I've been able to enjoy a glass of wine without analysing it.

By far the most useful thing I've been doing towards the Diploma has been taking part in the weekly tasting group meetings. I can honestly say that without having been a member I'm confident I would have only just but probably not, scraped a pass in the tasting paper. I've learned so much.

Here's a brain dump of some key points.

Of the 7 marks you get for aroma, 5 are for the aroma characteristics so you had better write at least 7 in the hope 5 of them are the same as on the marking key. That's tough when it's a simple wine but if you smell something citrussy then you can at least confidently get 3 right by listing lemon, lime and grapefruit.

It's the same with the palate where you get 4 marks, or 3 if its a red, for flavour characteristics so again listing 5 will hopefully ensure 3 marks.

Chablis appears quite frequently.Two weeks in a row we had that as part of our blind tasting at our meetings and two weeks in a row about 25% of us worked it out correctly ie: 75% got it wrong. Although there is enormous satisfaction to be gained by getting the grape and region right it is only a small number of marks so concentrate on assessing the wine correctly and if you get the type right consider it a bonus. In my last tasting group meeting I scraped a merit with 67% and only got 1 wine correct.

For assessment of quality, judge the amount to be written by the number of marks allocated. If it is 7 marks ‘good’ will not be enough and remember always to qualify the market, e.g. ‘acceptable entry level wine’.

With readiness for drinking, as there are 3 marks make 3 comments. Does it drink now? How long will it hold OR improve? When should it be drunk by?

As a result of joining the tasting group my confidence level for the tasting paper has shot up and, conversely, my confidence on the theory has diminished.

It's back to the books until Santa arrives at least!

Merry Christmas.