WSET Week 1 Wine Assignment plus Shiraz vs Syrah

Here is the assignment:

Each week you are recommended to taste 2 wines from the course syllabus.

In your tasting this week you should try:

• Aromatic unoaked white (preferably Gewurztraminer or Torrontés, alternatively German Riesling)
• Light bodied red (e.g. Beaujolais or Valpolicella - note Valpolicella should not be Classico or Amarone)

If you have difficulty finding these particular wines styles, feel free to post your notes on any wines you try this week in the Group Tasting Area. Your tutor will give you guidance on your notes.

Once you have written your notes, you should taste each wine with some food including a crisp green apple and mature cheddar cheese (or a similar cheese) to see what effect they have on each other. 

Here is the line up for Tues. We have an aromatic unoaked white and an oaked white, plus a light red. We will test those again a green apple and sharp cheddar cheese. Then we will try the new world and old world Shiraz/syrah. That will they will taste great with the stew. Dennis Kohl suggested this amazing Recioto for dessert.

It was especially fun tasting the La Hitaire and Allegrini with the green apple and cheddar cheese. The comparison between an unoaked white and the oaked white was also good. The old world and new world Syrah/Shiraz comparison was also a great activity.  The new world Autralian Shiraz was so much sharper than the more rounded Syrah. They were both a pretty good with the beef bourgogne though I think a lighter red would have been better, such as a Pinot Noir.  The Shiraz was too harsh.

The good news is that the puzzle was completed!

Link to labeling assignment.

Link to flash cards,  

Tasting Note Assignment