Last week, I attended two interesting tasting, one of Italian red wines, and one of international Chenin Blancs. Both were very interesring and informative. Here are my reports on them.

The WSET Italian Wine Tasting

The Wine and Spriti Education Trust (WSET) is a London, U.K. based organization dedicated to educating wine and spirits professionals and serious amateurs. There are numerous chapters around the world, including the U.S. A group of Walla Walla Community College Center for Enology & Viticulture faculty members, led by Sabrina Lueck, are studying for the WSET Level 3 Certification. I was invited to participate in the group's tastings. On June 9, the group met for a tasting of Italian wines, comprising two Sicilian wines, three Tuscan ones, four Piedmont wines and two from Valpolicella. Here are the most noteworthy wines.

2009 Girolamo Russo "San Lorenzo" Etna Rosso - This Sicilian red displayed a medium ruby/garnet color and a rich, ripe, slightly raisiny nose with scents of dried roses, orange peel and tobacco. The the volcanic soil imbued dried fruit flavors were savory and picked up notes of sage, rosemary, cardamom and clove on the finish. 18+/20 points.

2007 La Lecciaia Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Made from the Sangiovese Grosso clone (locally called Brunello), this showed a brilliant garnet color and rich aromas, redolent of cherry, plum, orange peel, truffles, dried roses, brine and oriental perfumes. The medium-full bodied flavors were elegant and well wrought, with a long, nutty finish with a hint of sweetness to counterpoint the classic dryness. 19+/20 points.

2005 Arigiano Brunello di Montalcino - This showed a deep garnet color with orangish edges. The aromas consisted of smoke, brine, tobacco, and dried fruits, and the flavors of slightly nutted semi-dried fruits, striking a balance between the traditional and modern styles. It turned dry on the finish, with touches of tar and leather. 19/20 points.

2001 Damilano Barolo - Garnet colored with orange edges, this wine emited sulty, smoky aroms of dried fruits, orange peel, dried roses, tar, and oriental perfumes. The flavors were classically styled, entering a maturing phase, with touches of caramel and roasted nuts and a burnt back palate and a leathery, peppery dry finish. 19/20 points.

2009 Ca'Nova Barbaresco, Montestefano - This displayed a deep medium garnet color and intriguing aromas of semi-dried fruits, tobacco, dried rose petals, sandalwood, orange peel, and whiffs of tarry smoke. The flavors were rich and generous, with an almost lush texture that belies the dry nose. The wine turned dry again on the back palate, followed by recurring orange peel and dried cherries and some remaining tannins. A fine modern/traditional syle. 19+/20 points.

In discussing the Barolo and Barbaresco, one WSET student asked about the unfamiliar aromas of those wines. I commented, "creosote, road tar." This, along with dried rose perfumes, is what makes Nebbiolos from those districts so distintive, and, for that matter, "noble" wines.

2010 Vietti "Tre Vigne" Barbera d'Alba - This was a fine, typical Barbera, showing a ruby/garnet color and a smoky nose of black cherries, crushed roses and spices. The flavors consisted of typical tart cherries, intermixed with licorice, chocolate and Alban hills minerals, and a well fruited mouth feel and a lively finish. 18.5/20 points.

A 2010 Vietti Barbera d'Asti was also poured, it was a bit more medium bodied and less complex. 17.5/20 points.

2008 Villa Mattielli Amarone della Valpolicella - This showed a ruby/garnet color and an exotic nose of dark roasted fuits, oriential perfumes and incense. On the palate, the flavors were thich and ripe, consisting of sweet-dry roasted fruits and nuts, burnt earth, minerals. The leathery finish picked up a recioto-like sweetness on the end. 19/20 points.

Thanks to Sabrina Lueck for organizing and hosting this tasting!

The SOB Chenin Blanc Tasting

Chenin Blanc is one of the world's most undervalued white grapes. The Sons of Bacchus (SOBs) tasting on June 11th proved that Chenin Blancs are wines that can be taken seriously. We tasted nine wines - seven dry and two sweet - and not one clunker among them. Here the most impressove ones.

2013 Waitsburg Cellars "Chevray" Old Vine Chenin Blanc, Columbia Valley - Paul Gregutt's own entry showed a deep gold color and intriguing aromas of pear, peach, honeysuckle and orental perfumes. The flavors showed moderate acidity and minerally earth, making for an attractive, easy drinking white. 18.5/20 points.

2011 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec, Clos du Bourg - This was the best of the dry Chenins (provided by me). It offered a medium gold color and a rich, smoky nose with floral scents and rich, round, mouth-filling flavors that showed notes of nougat, bright citrus and cream, with a deep, minerally backbone, and a long, ripe, dry finish. Huet is one of the best and most reliable producers of Vouvray. 19/20 points.

2012 Marc Bredif "Classic" Vouvray - This is from another reliable producer. It showed a brilliant gold color and an attractive, floral nose, with full, round and satisfying flavors of pear, peach and apricot, marked by a broad streak of minerality. The back and finish showed weight and substance. 18.5/20 points.

2003 Nicolas Joly Coulée de Serrant - This was an unusual wine, from a Loire district known for its distinctive wines, which seem to show premature oxidation and stay that way for years. Erik McLaughlin, who brought it, called it a "zombie wine." It displayed a deep gold color and a spiced, candied nose of apricots and rasins. The palate showed a dense combination of minerals, dried fruits and roasted nuts, with a lanolin coated dry finish. 18.5/20 points. I would have given this 19 points if I could have gotten past the oxidative qualities.

These were followed by two fabulous sweet Chenins from the Loire Valley.

2009 Domaine Huet Vouvray Molleux, Le Mont - Huet makes sweet as well as dry Vouvrays. This one showed a brilliant lemon gold color with a rich, spicy nose of pear, peach, apricot and ethereal perfumes. The ripe fruit flavors were rich and opulent, yet showed precises fruit acids, like a laser beam. The back picked up notes of lemon peal and a bold streak of minerality, followed by an endless honeyed, semi sweet finish. 19.5/20 points.

1989 Domaine Baumard Coteaux du Layon, Clos Ste. Catherine - This was an amazing wine, nearly 25 years old. Deep lemon gold colored, it showed an intensely minerally nose of dried fruits - pear, apricot, lemon peel - all spicy and unctuous on the palate. The back was rich and sweet, but not at all cloying, with notes of peach stones, marzipan and creme brulée. The minerality was pervasive and astonishingly fresh for its age. 20/20 points.

Thanks to Billo Naravane for hosting!