This is a predominantly Balance & Finesse wine, but it shares structural nuances of Rich & Full as described in the tasting note below.
Tasting Notes
Full bodied, with plus acidity, there is an elegant balance of weight and energy. There are complex flavors of meyer lemon, mandarin, ripe pear, ginger, white flowers, and a spicy minerality that lingers in the finish.
Body is the impression of a wines weight, density, or its ‘mouth-feel’. Some wines feel weighty, or full bodied, while others feel light bodied. Wine runs the gamut from light to full, with most falling somewhere in between.
ACIDITY
Low
Moderate
Balanced
Crisp
High
Acidity is a foundational component in wine. In fact, low acidity, or ‘flabby’ wine (as the term suggests) is a negative. You can sense acidity mainly on the sides of your tongue. Acidity generally ranges from balanced to high. Crisp acidity adds freshness, making your mouth water. Acidity is a necessary element and helps to balance other components.
SWEETNESS
Dry
Off Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Very Sweet
Most wines are characterized as dry to off-dry, but there are some grape varietals, like Riesling, that run the gamut from dry to sweet. The tip of the tongue mainly detects sweetness, which is why it is often the primary characteristic detected. Sweetness is derived from residual sugar that did not ferment into alcohol.
ALCOHOL
13.5%
Alcohol is the by-product of fermentation. Differing grape varieties have differing potential alcohol levels, but regardless warmer areas result in riper grapes resulting in higher alcohol. Alcohol level is an objective number, but its affect on its palate impression is largely determined with how well integrated and balanced it is with other components.
Elegant, balances tension and heft, complex and layered, i.e. punches well above its weight.
GRAPE VARIETAL(S)
Verdejo
100%Ver-DAY-ho
Verdejo may not be very well known internationally, but is a white grape varietal in the Rueda, in Castilla Leon in northern Spain, making high quality, dry, aromatic wines. In their youth, the wines have crisp acidity with refreshing flavors of citrus, including lemon, lime, and grapefruit, herbs, and citrus blossom. With age, the wine becomes richer and nuttier with bitter almond nuances/ bitter almonds.
The Ossian project was launched in 2005 to explore the potential of 100-200-year-old pre-phylloxera verdejo vines located in Nieva, a commune in the northern province of Segovia, Spain.
The estate is certified organic, grapes are hand-picked, and vinification is done using native yeasts within a mixture of both wood and stainless steel. The wines are then aged several months on the lees to add complexity and texture to the wine.
Ossian showcases the potential of verdejo to make refreshing yet complex and elegant wines that combine ripe citrus fruit and minerality.
Lemon
Pear
White Flowers
Organic
