We had friends over for a blind wine tasting of three Sauvignon Blancs over the weekend and the results seemed to surprise even the wine snobs.
The rules were simple: each of the eight people at the table had a note pad, pen, three wine glasses, saucer of crackers and a water glass.
Thirty minutes before the crowd sat down, I chilled the three bottles in the refrigerator, and then pulled on clean white socks up to the necks of the bottles to hide the labels and marked the three with a large black numbers -1 2 3.
The three wines were from different parts of California and ranged in price. Number One - Guenoc $8.99 (Lake County); Number Two - Two Buck Chuck $1.99 (Napa?) and Number Three – Wattle Creek $15.99 (Mendocino County).
Then, the swirling, sipping and guessing began with individual preferences and thoughts recorded and later read aloud.
* (#1) Guenoc: “Fruity bouquet, light, sweet and delicate, butter and smooth”; “Fruity, potent nose, no acidic after taste, slightly tart”; Smooth, full body, very good”; Fruity and clean”; “Sweet, dry, floral”; “Fruity, dry, flat aroma” and “I like it. It’s better after the second sip”.
* (#2) ‘Two Buck Chuck’: “Fruity, smooth and easy to take. Doesn’t taste like alcohol”; Light and lingers on the palate”; “Sweet nose, not too potent, velvety smooth but somewhat flat”; “A classic Sauvignon Blanc, buttery and very smooth, outstanding”; Sweet light, not a big nose, needs time to breathe”; “Crude and dry”; “Better than Number One”.
* (#3) Wattle Creek: “Equal to Number Two” ; “Dry” ; “Spritzy, tinny, acidic, prolonged taste enhanced by a bite of a cracker”; “Floral, fruity nose, not too sweet, slightly tart and slowly fading aftertaste ” ; “OK, but too much initial flavor and a little too much bite” ; “Dry and not my favorite taste”; “A little unpleasant and tinny”.
The group discussed the mystery wines and the consensus was Guenoc was the overall favorite, with the Charles Shaw (“Two Buck Chuck”) a close second and Wattle Creek, the most expensive, limping in a poor third.
Laugher, shock and more wine ensued when the trio was unmasked.
Comments
in the future when you review wine, tell us what kind it is. Red, white, pink, merlot, chard, cab sav. etc.... for all we know you are chilling reds, and drinking it with a side of pepsi. I can't speak to the others wines, but you are buying charles shaw, so you cant be that bright. thats the problem with citizen reviews, you are all poor writers and stupid.
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