blind tastings
I have been hosting blind tastings and posting the results for over 20 years. Usually based on a theme, such as a specific appellation or category of wine, these are normally done behind paper bags to ensure a lack of price or label bias. Each taster brings a bottle of his or her choice to the gathering, based on the given criteria.
All bottles are bagged and labeled with a number, then poured randomly. Each wine is poured into a separate glass of the same shape and size. Tasters are asked to vote for their top four bottles, and scores for all tasters are added up for our results.
Having much more to offer than the last time we tasted these (back in September 2005), this group presented their potential as...
Coming into this tasting the group had high hopes for experiencing big, flavorful wines. But overall, we agreed with Andy R’s...
Instead of the regular format, this month we tasted four wines David really enjoyed at recent retailer tastings, consisting of...
We tried these wines hoping that they would be a good middle ground between higher-priced Chianti Classicos and the usually unworthy...
Shockingly, it had been since September 2005 since we last tasted these wines as a group. We vowed not to let that much time...
Plans completely broke down this month, so it wasn’t a regular tasting at all. Instead, Ali & Andy came over for dinner...
The Greek Sampler tasting was a largely disappointing group of less than $20 bottles from Greece. Not tasted blind (like most...
Next up in our comparisons of wines from around the world was the noble grape Chardonnay. Often referred to as a winemaker’s...
The June 2012 tasting was a nice surprise to the end of the month, one where we initially thought there wouldn’t be a group...
The newest installment of our “world of” tasting compared six bottles of Pinot Noir from growing areas as diverse...
Astonishingly, it had been since March 2005 since we had last tasted the great wines of Amarone.
While none of the wines were...
The March 2012 tasting was a chance to open some fine wines from David’s cellar, and share them among some great friends. ...
Unsurprisingly, we had plenty of difficulty choosing winners for this tasting, with all of the wines showing uncommon power, sense...
The overall impressions of this sampling of 2006 Brunello were that they were all well made, better with food than on their own,...
While most think of Côtes du Rhône as a vast appellation producing plenty of relatively inexpensive, everyday wines, we found...
No regular format tasting this month, but a very enjoyable night with friends, sampling some new wines. Andy & Ali provided...
The last time we tasted rosé was in September 2009, so the time was ripe for a revisit. This time, however, we compared only...
Instead of our usual format, we simply gathered for some grilled food and opened up some bottles that Ali & Andy brought along,...
Next up in our comparison of bottles from around the world was the Syrah grape. Made in different styles, these all had a peppery...
The Grenache Skirmish #2 was a repeat of the December 2005 tasting, featuring only bottles of Grenache from Australia.
The top...
The second round of tastings focused on the Cabernet Sauvignons of Chile produced plenty of good values. All of the wines offered...
This was our second tasting of the greatest of all southern Rhone appellations; the last time being in February 2006. Most remarkable...
Rather than have a formal tasting in December, we simply gathered at Ali & Andy’s house for some wines, fantastic cheeses,...
The World Of Merlots tasting was our third gathering of wines from many appellations, but comparing bottles made from the same...