Our monthly blind tasting has been going for some time now, and last night was probably the most successful so far. We’ve experimented with many different ideas in the past, with a lot of tastings being themed. We’ve looked at blind tasting the same varietal at different price points and seeing if we could determine which wine was the most expensive, and which one we liked the most. We compared the same varietals as grown in the Old World vs the New World, we’ve looked at comparing different qualities of the same varietal under blind conditions and of course, we’ve done blind tastings where the objective is simply to try and identify the wine itself.
This tasting was focused on the latter and is probably the most fun aspect of blind tasting; guessing the varietal(s), the region and the country of origin. For the sake of simplicity, we chose 6 mono-varietal wines from around the world and asked the tasters to either make a tasting note or categorise the most important aspects of the wine in their heads. Once they had a good read on the wine, we handed out three separate, generic descriptions for wines and asked them to match their conclusion with the choices available. Some were considerably easier to spot than others and the results are quite interesting, with some wines being almost entirely correctly guessed and others where the analysis was correct, but the choice of three similar options took people down the wrong path. A lot of fun and an opportunity to try some delicious wines from around the world, whilst learning a little about blind tasting. Below is the descriptions that were handed out, as well as the revealing of which wine was which!
Wine 1 is a:
Garnacha from Navarra, Spain: Typically light in colour and often quite aromatic, Grenache from Navarra tends to be lightly oaked, fruity and best drank young due to the lack of structure. High alcohol and a peppery characteristic are signs to look out for on the palate as well as ripe red fruits; strawberries and cherries are often consistent tasting elements of Grenache, as well as hints of fennel and licorice.
Pinot Noir from Waipara, New Zealand: Not quite as pale as traditional Burgundy or German Pinot Noir but still lightly coloured. Pinot Noir from Waipara is often very aromatic, with notes of candied fruits, light oak and often hints of leather and undergrowth. Look out for bright, persistent flavours on the palate and occasionally hints of reduction, which can smell a little rubbery. The bright fruit flavours are a good sign of New World Pinot Noir and these wines from New Zealand are often very perfumed.
Gamay from Cru Beaujolais, France: Another pale coloured wine, Gamay wines tend to be restrained on the nose with aromas of fresh red fruits, violets and sometimes very light hints of oak. Alcohol tends to be no higher than 13.5% and tannins are noticeably low, although the fresh acidity makes for a refreshing beverage! A lot of Cru Beaujolais is treated like any other red wine, so don’t get lost looking for obvious evidence of carbonic maceration!
Result: Waipara Springs Premo Pinot Noir 2009. The trick here was to pick up on the confected, bright fruit aromas which were almost like boiled sweets. All the wines listed are pale and all could potentially have quite soft, medium tannins and acidity, so the clue was in the flavour profile. 7 of the tasters guessed correctly, with two being led astray by confusing the fruit aromas with the effects of carbonic maceration and guessing Beaujolais, although the high alcohol (14.5%) is also a clue that it’s probably not from a moderate climate in France. Only 1 vote for Grenache. A good start!
Wine 2 is a:
Merlot from Pomerol, France: Merlot is the dopple-ganger of all red grapes, a little like Chardonnay for white wines. In Pomerol, the iron-rich clay soils create a powerful, structured style of Merlot that is closed in youth and blooms later in life, to reveal a succulent, rich wines full of fruit and soft tannins. Deep colours are normal, as are a high level of smooth tannins and a huge flavour profile.
Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, Spain: Ordinarily a medium-bodied grape, the continental climate of Ribera del Duero and consumer demand leads to darkly coloured, rich wines that are often alcoholic, powerful and heavily structured. Often blended together with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and/or Malbec, these are often heavily oaked wines designed for early drinking pleasure, although the very best can age for decades. Aromas of dark fruit, noticeable oak, leather and tobacco are common.
Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina: The ambassador grape of Argentina, Malbec is noted for its soft fruit flavours, soft tannins and an easy-drinking style. Sometimes criticised for being a little simple, it often tastes of plums, damsons, and dark chocolate with hints of violets. Whilst top quality examples do exist with a more complex array of flavours, they are sadly rarely seen outside Argentina itself. The classic Argentinian Malbec is often incredibly dark, with purple hints but younger examples can be lighter in profile.
Result: Terrazas de los Andes Malbec 2014. This one really threw people and it was quite mean to put Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero as an option, as the two flavour profiles can be closely linked. Telling them apart when tasted blind is very difficult and as a result, 6 tasters guessed incorrectly that this was a Spanish wine. Only one vote for Merlot from Pomerol and 3 correct guesses for Malbec from Argentina. This was the ‘Wine of the Night’ and was roundly enjoyed by everyone. There’s a reason that Malbec is considered a ‘crowd-pleaser’ and enjoys so much popularity around the world! Delicious, soft and very quaffable.
Wine 3 is a:
Cabernet Sauvignon from Central Valley, Chile: Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted red variety in Chile and for good reason; it really works here! The style tends to be quite modern and the wines are darkly coloured and intensely flavoured. There’s no mistaking the rich aromas of cassis, nor the strong scent of capsicum and eucalyptus. The wines here are often obviously oaked, with sweet notes of vanilla, coffee and baking spices, whilst the tannins are quite high but usually soft to allow for early consumption. A world-beater!
Pinotage from Stellenbosch, South Africa: Pinotage is a love it or hate it kind of grape, as it really smells and tastes unlike any other grapes in the world. Almost exclusively grown in South Africa, the wines tend to be deeply coloured with aromas of blackberries, mulberry and often a smoky, dark aroma, with hints of coffee often strongly related to the oak regime used in wineries within South Africa. Occasionally volatile aromas can taint the wine and the tannins can often be quite aggressive.
Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, Spain: Ordinarily a medium-bodied grape, the continental climate of Ribera del Duero and consumer demand leads to darkly coloured, rich wines that are often alcoholic, powerful and heavily structured. Often blended together with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and/or Malbec, these are often heavily oaked wines designed for early drinking pleasure, although the very best can age for decades. Aromas of dark fruit, noticeable oak, leather and tobacco are common.
Result: Manso de Velasco Cabernet Sauvignon 2012. New World Cabernet Sauvignon is a pretty distinctive beast, with the ripe cassis aromas, notable green bell pepper and often strong aromas of eucalyptus, this was correctly identified by 8 tasters. This was a close second for ‘Wine of the Night’ and my only gripe is the silly, heavy bottle it’s produced in. Good work by the Torres family and a very well done to our tasters!
Wine 4 is a:
Gamay from Cru Beaujolais, France: Another pale coloured wine, Gamay wines tend to be restrained on the nose with aromas of fresh red fruits, violets and sometimes very light hints of oak. Alcohol tends to be no higher than 13.5% and tannins are noticeably low, although the fresh acidity makes for a refreshing beverage.
Cabernet Franc from Chinon, France: Cabernet Franc is a red variety that ripens in cooler conditions, making it a favourite in the Loire Valley of France where it produces incredibly characteristic wines. Pale ruby colours and fresh, tangy red fruit flavours are common, as are herbaceous, stalky aromas of leaves and undergrowth. Tannins are usually quite firm but not overpowering and acidity is high, making for a light, refreshing style of wine that rarely exceeds 13% alcohol.
Dolcetto from Piedmont, Italy: Quite literally ‘little sweet one’ due to the its low acidity and bright fruit flavours, Dolcetto is usually a simple, very quaffable style of wine grown in several appellations in northern Italy. Despite the medium levels of alcohol and acidity, tannins can occasionally be quite prominent and compete with the fruit. At its best, these wines are best drank young and tend to be simple and uncomplicated.
Result: Charles Joguet Cuvee de Terroir 2010: Probably the easiest of the evening and correctly identified by 9 of our 10 tasters as Cabernet Franc. The cool climate of Chinon is essential for this benchmark style of the grape, with its high acidity, medium, crunchy tannins and herbaceous notes. Completely the opposite of the Malbec in that quite a few people weren’t a fan of the style, but did an excellent job of identifying the wine correctly.
Wine 5 is a:
Nebbiolo from Barolo, Italy: Nebbiolo is grown throughout Piedmont but Barolo is where it is at its most dramatic; tar and roses is the classic short-hand tasting note for Barolo. Nebbiolo creates pale coloured wines that bely their structure, with Barolo in particular full of powerful tannins and roaring acidity, allowing these wines to age for decades quite comfortably. The aromas of Barolo can be quite haunting, with cherries, dried herbs, smoke and floral aromas combining beautifully, although this can at times be spoiled with excessive amounts of new oak. Barolo tannins are the real key point to look out for here.
Garnacha from Navarra, Spain: Typically light in colour and often quite aromatic, Grenache from Navarra tends to be lightly oaked, fruity and best drank young due to the lack of structure. High alcohol and a peppery characteristic are signs to look out for on the palate as well as ripe red fruits; strawberries and cherries are often consistent tasting elements of Grenache, as well as hints of fennel and licorice.
Syrah from Croze-Hermitage, France: The flatter vineyards of Croze-Hermitage in France created an incredibly characteristic style of Syrah, with a strong, black peppery characteristic often dominating. Larger oak barrels sometimes facilitate the growth of brettanomyces (a type of yeast) often with meaty, savoury aromas resulting. The colour of the wine is paler than other Syrahs in the region and the tannins are medium but quite firm. Dark fruit characteristics and fresh acidity make this a very food friendly style of wine, which helps the austere nature of the wine.
Result: Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage 2014. Previously I’d correctly identified this myself in a tasting at Monvinic and I knew I had to include it in the line-up, as it just screams Old World Syrah! Some of the tasters went astray with the majority believing it to be a Nebbiolo. I’ve done this myself before, as the generic idea of Syrah is a deeply coloured wine with ripe fruit aromas. When grown on the flatter plains of Crozes-Hermitage, however, the wines tend to be fresh, peppery and savoury with a relatively pale colour and often quite an austere profile. Only 4 correct identifications on this wine but a great opportunity to learn about the differences in Syrah!
Wine 6 is a:
Sangiovese from Tuscany, Italy: Sangiovese is the most widely planted variety in all of Italy, and has come to define the style of many regions such as Chianti, Brunello and Montalcino. The classic aromas and flavours of Sangiovese are sour-cherry, tomatoes, raspy, dried herbs and almost a tea-leaf character. Like Nebbiolo, both acidity and tannins are characteristically high which often leads to a dry finish. New oak can lend aromas of vanilla and spice in addition when more modern styles are produced.
Mencia from Ribeira Sacra, Spain: This grape from north-west Spain is becoming increasingly popular for its fresh, acidic profile with fresh black and red fruits, soft herbs and firm tannins. Oak is rarely the dominant factor in wines from this part of the country although some older oak can be used to help soften tannins and stabilise colours. Delicious when young and the best examples can gain complexity with some bottle age.
Nebbiolo from Barolo, Italy: Nebbiolo is grown throughout Piedmont but Barolo is where it is at its most dramatic; tar and roses is the classic short-hand tasting note for Barolo. Nebbiolo creates pale coloured wines that bely their structure, with Barolo in particular full of powerful tannins and roaring acidity, allowing these wines to age for decades quite comfortably. The aromas of Barolo can be quite haunting, with cherries, dried herbs, smoke and floral aromas combining beautifully, although this can at times be spoiled with excessive amounts of new oak. Barolo tannins are the real key point to look out for here.
Result: Bibbiano Montornello Chianti Classico 2010: In terms of misleading information, I thought this might be the hardest of the evening along with the Malbec and Tempranillo hints earlier. The difference between Nebbiolo and Sangiovese structurally can be quite slight, with both having notably high tannins and acidity. Flavour profiles differ, with Nebbiolo being the more savoury of the two, and Sangiovese leaning more towards a distinctly herbal note. Another clue was that the Nebbiolo was listed as coming from Barolo, the most powerful expression of Nebbiolo. This was an almost even divide with 6 tasters correctly guessing that this was a Sangiovese and 4 heading towards the north of Italy. No guesses at all for Mencia, which was great!
Whilst the given information can be misleading, I think we’re going to try something similar again for next months blind tasting. It’s a great way to learn about your palate, the world of wine and also how to distinguish between very different and very similar styles of wine. Looking forward to the next one already!