Putting your money where your mouth is

I started a new "game" last weekend, inspired by James Molworth's (the Wine Spectator Rhone and Africa taster) blog "A Monster Palate" in which he talks about his wife Nancy having an excellent palate. The example he gave was her identifying a 10 year old pinot blind. So I decided to test my wife's palate... no just kidding. She isn't into the whole tasting blind game like me and would never consent to this. Instead I set out a case of wines (10 - 12) I chose and asked her to open one and have me try to guess the wine. It's been 4 wines now and how have I done?

Let's start by listing the initial wine choices. Note that I refilled some extra bottles as the tasting game proceeded, so all these weren't my choices for all days. But you get my drift.

1. Marquis Philips 2005 Shiraz
2. Marquis Philips 2003 Sarah's Blend
3. Jip Jip Rocks 2005 Shiraz/Cab
4. Columbia Crest 2004 Grand Estates Merlot
5. Columbia Crest 2001 Grand Estates Merlot
6. Wynns Coonaware 2002 Cabernet
7. Cameron Hughes 2002 Alexander Valley Cabernet #10
8. Perrin & Fils 2005 Cote du Rhone Reserve
9. Opolo 2005 Paso Robles Mountain Zin
10. Hahn 2004 Meritage Central Calif
11. Vina Robles Red 4
12. Castle Rock 2005 Pinot Noir
    
13. Chateau Ste Michelle 2001 Indian Wells Merlot (Washington)
14. Justin 2004 Paso Robles Cabernet
15. Cycles 2004 Gladiator Cabernet
16. Fairview 2004 Goats du Roam in Villages (S Africa)
    

Each day we would play the guessing game. My wife, Sarah opened a bottle and I would guess. So how did I do over several successive days? Note the score = how well I was able to figure out the wine.. not the score of the wine itself.

Wine 1: I swore it was a Barossa Shiraz with dusty plum. I guessed all the Australian Shiraz's and then getting desperate, went through 3 or 4 more in exasperation. Finally I "guessed" the Hahn Meritage. Crap... I don't remember the Hahn Meritage tasting this way. Wow did I do badly. Score: D

Wine 2: The wine was a bit tired and had tea flavors so I proudly said the 2001 Columbia Crest Merlot which has not held up well, partly due to corky flavors. Wrong! I next guessed the Cameron Hughes 2002 Cabernet. Nope. After several more guesses, at which point I was in my 2nd tier of choices, I guessed the Wynns 2001 Cabernet. Correct. Ouch. Score: C

Wine 3: Very ripe berry almost too ripe. Thin. I guessed Opolo Zin. This really seemed like a Zin, given it's super ripe profile. Wrong. Several guesses later I finally got the Justin 2004 Cabernet. Wow, both on how badly I did and how unimpressive the Justin was. Score: C

Wine 4: Dark berry with dark woody tones and earthy spice with slight acidity. I guessed the 2001 Columbia Crest Merlot. No! I lamely guessed the Cote du Rhone. Nope. But shortly afterwards, I was told I basically had it right. It was a 2001 Washington Merlot - Chateau Ste Michelle Indian Wells Merlot. Sarah was impressed I nearly got it with the correct year, region and varietal, on my first guess, though I had forgotten I had put this into the mix. Score: B+

At this point I replenished the box with a few more wines.

1. Fairview 2004 Goats du Roam in Villages (S Africa)
2. Mas Neuf 2005 Costières de Nîmes (French Cote du Rhone)
   
3. Piping Shrike 2003 Barossa Shiraz
4. Seven Deadly Zins 2004

Wine 5: At work, that evening, I had had two delightful wines (Marquis Philips 2005 Shiraz (wow) and 2003 Columbia Crest Merlot). After biking home, Sarah opened up a bottle. Intense ripe plum with berry and spice in the nose. Big chocolate notes initially that disappeared over time. Good acidity. Thought this might be a Barossa, but no. Nice spiciness on the long, juicy finish. I was really stuck after guessing the Vino Robles Red 4. I had forgotten and never would have guessed the Fairview 2004 Goats du Roam in Villages Red. Who knew an African wine could taste so big. Score: C

Wine 6: I had gone shopping that day at Santana Row. Had a nice Italian wine from Vintage wines that I bought and had opened at the Left Bank. I also had an excellent glass of Edge 2003 Cabernet. Anyways I digress. Had some friends over for a dinner of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and pasta. Sarah picked: dark fruit, lean, acidic, with that unmistakably french earthy smell. I confidently guessed French Bordeaux. Nope. After several other guesses, including the Rhone, I was told it was the French Mas Neuf Costières de Nîmes. I had bought this that day but had forgotten I had put it in the guessing box. And the tasting notes from WS were quite different "nice ripeness, with creamy layers of fig, mocha and plum sauce that give way to medium-bodied tannins and a very pure, minerally finish". There was no cream or nice ripeness. This was a unripe dark wine with earth and then minerals. Nonetheless I'm proud for sticking to my guns of France. Score: B

Wine 7: I don't know how Sarah does it. She admitted it was the einy-meany method of selecting, that basically means she's choosing at random. As we cleaned out the fridge of some very old food, I sniffed her selection: big, fruity with a spicy perhaps chocolaty note. A big wine. But subsequently the wine had shut down. Not remembering my list too well, but 5 of 12 were Aussies, I guessed the 2002 Lehmann's Cab (Australia). Nope. I then guessed the Vina Robles 2004 R4 from Paso Robles? Nope. The Chilean Montes Alpha Syrah? The wine had red fruit with lots of acidty and might be pinot. Finally I remember the Piping Shrike 2003 Shiraz (Aus). Or could it be a super ripe Pinot, say the Castle Rock which I had not tasted. I guessed the Piping Shrike. Yes. Score: C

So basically, I'm not doing well so far. But I'm optimistic I'll improve. And it's been very educational. And mostly a lot of fun! Tasting truly blind (which apparently is part of the master sommelier test) is harder than it appears. And I'm enjoying it every day.