March 28, 2007

Attended a "bring your own brown bagged bottle of wine" at MAWL Wines. A new retail store just four miles "as the crow flies" from my casa.

There were approximately 23 to 25 people all with their little brown bags. After a wine was poured, we tasted then discussed. ( Clyde really enjoyed the discussing) Single varietal or blend ?, old world or new world ?, young or old ? At least we did not have to decide if it was red or white.

It was an interesting evening. I came to the realization that if you cannot see the bottle, shape and label, you are really out in left field. I know there are "super tasters" that make the rest of us look like simpletons, but thankfully this evening they didn't show up. Granted there were a few attendees that seem to guess correctly more than the rest of us but they did not come close to having a perfect score.

I feel somewhat vindicated when I correctly guessed the wine that I brought. I had drank a glass of this wine a few weeks ago and wanted to see if it showed as well, if I was not influenced by the sight of the bottle. It definitely did and I will endeavor to obtain a few more bottles before it is sold out. It just screamed "sangiovese". It was the just released 2004 Stoplman Vineyard Sangiovese.

I also correctly guessed 2 California "over oaked" Chardonnays just by smelling them. I do not understand why certain winemakers think, that the first thing someone wants to smell and taste in a wine is"wood". Wine comes from fruit not trees.

I think most of us came away from this tasting a little humbled, we are not the great wine aficionados that we thought we were.

I hope David decides to have this type of tasting again in the future. I really had a lot of fun and the people were great also.