Happy Blindtober!

It’s been a while since I’ve been blogging but never fear, I’ve been drinking wine…lots of wine!! I’ll catch you up on some great wine experiences at a later post, for now, I welcome you back to Blindtober. As you might recall, every October I taste wines blind – as in, I don’t know what I’m drinking and I guess what it is. Typically I just guess the varietal, but sometimes I get ballsy and go for region. Well, I’ve been doing this for a few years and you know what? I still kinda suck at it. :) But I keep doing it because how am I ever going to be good? Plus it’s a fun game to play for a month. (although here’s a secret…by the end of the month I’m tired of it - and just wanna drink to drink with no guessing!!)

This year, like last, I’m gonna tweet about my blind tasting experiences with #blindtober. Join me if you’re up to it!

Join me for #blindtober

If you’ve followed my blog before, you know I love blind tastings, so much that every October Mr. Lush and I taste everything we can “blind”. (for those of you who are nor familiar with the term, tasting wine “blind” means you have to guess what’s in the glass-usually the varietal, although experts can guess even more!) We accomplish this at home by switching off who pours the bottle; last night I selected a bottle, poured Mr. Lush a glass, and he correctly guessed it was a Chardonnay from California.

By no stretch are we experts-we both get more wrong than we do right, and we don’t try to guess the vintage or even specific AVA (although occasionally we might…but usually fail!). Naturally if its from our own collection we do better, because we can narrow it down. But we spend all year drinking and learning about wine, so it’s a good time to really focus in and apply what we’ve learned. Sometimes we throw each other easy ones, sometimes we mix it up and throw each other a curve ball, but we have fun with it.

I initially called this experience the Blind Ambition Tour (yes, that is a Madonna reference) but this year I’m going to tweet about my experiences with the hashtag #blindtober. My twitter name is stlwinelush and so I invite you to join me this October – taste wine blind and tweet about your experiences. Going to someone's house? Have them pour you a glass before showing you what it was. Head into a bar and tell the bartender to pick something out for you. Or, for even more of a challenge, head into a bar like Flemings, where they have 100 wines by the glass and ask them to make you a flight-so you’ll have 3 wines to guess. If you fail epically, don’t fret-we’re there with you. Get out of your comfort zone and give it a shot.

I’ll keep an eye out for the #blindtober tweet, cheers!

Blind recap

As you might have noticed, its now November and that measn the Blind Ambition Tour 2 is over. Mr. Lush and I are somewhat excited that we’re no longer in October and can now know what we’re drinking without having to guess first. It was fun, its just tiring after an entire month. But, for fun, I visited my first and last post during October last year to see how far I’d come. Last year I was just happy to say I was guessing with a reason, but I was still wrong a lot. A lot. The vast majority of the time.
This year….well, I was still wrong a lot, but not nearly as much. I didn’t keep official count, but I feel like I might have been right more often than I was wrong. Now, the caveat is most of the stuff we had was New World and I knew that, so it did eliminate a lot of options. But hey, baby steps. Next year I’ll try to focus more on Old World.
All in all, it was fun and does force you to concentrate on the flavor profiles of varietals and I was able to pick out a few nuances that even helped me guess where its from, so that’s progress, right?

Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops and Petite Sirah

Last night I grilled some bourbon glazed pork chops while Mr. Lush worked late. The glaze, which is based on the old TGIFridays Jack Daniels sauce, has soy sauce, pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, a little bit of cayenne pepper, onion and garlic and some bourbon. (ok, a lot of bourbon – I quadruple the recipe amount but it reduces for 45 minutes so all the alcohol is cooked out)

Anyway, the glaze is fantastic – helps the pork chops stay moist (even the really thick ones, especially if you give them a quick high heat sear and move them to indirect heat), but I admit, I was a little lost on what to pair with it. I've only made it once since I really got into wine and I didn’t really want to go white; the glaze is pretty dark and strong. But, its also pork, and it has pineapple juice (and was served with grilled pineapple) so I didn’t want to go too heavy a red. I did a search on foodandwine.com for recipes containing pork and soy sauce and looked at their recs to pair. Wow, a big range – from a Pouilly Fuisse to Pinot Noir to a “tannic-rich” Bordeaux. In the end, I decided on the Peltier Station Petite Sirah. (I was going to pick a Syrah, but the only one we had was a $55 bottle and it just wasn’t a $55 Tuesday.) It went fairly well with it, not a perfect pair but a bit fruity to complement the pineapple and a bit rich to stand up to the soy/teriyaki sauce and bourbon based glaze. I would probably pick a nice full Pinot Noir next time or a fuller Syrah, because it was just a smidge “big” for it. Not much, but just enough to keep it from being a perfect pair.

Oh, and update on the Blind Ambition Tour…. I got a couple right in a row – a Cab and a Pinot and in fact, I even guessed the Pinot was from Monterey, but that it was probably a cheaper one because the mouth didn’t quite live up to the nose as well as the recent ones we had in the $35+ range. (and in fact, it was a $20 one – good, just not as good as the others) So, we’ll see, I think I’ve still gotten more wrong this month than I’ve gotten right, but at least I’m improving.

Loving Monterey Pinots

Ok, I’ve officially decided: I love Central California Pinot Noirs, specifically Monterey County Pinots. As you know, we belong to the Taste of Monterey Wine Private Reserve Wine Club and love it. We get quarterly shipments of 3 bottles of wine and often, if not every time, the shipments include a Pinot Noir. We have loved every single one we’ve gotten from them. They are so big and full, both fruity but with a hint of cedar/tobacco. They are so big, in fact, I didn’t even guess that one was a Pinot during a recent at home blind tasting.

In my defense, I wasn’t expecting he’d break out a $40 bottle so Pinot wasn’t even a thought in my mind. However, we both need to quit trying to cheat and figure out what our options are based on what we’re having, what wines we’ve had and what price point we’d likely break out. We end up talking ourselves into a small select amount of choices and picking from there, instead of doing what we should be doing in our blind tasting….which is deciding based on the wine characteristics.

That being said, I didn’t think the wine was a Pinot – it just seemed too full. But, when it was revealed it was a Monterey Country Pinot…well it made sense. They all have so much more body and layers than a lot of Napa Pinots I’ve had, and a lot more warm spice and dark fruit characteristics than the Oregon Pinots I have had. Honestly, they remind me a lot of the wines we had in Gevrey Chambertin.

Anyway, this particular wine was the Chateau Christina Black Mountain Pinot Noir, but others that we’ve had and loved are Pelerin St. Vincents, Michaud, La Rochelle Classic Clones, among others. If you’ve been disappointed by Napa Pinots in the past, pick up something from Monterey….you’ll like it, particularly if you get something in the $30-45 range.

Bottleshock'd into starting blind tasting early

As you might remember from last October, I try to taste wine blindly all month and call it my Blind Ambition Tour. (its driven from the fact my wine club has a annual blind tasting in October) Last year, I did not fare too well. I stunk up the place on reds, hardly getting any right, but did better with the whites. Even with that dismal outcome I decided I’m going to do it again this October.

Well, I thought we were going to wait until October. This weekend we started watching Bottleshock, which is about the famed 1976 blind tasting which put California wine on the map. Well, it inspired Mr. Lush to begin the Blind Ambition Tour a bit early, he decided to hide a bottle from me and make me guess.

Really? Already? Dang it. Ok. It’s a white. Taste, smell, taste. Hmm. For sure it’s a Chardonnay (that’s an easy guess) and we only have 3 or so Chardonnays at the moment, I think. I was pretty sure it wasn’t a California chard – at least not one we had because it had a bit more acid and less creamy mouthfeel than the Cali Chards we have. So I guessed “a chardonnay not from California”. In truth, I pretty much knew which one it was, the only non-California chard we had was from Western Australia. So, I got it right, but it was a pretty easy softball for my first one, simply because our white selection is limited.

So then the next night he tried it again. Don’t recognize it, but that doesn’t mean anything –since it’s a red unless we have it regularly I probably won’t recognize it. Ok, it doesn’t smell or taste full bodied enough for a cab, and it isn’t spicy, so is it a Merlot? Yep, it was the Cameron Hughes St. Emilion (merlot based red blend). Woo hoo, look at me! We’ll see if the success continues when I don’t know the possible selection so well- I'm guessing no. ;)

Well, I had to get him back last night when we finished watching Bottleshock. I brought out our last bottle of the Ballentine Zinfandel, a 2002. He didn’t guess it correctly but it was because he second guessed himself….. it was a bit unfair, I suppose, because the 2002 has had so much time to age that it doesn’t exhibit many of the typical characters of a zin – its not peppery or hot. Its had enough time to mellow out completely. (He said he thought it might be a zin, but it was just too mellow.)

So, I guess the Blind Ambition Tour is already underway. Wish us luck and feel free to play along by having your significant other or friend put the wine in a bag one night and you do it the next night so you can take turns guessing, and when you go to a wine bar or restaurant, ask the server to bring a glass of something and let you guess. But, don’t be embarrassed if you fail…..I mean, really, people take TESTS for this stuff. I expect I’ll do a bit better this year overall than I did last year, but I totally expect to get a ton wrong again.

Oh well, quests are fun, right?

Guessing with a reason

I know in a post last week I mentioned that I had two blind tastes last weekend so I want to tell you about them. Well the first was one organized by a wine shop. I didn’t do so well. I didn’t get any totally right, as in both location and correct varietal(s). On one, I got the country right and got one grape right, but it was a blend. On another, I knew the country, picked the wrong grape. And one, I was close, I had it narrowed down to two and picked the wrong one in my “final answer”. Frustrating, but I should see it as I am getting better.

Another one was my wine club’s. Mr. Lush picked 3 new world and I picked 3 old world. And you know what? Even though I knew what I had, I still only got one right of my 3 right. However, I am getting a bit better, I have an idea, I’m just not good yet.

I could say that October’s not over yet, but it is almost over. I still have a chance of having it all come together in some way, but at least at this point I can say I’ve gotten better, because in the beginning of the month I was really just blindly guessing. Now I’m actually guessing with a reason. Maybe guessing correctly in a month is too much to hope for?

So, a blind squirrel does find a nut now and then....

Well, I'm happy to report a mini-success in my blind tasting. Tuesday at Casa Luce we brought sushi and had some blind wines courtesy of Lucy, and she suggested I blog about my success.

Of course, we had sparkling wine and it was yummy. I guessed it was a US sparkling cuvee, thinking perhaps it was Gloria Ferrar, one of Lucy's standby's. It wasn't, but it was a US sparkling- Domaine Ste. Michelle, which was profiled in Lucy's blog. Our other wine was fruity with just a bit of sweetness it in, I guessed a Gewurztraminer Pinot Gris blend. It was a Gewurztraminer Marsanne blend. I would've never guessed the Marsanne, but I'm happy I got the Gewurztraminer part right.

So, I got some close to right, I suppose that counts as a little something? I will admit, I did have a bit of insider knowledge-I knew Lucy wouldn't serve wines that wouldn't go well with sushi so I had the ability to narrow down the options. Alas, it appears I do better in whites than reds in general, but that might be because there are less white varietals that I have access to?

I'm attending a blind tasting this Friday, wish me luck!

My mistake... I need cheat sheets

Well, I’m not doing so great in my Blind Ambition Tour. I think I’ve accurately guessed 4, maybe 5 and missed at least 10. Its hard, not that I thought it wouldn’t be. I think my biggest mistake was not making a cheat sheet of common characteristics in varietals. I just don’t remember all of them. I have a large book, which is comprehensive, but I can’t easily take that with me everywhere. So, in hopes of having more of a successful end to the tour than the beginning, I have started to compile a list of such common aromas and flavors of varietals that I can put on my pda. Here’s a couple. Wish me luck!

Petit Verdot
Fruit: vinous, black fruits, blackberry
Floral: (none)
Spice: pencil shavings, molasses, tar
Herbal: weeds, nettles
Terroir: leather
Oak (light): vanilla, coconut, sweet wood
Oak (heavy): oak, smoke, toast, tar
Bottle Age: cedar, cigar box

Zinfandel
Fruit: raspberry, blackberry, boysenberry, cranberry, black cherry, (jammy can be used with all)
Herbal: briar, licorice, nettle
Spice: cinnamon, black pepper
Carbonic Maceration: tutti-frutti, candy, bubblegum
Oak (light): vanilla, coconut, sweet wood
Oak (heavy): oak, smoke, toast, tar
Bottle Age: musk, mushroom, earth, leather cedar, cigar box

Cabernet Franc
Fruit: raspberry, cherry, plum, strawberry
Floral: violet
Herbal: bell pepper, stems
Oak (light): vanilla, coconut, sweet wood
Oak (heavy): oak, smoke, toast, tar
Bottle Age: musk, mushroom, earth, cedar, cigar box

First blind taste test-failed

Well, the first blind taste test has been conducted…..and I failed.

First, lets set the tone. I had a hellauva week. I had presentations, lit reviews, regularly scheduled readings, as well as having to grade 160, yes, 160 tests. (I’m a teaching assistant as well) Well, I come home from dropping off said exams and I come home to a cleaned kitchen, the table set, the smell of grilled meat. The wonderful Mr. Lush has done of that and prepared some wonderful filet mignons and grilled veggies as well as remembered it October….the first of October’s Blind Ambition Tour.

(side note…anyone get that reference?? Anyone??)

Ok, back to the topic at hand. In the glass is a lovely red wine. Now, I am no Lucy, I do not have our 59 different bottles of wine memorized, nor their location, so I don’t know what it is off the bat by glancing at the wine fridge, although I have a vague idea of at least the type of wine he’d select as well as the price range he’d pick for the occasion.

We sit down, I swish, smell. Hmm. Smells nice. Tastes wonderful. I guess merlot. I’m wrong. It’s a 2004 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon. I suck. Of course, after sipping a few drinks, swishing, etc, I taste chocolate and cherry and think “why didn’t I know this was cab? Its totally cab-ish”.

Alas. Hindsight is 20/20. (I’m sure I’ll end nearly every post with that.) I’ll try to post most of my failures as well as my successes, however few they may be. I apologize ahead of time, wine gods, for my ignorance, and hope that I grow from this.

0 fer 1. More to come.

October's Blind Ambition Tour

I am making a bold commitment.

For the entire month of October, whenever possible, I’m tasting blind.

What does "tasting blind" mean? Tasting a glass of wine and having no idea what the varietal, price, region, or all of the above. Its a skill one needs to pass the Court of Masters Sommilier Exam, and in fact, part of the test is to taste things blind- see the actual tasting grid. I don't plan on taking that exam, but its certainly a skill worth developing or at least trying trying to develop. Plus, who doesn't love wine related quests?

My inspiration comes from two sources:

1) A few weeks ago Mr. Lush and I attended a blind tasting with Mr. & Mrs. Luce. I did horrible. Absolutely horrible. Not that I thought I would get all of them correct, but I was hoping for a better record than what I got. This must, simply must be rectified.

2) In October my wine club has a blind tasting, so in the spirit of the month, why not taste everything I can blindly?

Now, to clarify the burning question of “how on earth are you going to do this?” here’s my plan:

• When I’m out, I’ll give the server an instruction of white or red and a price range of $6-10 and tell me not to tell me what it is. Since my server or bartender doesn’t know my taste, I wouldn’t want to order a bottle and hate it, so I’ll only order by the glass.
• I'll visit stores on tasting days and try to not see what I'm having.
• However, if I’m with someone, I’ll let them order and I will be none the wiser.
• If I’m at a friend’s house, I’ll request that they keep what it is from me for a glass until I have a guess.
• If I’m at home, I’ll ask Mr. Lush to keep it a secret for a bit as well.
• I’ll also attend every tasting I can blindly. (Luckily, there’s one scheduled in October as well at Gambino’s in O’Fallon MO.)
  

How successful do I expect to be? Not so much, to be honest and I expect I’ll feel very stupid at times. But, I would hope by the end of the month, I’ll be better off giving my palate such exercise.

Wish me luck!