Recently our friends Pat and Cynthia McKeever invited us to celebrate Cynthia's birthday by hosting blind wine tasting party. The rules were simple: each person brings a bottle of wine, which is whisked away by the hosts upon arrival and then assigned a brown paper bag and number. Collectively, we taste and rated the wines on a point system from 1-5. 1point was deemed "trash," a 4 rating "Damn this is good, " and a 5 signified "perfect."
The best part of the night was the "reveal," and we were all shocked by the results. Here they are:
1. (49 points) Shenandoah "Special Reserve" Amadour Zinfandel, 2008, $9.99, K&L
2. (48 points) Fetzer Merlot, 2008, $6
3. (44 points) Wakefield Cabernet, Clare Valley, 2006, $35
4. (43 points) Chateau St. Michelle Riesling, 2008, $12, Target
5. (41 points) Charles Shaw "Two Buck Chuck" Cabernet, 2009, $2, Trader Joe's
5. (41 points) Brunello La Rasina, 2004, $58, Cinderella Wine
6. (40 points) Jaffurs Mouvedre, 2008, $27, Jaffurs Wine Club
7. (36 points) Deloach Pinot Noir, Sonoma, 2008, $16
8. (35 points) Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah, 2007, $3.99, Trader Joe's
9. (34 points) Sanctuary Pinot Noir, Santa Maria, 2006, $30
10. (32 points) Fattoria dei Barbi Rosso di Montalcino, 2006, $30
11. (23 points) Frei Brothers Syrah, 2006, $23
12. (22 points) Turning Leaf Chardonnay, 2008, $4.99, Ralphs
Here are some tips to hosting your own blind wine tasting party:
1. Keep your invite list limited to under 12, or you will all be seeing double by the end of the evening.
2. As with all soirees involving drinking, provide food beforehand, so no one has to taste on an empty stomach.
3. Create a scoring sheet and have plenty of pens.
4. Make sure you have a spit bucket for those "trash" wines.
5. Have plenty of plain crackers on hand for palate cleansing, as well as pitchers of water handy for rinsing and sipping.
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