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blind tastings -

blind tastings

Tasting wine blind is an eternal source of fascination for those not in the industry and an eternal source of pain for those in the industry taking exams. There’s a great episode of the 90s sitcom Frasier in which Frasier and his brother Niles compete in a blind tasting to become the “Corkmaster” of their local wine club. It’s very funny because it sends up the pomposity of blind tasting, but it’s not necessarily that realistic (which of course isn’t the point)—so how do blind tastings work in reality? In educational terms, that depends on the approach of different organizations....

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aligoté, baga, viognier -

music and wine

All the wines in blackpoolmatt's wine club come with a specific music pairing, matching the wine with an album to listen to while enjoying the bottle. There's also a playlist of songs from each album available on spotify that connects you to all the wines I've chosen that month. There's no scientific method to my pairings. Instead, it's based around mood—just as my mood often reflects why I choose to open a certain bottle of wine. It could be because the weather's cold or hot, because I'm cooking a certain dish, because of who I'm with, or because I just feel...

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wine education, wset -

wine education

As someone who teaches courses run by the WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust), it's no surprise that I think wine education is important. On a personal level, I just love learning about wine (as well as many other subjects) and I love sharing what I've learnt. I first experienced wine by drinking and enjoying it, but what got me really hooked and drew me into the industry was learning all about wine, the history, the people, the grape varieties, the regions, the science, the trade, and so much more. But why is wine education important not just for wine...

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wine scores

Wine club members may have noticed that I don't include scores in any of my tasting notes that come with each wine. That's because I find it much more helpful to provide descriptions of the wines, where they come from, who makes them, and how they're made—because that's what you're tasting in the glass, not a number. But why do critics use scores to assess wine? Scores function as a simple shorthand for quality without consumers having to read too much detail before deciding whether to make a purchase. Therefore, they can serve a useful purpose. However, there are so...

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Friulano, Goriška Brda, Hárslevelű, hungary, Nagy-Somló, Pesecká Leanká, slovakia, slovenia -

the unsung wines of central europe

  Winemaking is shaped by politics, culture, and the market, as well as by nature. I’ve recently been tasting wines from central European countries whose wine industries are still recovering from communist rule. The neglect and lack of investment hurt the wine industries of these countries; at the same time, the wines retain traditional winemaking practices and local grape varieties, making them feel authentic and distinctive. This is an ideal moment to explore these wines and the history behind them. Hungary is most famous for Tokaji and its world-class sweet wine. In the twentieth century, such a prized, expensive wine...

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