60 average wine drinkers pick their winners and losers without influences like prices and professional descriptions.    

The purpose of this event was two fold - one, we wanted to raise $6,000 for charity (which we did) and two, we wanted to see how average wine drinkers reacted to a diverse group of highly rated wines from around the world.

Part of what made the results, and this tasting, unique was the fact that no information was given to the guests about the wine while they tasted, but it was not done blind either.  All 17 wines were put out side by side and unbagged for tasting, regardless of price, grape varietal and country of origin.   The idea of this strategic move was that we would discover what average drinkers REALLY liked since 50 of the 60 guests did not know enough about wine to realize what bottles cost $100 and which ones cost $10. 

Sure, some of the guests new the most expensive bottles by name or origin and went right to them, but it was evident that the majority of guests did not pick their favorites based on price or name recognition.  In fact, we noticed that there were two prevailing formulas that people employed for tasting: Right to left or left to right.     

With the exception of the more experienced tasters (of which there were less than 10) no one seemed to care where the wine was from or what variety it was.  Since there were no prices available and no numerical ratings to review, most people were at a loss when it came to deciding what to taste first.  Interestingly enough, people made initial choices on two things - the label and the year.  When we asked "why did you choose that bottle?" most people replied that the label looked expensive or that the older wine would be more expensive.  

What Was Served?

Below is a listing and brief description of the 17 red wines that were sampled.  Unlike more deliberate wine tastings that generally focus on a specific vintage, region or varietal, our goal was simply to gauge what wines were most popular disregarding price and stuffiness. 

Chappellet 2003 Napa Valley Signature Cabernet Sauvignon  The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon has been Chappellet's flagship wine for more than three decades. It is a benchmark for the long-lived hillside wines of the Napa Valley - full of structure and aging potential, yet seductively forward.

Justin Paso Robles Cabernet 2004  A soft, delicate entry evolves into a lush, ripe, round mouth feel filled with boysenberry, blackberry and earthy flavors. Hints of spice, vanilla and caramel combine with a soft, velvet texture on the finish of this wine.

2004 Summers Napa Valley Zinfandel  Summers has produced an impressive Zinfandel from their Villa Andriana Vineyard. The 2004 exhibits a similar dark plum/ruby/purple color to the 2004 in addition to a riper, more mature intense nose, full body, well-balanced flavors, good depth, and a fleshy personality.

2002 Chateau Pavie Grand Cru Bordeaux   Grand Cru Bordeaux - This 2002 is one of the top wines of the vintage. Its deep plum/ruby/purple color is followed by aromas of fruitcake, cranberries, cherry liqueur, crushed rocks, and subtle oak. Savory, full-bodied.

2003 Domaine Saint Prefert Chateauneuf Du Pape   One can't speak highly enough of the efforts by proprietress Isabel Ferrando, who has resurrected this well-known estate in Chateauneuf du Pape. This is a beautifully made wine that merits serious attention.

2002 Rully Vincent Dureuil Burgundy  Clear ruby in the glass, this red Rully's aromas center on ripe strawberries "lifted" by a hint of volatility and accented with brown spice.

1999 Mauro Veglio Barolo Castelletto   Dark ruby. The Castelletto is singing on this day. Beautifully expressive, is presents a deeply spiced, balsamic nose and an expansive personality on the palate, with richly layered dark fruit and excellent concentration.

2001 Ciacci Piccolomini Pianrosso Brunello  The wine is deep ruby, and has a powerful, elegant bouquet in which spice and the wild flowers of a Tuscan field in summer mingle with cedar and forest berry fruit.

2003 Termes  Tinta De Toro   Inky purple-colored, it emits a beautiful bouquet of scorched earth, graphite, wild blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a full-bodied, layered, concentrated, intensely flavored wine with exceptional balance and length.

2004 Don Roman Rioja   Brilliant violet, black cherry, vanilla and spiced fruit are showcased in this modern and freshly styled Rioja.  Better than many wines more than twice the price. 

Langmeil "Three Gardens"  2004 Barossa Shiraz Blend  A great wine from the famous Barossa Valley in Australia, this blend of Shiraz (48%), Grenache (42%), and Mourvèdre (10%) shows good balance and integrated structure with full ripe fruit.

Penley Estate Shiraz/cabernet 1999  The opaque purple-colored 1999 Shiraz/Cabernet displays a vivacious bouquet of melted licorice, smoke, black currants, and blackberries. Dense, powerful and medium to full-bodied with copious earthy underbrush.

Montes Alpha 2004 Syrah  Chilean Syrah's have been an area of interest for wine lovers all over the world. This wine is a combo of new world and old world style. The nose has deep cassis and chocolate flavors. The tannins are very soft and lush. On the palate it shows ripe cherry and oak.

Tamarak Cellars Merlot 2004   Firm and delicioius, this blend of mostly cabernet sauvignon, syrah and merlot leads with a nutty brown sugar scent and leafy soil aromas. These overlay brilliant red cherry flavors, betraying its primarily Walla Walla provenance.

The Laughing Magpie Shiraz 2005   The palate is juicy and long and tastes superbly integrated and full bodied. There are plenty of bold Shiraz characters dominated by black fruits, satsuma plums, blueberry and licorice. 15% alcohol

Grayson 2005 Paso Robles Cabernet  This 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon offers sweet cherry and berry fruit in a straightforward, medium-bodied, spicy style. Easy-going with supple tannins and a surprisingly elegant personality for a Paso Robles Cabernet, it should drink well for 2-3 years.

Tutto Bene Toscana Rosso   The nose and palate display ripe fruit, red berries and subtle herbal notes. It is medium to full-bodied with remarkable tannins, yet is also silky with a smooth acidity and a rich, fruity finish.   Good blackberry and chocolate aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, with soft, round tannins. Juicy.

Conclusions and Results

The Winnners by Popular Vote

One of the most interesting findings from this tasting is that the most consumed wine was one of the least expensive.  More bottles of 2005 Grayson Cabernet were consumed than any other wine.  On their score cards most people identified it as a much more expensive and enjoyable bottle.  A close second in scoring and consumption was the Justin Paso Robles Cabernet.   It was tough to uncover a decisive third with so many wines, but we can say that the 2003 Termes from Spain and the Tamarak Merlot were both big hits. 

The Losers by Popular Vote

One of the most interesting outcomes of this tasting was that the most expensive bottle faired poorly across the board.  The Chateau Pavie Bordeaux, for example, was often ranked in the bottom 50% of wines tasted.   "What does that tell me," you might ask?  Well... more expensive wines are crafted for age and complexity and this wine was young and somewhat unapproachable for the less sophisticated wine drinker.

Another interesting result was that almost none of the Australian Shiraz's faired well.  Most of them were incredibly strong (almost 14.5% alcohol) and many tasters described them as tasting like "cough medicine."  Unfortunate, because many of us at Currents love Shiraz, but maybe these were just poor examples from Australia.

The undisputed loser, seeing only ¾ of a bottle in total consumed was the 2002 Rully Vincent Dureuil Burgundy.  For whatever reason, everyone agreed that this wine was not good and no one even bothered to change their mind once we revealed that this is actually a highly rated bottle.  

How The Pro's Rated The Wines

Since most of us tend to buy wine based on a rating system, here is a chart that shows the supposed value and quality of the wines poured at the event.  Keep in mind, many of the best wines would be considered "immature" and not ready to drink, but it's interesting to point out that most votes were cast for many of the cheapest bottles. 

Wine                                        Variety                            Country      Rating           Price

Ratings and reviews are taken from Wine Spectator & The Wine Advocate

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About the The Caitlin Russell Foundation

Started in 2006 to memorialize an amazing infant and her struggles with premature birth, Chris and Michele Russell donate 100% of the proceeds to research and treatment of premature treatment and prevention.   A true labor of love, you can donate to their cause or find out more by logging onto their website www.caitlinrussellfoundation.org.