Thursday, January 26, 2012

Difficult Exercice

Recently, during a meal, I was floored by James Suckling who recognized blind Ornellaia 2008.
Blind tasting is a difficult exercise.

20 years ago, Murielle and I were pretty good, thanks to the help of Jacques Luxey and the diligent company of Philippe Gilbert and Michel Puzio. Our whole group was really able to do as good of a job as a recognized critic. In my case, I just became less efficient, time does not help performance, even in this area.

I was surprised by the talent of some of the professionals I met like Andreas Larsson and Hervé Pennequin; sommeliers are also knowledgeable on many areas of production. We were only good with the right bank, Saint Emilion, Pomerol, or even a bit on the Médoc.


Anyway, I will always remember two tastings I had not recognized my wine, one at home: Philippe had brought a bottle of 1991 Valandraud; I searched and ... didn’t find! But who could imagine tasting, in my home, my own wine brought for a blind tasting?! The other, most recently at the Bistro Champlain in Quebec: 1992 was very fresh, great, but couldn’t guess it either!

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