Читать книгу The Wine Etiquette Guide - Your Defense Against Wine Snobbery - Chuck Blethen - Страница 22

“I only drink fortified wines during bad weather. Snowstorm, hurricane, tornado - I'm not particular, as long as it's bad. After all, any storm for a Port.”

- Paul S. Winalski

When you attend a blind wine tasting event, make sure you follow these guidelines to keep from spoiling the experience for others. All bottles must be completely and utterly occluded from any sensory evaluation by other guests that could possibly provide clues to a wine's origins other than those provided by the wine itself. Total occlusion entails -- no little brown bags wrapped tightly around the bottle (this gives away shape -- and consequently tons of information) concealing bottle tops, glass color, lead foils, and the size of the bottle. All must be hidden from view. If you must arrive with an uncloaked bottle, do not cross the threshold with the wine thrust towards your host. It is acceptable to arrive with an uncovered bottle if you carry it behind your back or stuffed inside clothing.

Many attendees seem to feel that just because they've brought their wine in a brown paper bag, that they can relax their guard at the opening. So, while well within everyone's view, they grasp the bottle firmly in one hand, the corkscrew ready in the other. They then firmly slide the neck of the bag past the head of the bottle, give a satisfied "Ahh", and prepare to insert the corkscrew. Of course, the entire top of the bottle is now completely nude and visible – so conceal it.

Having successfully reached this point, simply pull the cork. There is no evidence yet that the sound of the cork popping from the bottle gives any clues as to the wine's origin unless it is champagne. Remove the cork from the corkscrew and place it in your pocket. Do not leave it anywhere in sight where someone may discover a freshly moist cork with "Chateau Lafitte Rothschild" branded on the side.

If you indeed fail to adequately hide the cork, and discovery is made, then it is acceptable practice to suggest that they cease looking for the easy way out and start the process of deducing the identity of the cork in your pocket by sticking their nose in that glass of wine.

The tasters guess in reverse order of expertise with wine. Once all contestants have placed their bets, it's time for the unveiling of the wine. This is the wine provider’s moment in the spot light. Your audience turns their eager faces to you. The purchaser retrieves it from its hiding place and carries the bagged bottle to the central gathering place. And then turn to the person with the best guess, remove the bottle from the bag, hand the bottle to the winner, and nod knowingly to the crowd as they press in to see just what the winner is looking at. If none of the guesses are any good, the purchaser maintains control of the bottle.