Unlike the federal election this weekend – we had two winners.
One for the whites, and one for the reds.
Wine that is.
But what is a “wine in the bag” or blind wine tasting event? Well, this is how New York Wines have described it,
“We don’t wear blindfolds, or even Lone Ranger masks. A blind tasting simply means we have no idea what specific wines we are tasting. We usually know the varietal (or type of wine) and the vintage (year the grapes were harvested), and a few (but not most) competitions include the price category as well. But we never know the brand, rarely the country or region of origin; and we never see a bottle, even in a brown paper bag (because the capsule could give away the winery’s identity)”
For our event, we knew the brand and type of wine and it went from there. There were three bottles of white – and three bottles of red!
Respect and thanks go to Glen Urbani for his organisation of the #wineinthebag event for us; it’s an awesome concept, and lots of fun!!
And as he said, “A big thank you needs to (also) go to Luke Kelly the manager at the pub (Hyde Park) who bent over backwards to help set up the event. Top bloke! And Stewie on the night for his fantastic service.“
The Hyde Park service was perfect indeed. From the specially selected menu, to the help with our wine selection for the “wine in the bag” concept, they helped create a relaxed, fun atmosphere for us winelovers to play, where nothing was too much trouble.
Big congratulations go to Sonia and Litsa for their respective wins…
Tasting Notes for the Secret 6!
The Whites.
Henschke Peggy’s Hill Riesling.
The colour of gold struck through with green, this Riesling shows classic lime and mineral aromas with a touch of gooseberry. Rich and full-bodied, the citrus and tropical fruit flavours are underpinned by crisp acidity.
Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc.
Pristine Marlborough sauvignon blanc of the type that energised New Zealand’s wine industry. Passionfruit, lime and crushed fern leaf aromas. Juicy, intense, slightly fruit-sweet flavour. (Screw cap; 13 per cent alcohol.)
The Lane Unwooded Chardonnay.
The Lane Vineyards is situated in the relative cool of the Adelaide Hills, giving wines of great finesse. This unoaked Chardonnay is a perfect example: ripe with delicious tropical and stone fruits, there is an underlying acidity keeping the wine fresh and vibrant.
The Reds.
Tatachilla MV Merlot.
A lush palate, expressing wild cherry and blueberry flavours fill the palate, backed by highlights of menthol and spice. Elegantly textured with rounded tannins and a long finish.
Casabel Tempranillo.
Light- to medium-bodied; spicy/cedary/savory characters take it out of the mainstream; super-fine tannins and quality French oak (18 months).
Geoff Merrill Shiraz / Grenache / Mourvedre.
Aroma’s of spice, coffee with a hint of fennel and white pepper, while the palate is youthful even and flowing, with the old vine Grenache providing raspberry’s and cherries, some black currant from the Shiraz and the Mourvedre giving structure and backbone, all supported by a firm yet fine tannin structure with well integrated oak adding complexity to the wine.
More info:
Hyde Park Tavern: http://hydeparktavern.com.au/ and their current wine list is here: hyde_winelist_0105.pdf
Charlie-Helen Robinson 