Blind Champagne Tasting

[slacker]

Basildog is hosting our bintwo blind Champagne tasting on Tuesday night in Padstow.

I'm showing some top (UK sales) brands against some lesser Marques, and I'm unsure whether the tasters (who are a good mix of regular customers, thus wine drinkers) will see as I do when it comes to wine quality. Come to think of it, I'm not completely sure what I'll think of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut when I don't have the lurid orange label to sway my judgement.

45 smackers, by the way, for blind tasting of 6 Champagnes, followed by a less formal 3-Course Basildog 'Menu Surprise' at Margots. A couple of places left.

(Can I say that?)

ANYWAY.......before the event, what do we all generally favour. Grande Marque NV, or our favourite 'unknown'?

And will they spot the odd one out? There'll be a sneaky impostor.

[StephenT]

And will they spot the odd one out? There'll be a sneaky impostor.

English sparkler perhaps?

[slacker]

Yes, could have been, but no. Have you tried Camel Valley Pinot Noir Rosé yet? Impressed me - and for us a local wine. What do you have in mind?

[Basildog]

and the winner is........

(just a nudge for slacker to post the results )

[Carema]

don't be surprised if you pick something common as your fav. It happened to me at a Thiese tasting. I picked Louis Roderer NV as my top dog. Then some artisinal champagnes ( all NV), Veuve was about 6 out of 10 and White Star was last. Something was corked and I gave it a higher score than White Star!

[melkor]

What wines were served at the tasting?

[Basildog]

What wines were served at the tasting?

That's what we waiting slacker to post

[maggiethecat]

What wines were served at the tasting?

That's what we waiting slacker to post

Word!

I'm interested. I've never done a blind champagne tasting and I'm slightly worried about what my tastebuds would choose. Well, actually I'm not...just afraid that the $150 bottle would actually turn out to be my favourite.

(How's Becky?)

[Basildog]

Well , to fill time before slacker gets out of bed, i can tell you that the dinner that followed was

Marinated Kalamata Olives and Bread( Tomato and Oregano)

Seared Scallops,Grilled Mackerel , and Monkfish in a Herb Crust on Local Fine Beans

Confit of Duck with Spring Onion Mash and Mustard Cream Sauce

Caramelised Lemon Tart

14 sat down to dinner, But not me, cos i was cooking!

(Becky is fine and dandy.Walking now,and talking her own language.A Constant Joy )

[maggiethecat]

BD:

Thanks for posting your menu. What a fresh-tasting, superb meal. I am fantasizing on the duck, Spring Onion Mash and Mustard sauce right now.

[slacker]

Yes, yes, everyone. Good evening.....settle down at the back.....

Wines Tasted (price at http://www.bintwo.com, how do you link again?) with scores awarded by Tasters of our wine club - out of 5 - x13 tasters

Wines were tasted in pairs (1+2 etc.), blind.

1. Jacquesson Brut Perfection NV, £21.99 (£17 for 6+) 40

2. Bollinger Special Cuvée NV, £27.99 41

3. Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label NV, £22.99 37

4. Bruno Paillard Première Cuvée NV, £21.49 39 THE WINNER IN MY BOOK. GREAT WINE GREAT TASTE GREAT PRICE

5. Moët et Chandon 1996, not stocked, can't stand the stuff. 42 hurrah. the winner.

6. Pirie 1998, Tasmania £18.49 39

So, not as predicted, my least favourite of the wines was picked to go with the first course (which though huge, was excellent).

The reason I showed the Moët was that at a tasting earlier this year it was truly yucky, overdosed (look it up) and overacidic. But everyone enjoyed it, particularly the women present. Oh well, I'm a smartass and it serves me right.

Back to the evening, it was thoroughly enjoyed by me and Mrs. slacker, and the food was great (though huge).

Highlights:

The pizza bread. Fabulous. Basildog neglected to mention the mozzarella.....

The fish. Make a trip for the mackerel alone.

The duck. I was unsure about the mustard cream sauce with rich confit, but it was great. AND the wine with it was fabulous: Capitel della Crosara Ripasso 2000, Montresor. Acidic and dry on its own, but with the rich duck, the deep, cherry fruit swelled and ripened in the mouth. Brilliant. In fact, we were initially going to have lamb, but I chose the duck to go with this wine in the end, which is modestly priced (£7.49 retail) and brilliant with bold, confident flavours, such as those presented to us on this particular evening.

The botrytis Semillon was interesting with the pud, but not rounded enough for the creamy lemon tart.

And I had no room for petits fours. which is unfair, cos I made room for some port

No-one spotted the ringer, in spite of being told there was one, except me. And I knew. And it WAS obviously different. Most thought it was the Clicquot (oops, there).

Do I say brilliant too much?

[slacker]

nice