As you readers know, my son Bobby hosted a blind wine taste testing at home for me as a Mother’s Day Gift. I totally loved it and we had a wonderful time.
Here’s what I thought about the wines in the Mother’s Day wine taste test and how I scored on each one.
The Mother’s Day Wine Taste Test Itself
Bobby had opted to include six white wines in the blind taste test. He used a different themed glass for each varietal so we could differentiate them, and lined them up in a row (as pictured above). I tasted each one several times before trying to identify it.
Below is each wine that was part of the Mother’s Day wine taste test:
1. The wine in the New York Giants glass: dry, with a light aroma, a taste of apples and some citrus. It was light and fresh. It had some effervescence, but not as many bubbles as in a sparkling wine. 😊+
2. The wine in the glass from Honah Lee Vineyard: Dry and light, with a more powerful smell. It was more floral and fruity. There was a hint of citrus or pineapple. 😊+
3. The wine in the glass from Jefferson Vineyards: Very unusual smell, like slate or trees. It was unpleasant. The taste matched the smell. Ugh. No smileys.
4. The wine in the United States Senate glass: It had the lightest color of the six, with a scent and taste of herbs, some fruit, and maybe grass and asparagus. I was not a fan. ½ 😊
5. The wine in the glass from the Winery at La Grange: a sweeter wine, with a distinctive scent and the taste of sweet fruit. It reminded me of dessert wine. 😊
6. The wine in the University of Virginia glass: a very light scent, with some citrus, and perhaps floral, such as honeysuckle. The wine tasted different from the other wines. 😊
How did I do?
I correctly identified #1 as a Portuguese Vinho Verde and #5 as Gewurztraminer.
Looking back, I should have identified #2, a Spanish Albariño, without a hint since I’ve had it several times before. I correctly identified it after Bobby gave me a clue that the four wines I was still stumped on are reminiscent of the countries they’re from.
I also correctly identified #3 as being from Greece, but not that it was a Retsina, a varietal I was not familiar with. The unusual scent and taste are from the use of oily pine resin.
I wiped out on #4, which was an Argentine Torrontés. We’d been introduced to this varietal when we traveled to Mendoza, Argentina but it’s not that common in the United States, so I’m not beating myself up for not recognizing it right off the bat. However, perhaps I should have identified it after Bobby’s clue that this wine was “the liar” since one thinks that the wine will be sweet but it’s really dry. This is how this grape was described to us.
I have never had #6, an Italian Vermentino, so I’m not upset that I struck out on that one.
Bobby’s goal was for me to try new varietals and expand my white wine horizons in the Mother’s Day wine taste test. He was successful: I’d definitely purchase Vinho Verde and Albariño, and I know I won’t seek out Retsina.
We hope you find my Mother’s Day wine taste test experience educational and entertaining. Good luck with your next blind taste test! Please tell us how you fared, and what other varietals we should experiment with.
Have any suggestions or feedback? Don’t hesitate to send us a message at info@winewithourfamily.com.
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