Equipment for Blind Tastings

[DRT]

I just bought these...



Rather than various decanters being carried from the four corners of the land to Wokingham should I just bring these and we use the original bottles instead?

Derek

[jdaw1]

The bottle covers look great. Please post a link.

[DRT]

Here is the link for the Blind Tasting Bottle Covers

Let me know if you want some and I will try to have them added to my order as it won't be despatched until Tuesday.

Derek

[jdaw1]

Must have! But cheaper at DrinksDirect.co.uk.

[DRT]

Must have! But cheaper at DrinksDirect.co.uk.

True, but DrinksDirect.co.uk will add £5.10 delivery charge making them more expensive as mine are part of a larger order for which delivery is already paid. I have taken the liberty of emailing Wineware asking them to add a set to my order. You will have!

[jdaw1]

Must have! But cheaper at DrinksDirect.co.uk.

True, but DrinksDirect.co.uk will add £5.10 delivery charge making them more expensive as mine are part of a larger order for which delivery is already paid. I have taken the liberty of emailing Wineware asking them to add a set to my order. You will have!

Thank you.

Is it worth separating into a new thread — perhaps entitled “Equipment for blind tastings† — the posts about the jackets?

[DRT]

Thank you.

Is it worth separating into a new thread — perhaps entitled “Equipment for blind tastings† — the posts about the jackets?

No problem. Have split the thread as suggested.

Derek

[jdaw1]

An extra £2.96 on each of two sets; or an extra £5.10 delivery? OK, I don’t care about 82p.

[DRT]

An extra £2.96 on each of two sets; or an extra £5.10 delivery? OK, I don’t care about 82p.

You don't have to. They are my donation to future New York-based Blind Tastings. We now have a set on each side of the pond.

Derek

[jdaw1]

They are my donation to future New York-based Blind Tastings. We now have a set on each side of the pond.

Derek

Very kind. I shall hold them in trust for the port drinkers of New York.

[DRT]

They are my donation to future New York-based Blind Tastings. We now have a set on each side of the pond.

Very kind. I shall hold them in trust for the port drinkers of New York.

Excellent. Note space-saving measures taken here to display my pleasure with this arrangement.

[DRT]

Resultant drivel moved to here

It is believed that this is the first thread that was an off-topic split from a previous thread to be split itself for going off-topic. We are obviously getting better at being a BB.

Derek

[jdaw1]

They are my donation to future New York-based Blind Tastings. We now have a set on each side of the pond.

Derek

Very kind. I shall hold them in trust for the port drinkers of New York.

Actually, if, in the dim and distant future, I move away from New York, then I shall hold in trust for the port drinkers of my new location.

[DRT]

They are my donation to future New York-based Blind Tastings. We now have a set on each side of the pond.

Derek

Very kind. I shall hold them in trust for the port drinkers of New York.

Actually, if, in the dim and distant future, I move away from New York, then I shall hold in trust for the port drinkers of my new location.

That works too.

[10Anos]

I just bought these...



Rather than various decanters being carried from the four corners of the land to Wokingham should I just bring these and we use the original bottles instead?

Derek

How are these going to conceal differences in height between the various bottles?

[morteno]

I had that problem recently at a white wine blind tasting. It was pretty obvious that there we no wines from Alsace. I guess an Otima would create the same problem. We need a black decanter

[DRT]

This is always a problem when you have a line-up that has an unusually shaped bottle. Our normal approach at blind tastings is to wrap the bottles in foil to conceal the label. This works for most but not for shippers such as Niepoort. A solution is to decant into a different bottle that is a more standard shape and size.

Black decanters would be good, but you would have to turn the lights out when pouring the wines into the balck glasses to ensure nobody could see the colour of the wine

Derek

[Conky]

I love the way we are hopeless at Blind tastings, but always on the lookout for things to make them more difficult. This isn't criticism, I think they look good and would enhance such an occasion.

Alan

[jdaw1]

1. A little disappointingly, but not surprisingly, I have been unable to find these covers in magnum size. Haven’t even looked for Imperial sizes.

2. Derek: when they come, please spend a moment endeavouring to identify the typeface — so that the placemats can match.

[DRT]

Derek: when they come, please spend a moment endeavouring to identify the typeface — so that the placemats can match.

Will do.

...and I think if we had 9 of these plus one Magnum it might be possible to identify the odd one out even with the lights on

[jdaw1]

Derek: when they come, please spend a moment endeavouring to identify the typeface — so that the placemats can match.

Will do.

...and I think if we had 9 of these plus one Magnum it might be possible to identify the odd one out even with the lights on

I was thinking of ten magnum bottle covers, for a serious blind (and blinding) tasting.

[DRT]

I have taken the liberty of emailing Wineware asking them to add a set to my order.

I have received confirmation that the additional set have been added and will be despatched today.

[Simon Lisle]

Do you get a white stick to find the glass?.

[g-man]

Black decanters would be good, but you would have to turn the lights out when pouring the wines into the balck glasses to ensure nobody could see the colour of the wine

Derek

Why would you have black glasses in a blind port tasting? I can just imagine a few of the problems one might have picking out the age of the port depending on decant times.

[DRT]

Black decanters would be good, but you would have to turn the lights out when pouring the wines into the balck glasses to ensure nobody could see the colour of the wine

Derek

Why would you have black glasses in a blind port tasting? I can just imagine a few of the problems one might have picking out the age of the port depending on decant times.

I think the theory is that you limit the the available senses to smell and taste so that the taster can't make a stab based on colour. I'm not sure what the actual point is but I think they just look like good fun to try.

Derek

[g-man]

Black decanters would be good, but you would have to turn the lights out when pouring the wines into the balck glasses to ensure nobody could see the colour of the wine

Derek

Why would you have black glasses in a blind port tasting? I can just imagine a few of the problems one might have picking out the age of the port depending on decant times.

I think the theory is that you limit the the available senses to smell and taste so that the taster can't make a stab based on colour. I'm not sure what the actual point is but I think they just look like good fun to try.

Derek

It does indeed, perhaps next blind tasting you guys should see if you can guess the Color of the port too. That would make for some interesting results if someone sneaks in a white port.

[DRT]

The Blind Tasting Kit was delivered today. Here is a sample...


...and, yes, it's "those tiles" .

Now for a test to see whether or not these have been a worthwile purchase:

1. Which glass contains the Taylor "Chip Dry" White Port? - and;
2. Which bottle is the Vesuvio 1996?

Derek

[jdaw1]

The font is close to, but not identical to, Berthold Garamond BQ. Identifying a font from only the digits 0 to 4 isn’t particularly easy: please could you post a clear picture of each of the covers. Thank you.

Oh, and “none† for the the chips.

Edit: doh! It’s a bold Times Roman or bold Times New Roman. The “5†s are the most different digits between these two, so please do post a picture of that. And the “7† as well. Thanks.

[DRT]

Will do.

You're right about the chips, but what about the vesuvio?

Derek

[Alex Bridgeman]

I believe that the Vesuvio 1996 bottle is in bag 3.

Am I right?

[DRT]

I believe that the Vesuvio 1996 bottle is in bag 3.

Am I right?

I knew I could rely on you to recognise the colour of the capsule

Well done!

...but which glass contains the V96 wine?

[Andy Velebil]

...but which glass contains the V96 wine?

None. Trick question..you havn't poured any yet.

[DRT]

The font is close to, but not identical to, Berthold Garamond BQ. Identifying a font from only the digits 0 to 4 isn’t particularly easy: please could you post a clear picture of each of the covers. Thank you.

Oh, and “none† for the the chips.

Edit: doh! It’s a bold Times Roman or bold Times New Roman. The “5†s are the most different digits between these two, so please do post a picture of that. And the “7† as well. Thanks.

Here is a picture of the 5 and 7 as requested. Please note that there is slight distortion due to a fold running laterally through the cloth. I thought about calling in our ironing lady to come and flatten them out but then thought that some may consider that to be slightly obsessive.



Derek

[jdaw1]

Times New Roman. Not even bold.

[JacobH]

Times New Roman. Not even bold.

You shouldn’t sound surprised. This is the brave new world of 21st Century typography, where everything is Times New Roman or Arial!

[jdaw1]

This is the brave new world of 21st Century typography, where everything is Times New Roman or Arial!

Typefaces recently used on placemats:

• LBVs, 8 May 2008:
  • ArialRoundedMTBold;
  • Modern-Regular.
• 1977 Horizontal, 29 March 2008:
  • Helvetica-Bold.
• 1970 Horizontal, 14 Feb 2008:
  • Helvetica-Bold;
  • Palatino-Roman.
• Croft Vertical, 9 Feb 2008:
  • TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT;
  • TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT;
  • TimesNewRomanPSMT.
• 1963 Horizontal, 2 Feb 2008:
  • HelveticaNeue-CondensedBold;
  • Harrington.
• 1966 Horizontal, 28 January 2008:
  • TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT;
  • TimesNewRomanPSMT.
• 1985 Horizontal, 19 January 2008:
  • Harrington;
  • TimesNewRomanPSMT.

Hmm, I also seem to be guilty of having a narrow repertoire.

[DRT]

Calling all 1980 Off-liners - get your x-ray specs on - a pre-match 3 wine blind-as-blind-can-be tasting will happen in advance of the Costco fillet

[Alex Bridgeman]

Logistics may mean that there are only 5 participants for the "blind as blind can be" pre-tasting.

BB and CG are travelling to Wokingham after work from Docklands/Central London. I will likely not return from PiC duties until a little after 8pm.

[jdaw1]

Blind Tastings: A How-To Guide

How does one arrange a blind tasting such that nobody knows which is which? The following can be used, this being based on that used for the Wokingham 1980 Horizontal:

• Decanters labels are prepared. There is a set of visible labels, 1 to n. There is also a set of hidden labels, also 1 to n, these numbers being written on one side of a business card, with a second business card stapled over it such that each hidden label’s number cannot be seen. These labels are kept in pairs: that is, visible 1 is kept with (or lightly tied to) hidden 1.
• One person wraps each of the bottles in paper or tin foil, and then removes the corks.
• If the corks are wanted, they can also be wrapped and taped to the bottles whence they came.
• A second person, who did not observe the wrapping of the bottles, then decants each of the wrapped bottles into a decanter. As this is done, or immediately before, the decanter is labelled with one of the visible numbers, and the matching hidden number used to label the bottle.
• Wine is drunk; enjoyed; mis-guessed.
• After the mis-guessing, the hidden labels on the bottles are opened, and the bottles unwrapped, thus revealing which decanter holds that wine.

(NB: the numbers on the bottles must be hidden so that no information can be derived from the bottle shape.)

[DRT]

Blind Tastings: A How-To Guide

How does one arrange a blind tasting such that nobody knows which is which? The following can be used, this being based on that used for the Wokingham 1980 Horizontal:

• Decanters labels are prepared. There is a set of visible labels, 1 to n. There is also a set of hidden labels, also 1 to n, these numbers being written on one side of a business card, with a second business card stapled over it such that each hidden label’s number cannot be seen. These labels are kept in pairs: that is, visible 1 is kept with (or lightly tied to) hidden 1.
• One person wraps each of the bottles in paper or tin foil, and then removes the corks.
• If the corks are wanted, they can also be wrapped and taped to the bottles whence they came.
• A second person, who did not observe the wrapping of the bottles, then decants each of the wrapped bottles into a decanter. As this is done, or immediately before, the decanter is labelled with one of the visible numbers, and the matching hidden number used to label the bottle.
• Wine is drunk; enjoyed; mis-guessed.
• After the mis-guessing, the hidden labels on the bottles are opened, and the bottles unwrapped, thus revealing which decanter holds that wine.

(NB: the numbers on the bottles must be hidden so that no information can be derived from the bottle shape.)

Should this be in the Off-line Guide or Information About Port Stickies?

[jdaw1]

For the moment it should be here, awaiting any suggested improvements.