All right everybody! Here we go again!
We had so much fun decanting and taste-testing the 2014 Camaraderie Cellars Madrona, that we thought we’d do it again with a different wine. This time, because we love to support our local winemakers, we chose a 2014 Wind Rose Cellars Field Blend.
The setting was an outdoor celebration of one of our young friends who had graduated from college that very day. The party was a mixed age group from 10 months up to 70 years. On the menu were pizza, salads, and cupcakes, with juice for the kids - cuz they’re still too young for wine. Activities included cornhole and ladderball, some sort of whirligig thingy shot into the sky by a big rubber band, all-night movies for the younger set, and cigars for the men. I know, we're a fun crowd!
It was a perfect evening, just cool enough to gather around the fire in the fire pit and catch up with friends we hadn’t seen in a while. Beautiful sunset colors lit up the clouds as the sun set upon our festive gathering. Mountain breezes mingled smoke from the fire with that from the men’s cigars, while us gals exchanged the usual girl talk.
Yes, this was an ideal decant everywhere setting. Like before, we poured one bottle of the Wind Rose Cellars directly into the IsVinea Caravino Travel Wine Decanter.
After waiting the requisite 30 minutes, we then opened the second bottle and poured directly into a wine glass, and poured the decanted wine into another. This time, instead of tasting one bottle at a time, we passed around both glasses at the same time. And because we’re all friends and unconcerned about contracting cooties, we all taste-sipped out of the same glasses. So far, no one’s come down with any strange illnesses - that I know of.
Here are our resulting opinions about decanted wine vs un-decanted wine:
There was a general agreement that the un-decanted wine was harsh and had a short finish. I, personally, can say that, for me, after the lovely essence of pent-up berries, it finished with a metallic taste.
The bottle which had been decanted, however, was smoother with a long finish. The berries were more prominent. The metallic taste was not present in the decanted wine, and the entire combination had mellowed into a pleasant, smooth, easy to drink wine. One I was happy to linger over with my favorite people.
One friend preferred the un-decanted wine, but could correctly discern between the decanted and un-decanted wine.
Another friend really couldn’t tell the difference, but he’s a confessed non-wine drinker. We plan to enroll him in wine tasting school very soon.
The baby declined to taste, as he was already occupied with drinking his dinner.
So, there you have it folks! Our overall results show that, in head-to-head taste trials, decanted wine wins over un-decanted wine. Even our friend who preferred the un-decanted could easily tell the difference. Perhaps we’ll need to send her to wine tasting school, too.
Decant Everywhere!
Wind Rose Cellars 143 W. Washington St, Sequim, WA. Owners, David Volmut and Jennifer States, husband and wife, team up to create Italian style wines. Offering tastings and seasonal bistro menu at their “Vortex of Fun” tasting room/art gallery/music venue. See their website for hours and events https://www.windrosecellars.com , PH 360-681-0690.
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