Advise for a tasting night

[Lochness Dave]

A friend of mine is wanting to host a wine tasting night, 10 people at $40 a head for 8 wines 3 white and 5 red. most of these people are fairly limited with wine knowledge so he is thinking of offering multiple choice answers to each wine to help the night along.

Any input to wines for the night or a better game play would be greatly appreciated

David

[Craig(NZ)]

One wine per of major varieties?

and go out of your way to get very typical and very varietal examples of each preferably well known but not too exclusive brands?

a champagne?
a hunter semillon or marlborough sav?
a margeret river/ hawkes bay chardonnay
an otago pinot
a barossa shiraz
a coonawarra cab
a sauterne
a rutherglen tokay/muscat or a port?

[griff]

One wine per of major varieties?

and go out of your way to get very typical and very varietal examples of each preferably well known but not too exclusive brands?

a champagne?
a hunter semillon or marlborough sav?
a margeret river/ hawkes bay chardonnay
an otago pinot
a barossa shiraz
a coonawarra cab
a sauterne
a rutherglen tokay/muscat or a port?

Craig is onto a winner there. You have about $50 a bottle.

A champagne - pick a fave

A hunter semillon - The Tyrrells Stevens 2004 is about $35 and stunning

A margaret chardonnay - Perhaps the Devil's Lair for about $40

Pinot - Downie?

Shiraz - Teusner Albert

Cabernet - Majella Cabernet

A sticky - hard to go past noble one

A fortified - Morris Old Premium Muscat.

That sounds nice. I would have a riesling as well.

cheers

Carl

[ChrisV]

He's after 5 reds and 3 whites though.

I would get:

- Clare Valley riesling
- NZ sav blanc, of the typically over the top gooseberrry/grassy/sweaty variety.
- Some inexpensive and over-oaked and/or overdone malo victorian Chardonnay

- Barossa Shiraz (some cheap, jammy version)
- Margaret River Cabernet (or Adelaide Hills.... somewhere a bit elegant, to distinguish it from the shiraz)
- Barossa Grenache
- Pinot (anywhere will do)
- 2007 Coriole sangiovese. I mention this specifically because it is extremely dry and mouthpuckering, which is typical of the variety. Should make it easier to distinguish from the rest.

Then I'd emphasise the major characteristics of each variety, with special attention to the actual wines. For instance, Clare riesling ought to have boatloads of citrus, the chard should be creamy or buttery and so forth. Same for the reds. It should still be a challenge for everyone but if you let them retaste everything afterwards they should learn a few things as well as drinking a bunch of wine.

[griff]

He's after 5 reds and 3 whites though.

Yes I added the riesling at the bottom. Was more a suggestion actually. Would go with an older riesling if possible.

cheers

Carl

[Craig(NZ)]

for this type of tasting just bend the 3 white, 5 red thing (tell em sweet wines are reds )

yeah perhaps my list but replace champagne with a good typical eden valley or claire valley riesling?

Perhaps

Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc
Grosset Watervale Riesling
Kumeu River Chardonnay (or a typical mid priced Margaret River example - someone else can advise)
Carrick Pinot Noir (or Felton Rd)
Saltrams Mamre Brook Shiraz (or Grant Burge Filsell)
Wynns Coonawarra Cab (or majella)
Noble One (this can cover off semillon)
And someone else will recommend a fortified

Shouldnt break the bank. Not quite up with your prices over there but you could in fact upgrade the shiraz or cab a bit

You could swap out a white for

Merlot - Perhaps Esk Valley Reserve or Mills Reef Elspeth

I reckon including obscure varieties just to get a 5-3 split will detract from the whole "typicity" aim and will be a waste of space for your type of audience.

[Sharkey]

I would agree with the sentiments of the above, ie pick typical wines from the better known regions.

Here is a link to some ideas for the Options Game - http://www.australianwineguide.com/docs/games.pdf