I recently heard an interview with Billy Gardell, the star of the hit TV comedy Mike & Molly and Pittsburgh native, telling about a blind wine tasting party that he attended. Every year Louis Mustillo, who plays Vince on the show, throws a party for the cast at his home. Billy brings jazz records from his collection and Lou provides a blind tasting of wines ranging from $15 to $100. Billy said as the evening progressed everyone would sample a wine then he would play a song and they would discuss the wine. At the end of the evening they voted for their favorite wine and every year the $15 bottle has won. Then he did a great “Vince” impression saying “See, I told you the $100 bottle never wins.” I enjoyed hearing this story because it confirmed the foundation on which this blog is built. I have always said “Drink what you like because it doesn’t matter how much a wine costs if you don’t like it then it’s not a good wine for you.” I often have people say to me “I don’t know anything about wine” to which I respond “If it tastes good to you that’s all you need to know.” Billy is hoping that his wife will let him paint the Steeler end zone in his backyard and to that I say “Good Luck Billy.”
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wpawinepirate 
I’m completely with you – people think they have to “know” something about the wine in order to enjoy the glass – where they actually have to simply drink what they like… But to be fair to the wines, I believe this type of wine tasting is fundamentally flawed. If you will take the $15 and $100 wines from the same vintage – relatively young, let’s say a 3 years old wine, the $15 bottle will be effectively ready to drink. There is a good chance that $100 bottle was made that the wine will age for the next 10 – 15 years, thus putting these two wines into the same blind tasting is simply not fair to the $100 bottle…
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I understand exactly what you’re saying about the flawed nature of this blind tasting. This “tasting” may have just been for fun but I think it illustrates the theory we are talking about in its simplest form. Someone is handed several wines to taste then is put on the spot in from of a group as to which they liked the best. Most will play it safe and go with what they are familiar with. Most never zero in on why they like a certain wine and just order a general wine description and hope for the best.
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How do I get an invitation to this party??? I was a member of the Wine Society Pittsburgh East chapter several years ago and we had the pleasure of tasting many wonderful wines. I would be dissapointed after finding out that my favorite of the evening was not the most expensive.
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That’s what makes a blind tasting fun. When you don’t know what you are drinking you are free of any preconceived ideas. Finding a hidden gem at a great price is perfect result of any blind tasting. I’ll see what I can do to get you on the list for the next one.
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