Cellar Craft CC Showcase Viognier Wins A Blind Taste Test!

[ibglowin]

I got a call from some good friends this weekend to get caught up on things. He mentioned that they had a big Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family a few weeks ago and they decided to have some fun and do a blind taste test with 2 commercial Viognier's and my CC Showcase Yakima Valley Viognier which is now two years old.

Well the CC Showcase Viognier was the hands down winner of the contest! 

Next time we get together I will see if they can recall what the commercial wines were for comparison.

Just thought I would pass this along for anyone contemplating making this kit as well as the value in a blind tasting to rid of preconceived bias that a "home made wine" can't be as good as a commercial one! 

 

[rhoffart]

That's cool


Any tweaks? Barrel time?

 

[ibglowin]

That was before I even owned a barrel. Made as per directions. You would like that one. Has a flavour reserve pack so its off dry.

 

[robie]

That's great! Nice to get an objective point of view from others.
I wonder if the two commercial Viogniers were off dry or not?

 

[ibglowin]

Hope to find out soon and will report back. Could just be that simple but thats still a pretty darn good wine either way!

 

[Wade E]

Nothing better then your wine beating out some professional conglomerate!

 

[robie]

Hope to find out soon and will report back. Could just be that simple but thats still a pretty darn good wine either way!

I think you did yourself good!!!
I don't think it would be just dry .vs. semi-sweet. Hope you don't think I am implying that is all it was. Not so! Sweet or not, there are a lot of other flavors that can come through.

I am encouraged to make that CC Viognier, now. I have thought about that one for a long time.

 

[patc]

That's awesome!!!! And good to know as i will have to give that one a try. I have done the Mosti renaissance chilean viogner and it's about a year old, it is really good but not as good as what turned me on to viogner which was the Australian yalumba valley viogner simply amazing !!! in my opinion and the mosti can only get about 60% as good at this point to it but it really is that good give it a try

Pat

 

[uavwmn]

Mike, that is awesome!!!! Doesn't it make you feel great?

I have a co-worker who is on the road alot and he has a customer who is a self proclaimed wine expert. (Aren't we all?

)


I had Neil take a bottle of my MM Amarone to a gathering and Neil just told him that he brought this wine from AZ.
The guy picked mine out as better tasting thanthe othercouple of other red wines! Then Neil told the guy it was a kit wine. He couldn't believe it.


Makes ya feel good inside. I love my wines, George and this Forum. Just sayin......


Kathie

 

[Sipper]

Hi Mike,,,,, just curious if you used the full flavor pack on the Viognier? I know it says it's off dry in the description field, but my opinion of "off dry", is a little more dry than sweet. Really interested in your opinion on that subject because that Viognier is next on my list for the New Year.
Sipper

 

[ibglowin]

Yes, its only about 8 oz so its just enough to put a nice hint of sweetness but not so much that you gag. I like my wine dry and this is way closer to dry than sweet for sure!

 

[Wade E]

And did you ever get the info on which commercial bottles it went up against?

 

[ibglowin]

No, we will have a long chat with them over the Xmas break and I will bring it up for sure!

 

[tonyt]

Terrific Mike. You're the best.

 

[Wade E]

Your all right Mike, I dont care what they say about you!

 

[ibglowin]

Nothing to this winemaking stuff LOL!

 

[uavwmn]

Way to go, Mike. That is awesome.

 

[ibglowin]

And did you ever get the info on which commercial bottles it went up against?

The commercial viognier's were a Finca La Linda from Argentina and a local NM viognier wine from Luna Rossa down South in Deming.