When I started this blog three years ago, buying wine often left me dismayed. I’d invest in a highly rated bottle only to discover that I didn’t have the same palate as the person doing the rating. Worse, I didn’t know how to articulate what I did and didn’t like. When it came to choosing a wine, I relied on three unsatisfactory bits of info: ratings by people whose tastes weren’t the same as mine, label design and price.
But, every now and then, I would stumble across the right wine for me. It was sublime. My annoyance would fade away, and all I could think is, “I want this to happen more often.”
The goal of My Wine Tribe to help me and you get smarter about what kinds of wines please our palates. I figured if we could identify our unique palate types and put a name to it—each of our individual “Wine Tribes”—then I could offer up personalized wine recommendations based on blind tastings with a variety of tribe members.
Take the Tribe Test
First, identify your palate type by taking our nifty quiz. Then go to tribe favorites to see what others in your tribe dig. It’s easy!
The Lowdown, 64 Wines Later
Three years later after hosting 16 tastings and trying 64 wines, here’s what I have learned:
- People tend to like wines based on their own palate, not based on ratings, bottle design or price (good to know my crazy idea actually works!)
- The more wines you taste, the better you get at sussing out smells and flavors. In the beginning, a lot of my friends were like, “This tastes like wine.” I am happy to report that we are all getting better at identifying what it is about the wines that we like. And dislike.
- Of the 64 wines we have tasted, there are very few that everyone loves or hates. In fact, there have only been four crowd pleasers beloved by all tribes and six dreadful wines despised by all.
Now, the Crowd Pleasers
I bet you are wondering what those crowd pleasers and losers are. Well, here you go. If you are serving wine to a variety of people and looking for a foolproof selection, try one of these:
- 2012 Hahn SLH Pinot Noir ($17.99). This California wine is fuller than most Oregon or French pinots and is easy drinking, lush and beloved by all tribes.
- 2012 Tranche Pink Pape Rose ($15.99). This Washington Rose is not too sweet, not too dry. It’s a wonderful wine both with and without food.
- Domaine de Pajot Les Quatre Cepages 2013 ($7.99) from the Gascogne region in southeast France, this wine is a blend of four grapes: Sauvignon Blanc, Colombard, Ugni Blanc and Gros-Manseng. Its a killer value and great for all day drinking.
- Gruet Brut ($14.99). This sparkler out of New Mexico (yes, New Mexico) is a conversation starter. You can’t go wrong with the price, and everyone will love it. Plus, you will be seen as super smart for even knowing about this wine.
Next, the Unbeloved
And the dogs? I won’t go into a lot of detail here, but suffice it to say our tasters had strong opinions on these six wines. Many of these wines come from great producers, so don’t shun all products from these wineries. Just be warned about these specifically:
- Conundrum 2012 White Wine ($24.99).
- Apaltague Reserva 2011 Carmenere ($10.99).
- Cai Di Pian 2009 Barbera d’ Asti ($24.99).
- Charles Smith Velvet Devil 2010 Merlot ($10.99)
- Drouhin Laforet 2009 Pinot Noir ($14.99).
- Argyle Nuthouse 2012 Chardonnay ($30 or so).
Happy Anniversary, Tribes!
With that, I’ll say happy three-year anniversary to me and to you! I appreciate all of your support, suggestions and feedback. Keep it coming and let’s continue our learning journey, which has been a hell of a lot of fun. Cheers!