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• Blinded by the bag: blind wine tasting

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Bacaro »
Address: 113 N. Walnut St. Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217) 398-6982
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Paper bag-wrapped bottles of wine stand in stark contrast to the classy, dimly lit atmosphere of the Bacaro wine lounge on a chilly Sunday evening. In a room with Burgundy-red walls flanked by the glass skeletons of wines that I one day may be lucky enough to imbibe, I am greeted with a firm handshake and a glass of mystery wine. The only thing I am told is that the contents of my glass are composed of entirely Rhône varietals, grapes traditionally grown and made famous in the Rhône valley of France. The rest is up to my nose, palate and eyes to decipher.

The event was a blind wine tasting with a few of my good enophilic friends. The only rules were to bring a wine made from the types of grapes from the Rhône valley in France or an international interpretation of the same set of grapes.

Events like this come to serve several purposes. First, one has the ability to taste classic, terroir-driven Rhône wines pit side-by-side with the same grapes grown in different climates. It’s amazing what northwestern American coastal terroir can do with the Syrah grape. Second, it does not matter if the bottles in the bag have a cost of $20 or $150; they are tasted and judged independently and free from outside influences and preconceived notions. Needless to say, we had a lot of upsets that evening. Lastly, one has the ability to taste wine for wine’s sake, to appreciate and enjoy a product so lovingly looked after from vine to glass in the company of others eager to do the same.

As we finished our water glasses in hopes for a promising, sober morning, we could all agree on one thing ­— blind wine tasting is the way to go. To truly learn what your palate likes, and not what your brain wants your palate to like, there is no better occasion than a blind tasting among good friends and great food.