Judging a Wine by Its Cover? Not This Time!
With the summer sunshine continuing to treat us to unusually high temperatures, our recent members’ gathering offered the perfect excuse to enjoy an evening devoted to one of life’s great pleasures – wine. The theme was simple: Summer Drinking Wines, but with one important twist… every bottle was wrapped, numbered and completely anonymous.
Rather than a formal tutored tasting complete with technical jargon and swirling glasses, the Clerk guided us through a relaxed and thoroughly entertaining blind tasting of eight wines. The only thing members had to rely on was what was actually in the glass. No labels, no fancy names, no clues from the bottle shape and certainly no opportunity to be influenced by an impressive price tag.
After all, many of us are guilty of choosing a bottle because we recognise the label, like the look of it, or assume that if it’s expensive it must be better. This evening challenged every one of those assumptions.
As soon as the first two wines appeared, the room came alive. Every table buzzed with conversation as theories, opinions and confident declarations flew around the room. “Definitely New Zealand.” “No, it’s French.” “I’m sure this costs at least £20!” Some members displayed remarkable confidence in their expertise… while others displayed remarkable imagination!
Each participant was armed with a tasting card listing Wines One to Eight, with space to note whether each wine was liked or disliked, together with comments explaining why. There were also spaces to guess the grape variety, country of origin and, perhaps most entertaining of all, the retail price.
The wines were tasted in pairs, giving plenty of opportunity for debate before moving on to the next challenge. By the halfway stage, it became increasingly clear that wine tasting is an excellent social activity—and that confidence and accuracy are not always close companions!
Once all eight wines had been sampled, the moment of truth arrived. The Clerk revealed each wine in turn, explaining what it was, where it could be purchased and how much it actually cost.
There were cheers from those whose guesses were close, good-natured groans from those who had wandered spectacularly off course, and plenty of laughter all round.
The Wines
- Fenaroli Pecorino Superiore, 2024 Abruzzo Italy
- Terre Dei Grifi Frascati DOC, Orvieto, Italy
- Cono Sur Bicicleta Voignier, Chile
- Beronia Rueda Verdejo, 2025 Spain
- Trivento Reserve Malbec Rose, 2025 Mendoza, Argentina
- Paolo Leo Varietali IGT Puglia, 2025, Italy
- Bouchard Aine et Fils Pinot Noir, 2024, France
- Errazuriz Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2024 Chile
The evening’s biggest surprise came with Wine Number Eight. It had impressed almost everyone, and several members confidently valued it at around £45 a bottle. The collective astonishment was considerable when its true price was revealed to be a very modest £7.50. Proof, perhaps, that expensive doesn’t always mean better—and that a hidden label can be wonderfully humbling!
By common agreement, the evening was a tremendous success: great fun, surprisingly educational and a reminder that wine is meant to be enjoyed rather than over-analysed. The enthusiasm was such that plans are already in hand for a sequel later in the year, when the theme will turn to Wines for Christmas. The Clerk has bravely agreed to take charge once again, and we look forward to seeing what festive surprises await us at the November meeting.
No Glass Sellers’ evening would be complete without excellent food, and Cook and the Butler certainly did not disappoint. Served in the Aldermen’s Dining Room, the buffet featured an appetising selection of cold meats, salmon, fresh salads, fruit salad with yoghurt and a splendid English cheeseboard. The remaining wines were happily rescued from going to waste while members continued to chat, laugh and compare notes—some still trying to justify their earlier guesses!
Eventually, we gathered our belongings and stepped out into the warm evening air, already looking forward to the next adventure. If future gatherings are as enjoyable as this one, we’ll all be raising another glass before we know it.
