I've just completed my second day of judging at the International Wine and Spirit Competition and I'm exhausted. 61 wines in just over 3 hours takes a lot of concentration and attention.
Day 1 back in April was Italy, today Argentina with 49 of the wines reds, 7 roses and 5 whites so lots of stained teeth all round. My observations in no particular order are as follows:
* I wasn't aware that Malbec could be produced using carbonic maceration but when it does, it has that confected bubblegum aroma which I don't like
* Argentinian pinot grigio is really quite good. It has some aroma and flavour, so often lacking in many High Street versions
* their cabernet sauvignons can be pretty good
* wines from Patagonia seemed to split the panel into those who like the style and those who don't
* tasting through a country's wines in this way is a good geography lesson. Not many of us had heard of the Famatina Valley but a quick search using Able Grape shows it is a DO in the North West of the La Riojana region
So that's my stint as an Associate Judge over. If my panel chairpersons have been happy with my contribution I hope to make it on as a Judge next year. I feel I've really got a lot of benefit from the whole process. Everyone has been very supportive and, as well as learning a new range of tasting terms, it has helped me judge my palate against a number of people much more experienced than me. And that has increased my confidence as a taster.
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