I tasted the Shiraz mentioned in this article. No medals from me, but for
$2US it's not bad:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/lifest...10512454c.html

Tom S

Tom S wrote:
> I tasted the Shiraz mentioned in this article. No medals from me, but for
> $2US it's not bad:
> http://www.sacbee.com/content/lifest...10512454c.html

Given all that I've read about two buck Chuck, how can we be sure that
the batch tasted in the competition is the same as the one available to
consumers?

Mark Lipton

Mark makes a good point re the issue of variation.

But I also don't put a huge amount of stock in this kind of competition,
anyway. If the other leader Syrah contenders are Jacob's Creek and
Woodbridge.......................
Dale

Dale Williams
Drop "damnspam" to reply

Mark Lipton wrote:

> Given all that I've read about two buck Chuck, how can we be sure that
> the batch tasted in the competition is the same as the one available to
> consumers?

You can't be.

Dana

Mark Lipton writes, "Given all that I've read about two buck Chuck, how can we
be sure that the batch tasted in the competition is the same as the one
available to consumers?"

Great point but it's not just limited to two buck Chuck. How can you be sure
that any medal winning wine is the same? I judge about eight US wine
competitions a year and before I buy (or mention) any medal winning wine I've
had at a competition, I buy a bottle at the wine store and compare. (More than
once there have been vast differences)

Each winemaker knows his or her best barrel. I can't believe that some (many?)
don't bottle that best barrel separately and send it off to newsletters and
wine competitions.

Bob Foster, San Diego

BFSON wrote:

> Each winemaker knows his or her best barrel. I can't believe that some (many?)
> don't bottle that best barrel separately and send it off to newsletters and
> wine competitions.

I'm certain this takes place. Wine ratings is just like motorsports racing.
There's a rulebook and there's the rules, and winning is the main rule.

Even for wineries that strive for consistency when blending and bottling,
there's the simple problem that they can't blend all at once if they
don't have a place to put the wine. 1000 cases = 2380 gallons or so,
so when you read about 100,000 case production... well, you get it.

Dana