Blind Wine Tasting

I'm not quite sure why I enjoy blind wine tastings so much. Probably because they force me to focus entirely on the vino, rather than the un/attractive packaging, as well as prevent me from falling back on my prejudices about this or that variety or winery. Five of us assembled to taste four wines (and many cheeses, but that's not important right now). Before their true identities were unveiled, this is what we found:

Mancini Estate Verdelho Chardonnay, Australia, 2006
My notes: Grassy aroma, sweet then dry, mellow.
Mates' notes: Apples, pears, treacle, hints of marzipan and candied fruit with a mellow finish. Honey, peaches, mead. Buttery with a slight lemon hint.

Leon De Oro Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile, 2007
My notes: Burnt aroma, rich flavour, black cherries, aggressive, dry.
Mates' notes: Blackberries, spices, winter warmer, ashes, bitter. Young, astringent, tannic. Bold, deceptively smooth with a striking bite at the end.

Marques de Caceras Rioja Crianza, Spain, 2005
My notes: Dry, vanilla aroma, tannic.
Mates' notes: Deep red, earthy, leathery, round, sassy bitch. Aroma of cherry, smooth, mild, hurts my chest.

Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva, Spain, 2005
My notes: Campo! Oak, vanilla, lovely finish.
Mates' notes: Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, plummy, foxy. Velvety.

Most of our group preferred the Mancini Estate - the only white of the quartet. I liked it too, but I have to say the Leon De Oro (available from M&S) would be top of my list of buy-agains. That and the Campo, which I blogged about some weeks ago and seems to be growing on me again.