A World of Wine lands in Naga City

NAGA - In a groundbreaking celebration of global viticulture, wine lovers in Bicol's Naga City were treated to a first-of-its-kind event that marked a bold step forward for wine education and appreciation in the region. With no labels, no biases, and no preconceived notions, guests were invited to taste and judge purely on the merits of aroma, flavor, structure, and finish.

- BY THE GLASS SHERWIN A. LAO

The wines were poured anonymously (thus "blind"), allowing participants to explore their palates without influence. All wines were selected from top wine-producing nations of France, Chile, and Australia.

This wasn't just about sipping wine; it was about trusting one's own taste palate and fighting label, wine country, and price biases. It was about challenging assumptions, celebrating diversity in winemaking, and showing that great wine can come from anywhere.

THE CONCEPT AS IMPLEMENTED

There were two wine flights, and a bonus sparkling wine flight that pitted an Australian sparkling wine against a French champagne.

Each flight was introduced with minimal fanfare — just numbered glasses and blank tasting sheets. Guests were encouraged to jot down their impressions, compare notes, and ultimately guess the origin of each wine. Two of the most popular red wine varietals, namely the Syrah (or Shiraz as Aussies call it) and the omnipresent Cabernet Sauvignon were chosen for this exercise. The best representative wine region of these respective wine varietals from France, Chile, and Australia were the wines chosen for this blind tasting exercise.

THE SYRAH SHOWDOWN