In what order do I taste these sweet wines?

June 18, 2007 6:46 PM

I am planning on tasting a bunch of dessert and port wines tomorrow with a client. What order should I taste these wines in?

I have never tasted this many sweet wines together, and I am at a loss. I am trying to not look too stupid in front of my area manager, who is attending the tasting, and the buyer, who only let me taste with her after working with the lower lever managers for 2.5 yrs. Here are the wines:
Dow's 20yr Tawny
Renwood Ice Zinfandel
Ferrari Carano Eldorado Noir
Osborne LBV 2000
I realize there is probably no one who had tasted all of the wines, but I would love some insight. I know the familiar rules of dry before sweet and inexpensive before expensive, but I have no clue on what to do with these wines. Thank you in advance.

posted by eggerspretty to Food & Drink (4 answers total)

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with those particular wines, but I'd add to your rule of "dry before sweet" "botrytised before fortified". I'm also more inclined - all other things being equal - to taste the more expensive wine first, before my palate gets tired.
posted by hot soup girl at 6:58 PM on June 18, 2007

Response by poster: hot soup girl - when tasting with customers, we shouldn't taste expensive first because the lesser quality wines will be perceived as being a lesser value for the quality.
posted by eggerspretty at 7:09 PM on June 18, 2007

Response by poster: I mean "The less expensive wines will be perceived as being a lesser value for the quality."
posted by eggerspretty at 7:18 PM on June 18, 2007

I would probably taste them two and two, first the "cheat"-ice Zin and the Ferrari (tasted in that order) Compare them and enjoy. After that round I would then serve the LBV and the 20yr. at the end, again comparing the two and especially enjoying the last :-)
posted by KimG at 4:09 PM on June 19, 2007