Interest Check: NYC Pinot Duel (US vs France) - $100-200/head

NYC: Pinot Blind Challenge? $100-200/head?

Just checking if there is interest for something like this? If so, I will research more, pick a date, and start a thread.

I am thinking it would be a fun for 10 people to blind themselves on 15 pinots and call them (5 California, 5 Oregon, 5 Burgundy) on wines price point $25-125. I am thinking Racines, either on a weekend afternoon (no food, but probably have to pay a seating fee of sorts) or on a Monday (when it is $100 pre fix menu).

I think the format would be 1 glass per person, and everyone tastes the wines one at a time, with a provided sheet to score/call the wine. The only info given on a wine is vintage.

To make it more organized, I would collect $ in advance, and would organize the venue and wines. The wines would largely include those mentioned on WB.

I don’t know what the cost is yet, but 15 wines/10 people * $75 average for wine (including retail + tax + shipping) = $112.50. If there is a $20/head space fee (assuming no dinner), this would bring it up to ~$130/head. Further, if it was a $100 pre fixe dinner, it would bring it up to ~$200/head. If we did 12 wines would be about $20 cheaper (so ~$110/$180).

Would folks have interest in this? I guess we don’t need 10 people (we could do 12 wines, or 9 wines) or 15 wines (could just do 10 wines).

You would have to venmo/paypal upfront to hold the seat (transfers OK, but no refunds).

If you have interest, please reply below and mention:

  1. Prefer weekend or weekday option?
  2. Prefer no food or food option?
  3. Any thoughts on format (would you prefer to know region in advance, no blinds, etc.)

I personally prefer a late weekend afternoon/no food. I am OK with 12 or 15 wines, and am flexible on the format. I think I can get at least 2-3, so we only need a couple more to have some sort of event.

I am def interested and have plenty or Oregon and Burgs to contribute. Personal preference is weekend, no food (but certainly fine with food if group wants it). I like a blind idea of some sort but not too blind! (for I know I’m not a good blind taster…)

I’m interested in pretty much any possible format that evolves. A few thoughts:

-I thought Racines was corkage free on Monday nights.
-You are (mostly) suggesting a formal blind tasting. If you add food it is no longer a formal tasting.
-I think one bottle per person plus the traditional extra bottles that some will bring will be sufficient. (rather than 10 people, 15 bottles)
-Another option could be having a blind formal tasting at, say 3 pm, then afterwards drinking the leftovers (and more bottles) with a dinner.
-So much depends on the corkage. If we go on a Monday night we obviously can’t have a formal blind tasting and then a dinner. So it will have to be the usual, dinner and wine.

Tom, you forgot to mention that this is the format of our tasting group. I like the idea, and would prefer afternoon, provided it is a weekend that my son is with his mother, that being said, the goal of this is to sample blind ( if I am wrong please correct) with 10 people as long as the pour police is around there should be ample pours for all. Capping it at 10 is a good idea

Interested. No strong preference. Assuming there is some apps. I have aged and recent vintage OR and CA bottles generally single vineyard. A couple burgs also.

Interested, although wine is best served with food, even if only to cleanse the palate.

Interested if after 20th Feb. No preference on format.

Interested as well

Might be interested, date dependent… can do Feb 29 - Mar 7 in the near term. This idea would be better supported by a more formal tasting w/o a full meal IMO. Would probably rather attendees bring their own wines than pay in for a total mystery… Have a good number of red burgs.

I’d be interested in this for sure. Monday night preferable.