I have been hosting a wine group for a number of years and I want to change the format a bit. In the past we would do a blind taste assesment based on the CMS tasting grid. We would then enjoy a light dinner and finish the wine. I am finding that the group still has a bit of a problem with what proper balance is in wine. To help them I was thinking of doctoring some white wine with acid(a blend of malic, citric and tartaric) and a bit of super fine sugar. I was thinking of having them taste the wines in the following order:
1. Base wine. A simple Trebbiano
2. The base wine that has been doctored with enough sugar just so they can recognize it.
3. The base wine that has been doctored with the acid
4. The base wine that has both the sugar and the acid in the proper balance.
These wines would be tasted blind with a 1-10 rating scale for sweetness and sour.
If anyone has a better idea on how a can get the group to understand the balance between acid and sweetness please tell me.
Future tastings will be tannin, alcohol, finish, aroma, temperature, Sulfites, aeration, and Flaws to mention a few.