Charles Shaw in the news

Given all that I've read about two buck Chuck, how can we be sure that the batch tasted in the competition is the same as the one available to consumers?

Mark Lipton

Mark makes a good point re the issue of variation.

But I also don't put a huge amount of stock in this kind of competition, anyway. If the other leader Syrah contenders are Jacob's Creek and Woodbridge....................... Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

You can't be.

Dana

Mark Lipton writes, "Given all that I've read about two buck Chuck, how can we be sure that the batch tasted in the competition is the same as the one available to consumers?"

Great point but it's not just limited to two buck Chuck. How can you be sure that any medal winning wine is the same? I judge about eight US wine competitions a year and before I buy (or mention) any medal winning wine I've had at a competition, I buy a bottle at the wine store and compare. (More than once there have been vast differences)

Each winemaker knows his or her best barrel. I can't believe that some (many?) don't bottle that best barrel separately and send it off to newsletters and wine competitions.

Bob Foster, San Diego

I'm certain this takes place. Wine ratings is just like motorsports racing. There's a rulebook and there's the rules, and winning is the main rule.

Even for wineries that strive for consistency when blending and bottling, there's the simple problem that they can't blend all at once if they don't have a place to put the wine. 1000 cases = 2380 gallons or so, so when you read about 100,000 case production... well, you get it.

Dana