In this episode of the Got Somme Blind Wine Series, Angus throws Carlos Santos, Master Sommelier, one of the hardest blind tastings yet.
The twist? The wine is served in a fully blacked-out RIEDEL blind tasting glass, meaning Carlos can’t see the colour, viscosity or clarity. It could be Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Grüner Veltliner or even something completely unexpected.
As Carlos works through the aromas, structure, acid, body and flavour profile, the wine starts to point in every direction at once. Fresh citrus, green apple, pear, almond shell, savoury texture and a salty finish all suggest a white wine, but the reveal leaves both Angus and Carlos genuinely stunned.
The wine? Bianco di Merlot from Switzerland.
Thanks https://invidiawines.com/
Yes, a white wine made from Merlot.
This is one of the most surprising blind tastings we’ve done on Got Somme, and a perfect example of how much colour influences the way we assess wine.
Episode Highlights
- Angus introduces the RIEDEL black blind tasting glass
- Carlos explains why colour is so important in blind wine tasting
- The wine presents as fresh, citric and savoury
- Carlos considers Chablis, Grüner Veltliner, Müller-Thurgau, Aligoté, Chasselas and Sylvaner
- The reveal shocks both Angus and Carlos
- Carlos explains why Bianco di Merlot would be almost impossible to identify blind
Chapters
00:00 – “I didn’t even know this could happen”
00:07 – Blind wine tasting with a twist
00:17 – The RIEDEL blacked-out glass reveal
00:33 – Why colour matters in blind tasting
01:22 – Carlos begins assessing the wine
01:51 – First guesses: Chablis, Grüner Veltliner or Pinot Grigio?
02:32 – Angus admits he was way off
02:49 – Carlos narrows down the options
03:33 – The shocking wine reveal
03:38 – White Merlot from Switzerland
04:05 – How can Merlot become a white wine?
04:27 – Why this is an impossible blind tasting