A couple weeks ago, the doorbell rang. The package the delivery man gave me contained an attractive wooden box which, I expected, held a bottle of wine. To my surprise, when I slid back the wooden panel I found a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey.
That was my invitation to join The Label Project. “Have you ever judged a book by its cover?” asked the accompanying video. They invited 140 bloggers from 12 countries to “go beyond the label and uncover the true character of the wine inside the bottle.”
I received three more deliveries, each another wooden box containing one bottle of label-less wine, three clues about the wine region, three clues about the grape variety, and some bonus “sensory clues.” Participating bloggers had to send their guesses in by last Friday. Kudos to the organizers for actively engaging bloggers in what was the most innovative and fun wine marketing campaign I’ve seen yet.
Wine #1
Region clues:
- It lies between two other major and much older wine regions
- Its macroclimate is cool but within the region there are many varied topographies, soils and mesoclimates
- It is famous for its fruit produce including cherries, pears and apples
Varietal clues:
- Hints of honeydew melon aromas
- A palate of lemon pith
- Underlying creamy texture
My guess: Adelaide Hills Chardonnay. Notes of lemon pith and minerality, combined with an underlying creaminess, lead me to believe it’s a cool climate Chardonnay that’s seen some oak.
Wine #2
Region clues:
- Altitude of the region ranges from around 250-400 metres (approx 800-1300 feet) above sea level
- In general, winters are cool and wet but summer days are warm, dry and sunny here
- It is very popular with wine tourists
Varietal clues:
- Spicy aroma of rich fruit cake
- Rich berry flavours with a hint of dark chocolate
- Velvety texture
My guess: Barossa Valley Shiraz. The deep, opaque colour and richness of the dark fruit, hint of sweet spice, chocolate overtones, and velvety texture scream Shiraz.
Wine #3
Region clues:
- The terrain is completely flat
- Its subsoil is an ancient marine bed
- It has a maritime influenced climate
Varietal clues :
- Leafy aromas with a hint of mint
- Ripe cassis flavours
- A firm structure with good persistence on the palate
My guess: Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. The intense cassis flavours, combined with mint and a hint of green pepper, as well as firm tannins lead me to Cabernet Sauvignon.
Winners will be announced on Thursday, October 4th.
