TyFolk Blind Wine Tasting

   When I arrived in OZ and started to look for places to fit in & get to know people, I was surprised to discover how many companies have 'social clubs'.  These are semi-formal groups who plan activities for their employees/families, frequently at very budget friendly prices. Now, people must pay an annual fee but frequently find that it "pays for itself" by just attending the  fancy Christmas dinner/dance - all else is gravy.  The membership of TyFolk is hardly the employee rolls of Tyco anymore.  There are former employees and people from other companies who used to work in the same building making up the bulk of the membership.  Along with discounted individual tickets to stage shows on offer, so are monthly group meals or events.  And this weekend was the event Kev and I hosted. Well, Kev attended and I planned.
   The Blind Wine Tasting has a great premise: we know what we think tastes good but do we know what wine we are drinking?   If the label was not on the bottle, could we tell what kind (varietal) of wine it is?  Kev & I  held the same kind of party back in Ohio. (OK, Kev attended and I planned that one, also.)   We all failed spectacularly but had a great time doing it. Good company, good food, good wine = it's all good.  So we decided to share the joy with TyFolk at Kev's lawn bowls club.
   It's set-up is fairly simple: six well-concealed wines are tasted from lightest to most robust. Just a small amount - enough to gargle - so there is no waste and no dawdling over full glasses.  People then mark their Flight Sheets [official score cards at a wine tasting] with their own taste notes and guesses at varietal, region produced and bottle price.  It's all very much in fun, you're just competing against yourself.  When all six wines have been trialled and marked by the participants, we  then unveil the bottles. Ta-da!  How many did you get right? No one gets 100% on their score. In fact, some people are thunderstruck at how poorly they did (I thought I knew my stuff!), most just laugh at themselves. The guy who had an astounding 5 out of 6 varietals correct wasn't lording it over everyone.  The varietal he missed was the  wine he drinks most often. 

   After the reveal, the party loosens up .  The food is uncovered, the wine factoids are on display so people can check their guesses against reality.  The wines were priced from $11 to $43 and from all over the country and world.   The food came partly from my kitchen (mini-Cornish pasties, gourmet stuffed potatoes, guacamole), partly from the grocery store (hummus dip anyone?) and the cheeses mostly from the dairy case at the uber-toney David Jones  department store.  Good thing I know when/where to sniff out bargains in their food section.  Although I must admit, if you see St Agur blue cheese (France) in a store, BUY IT, even if it does cost $55 a pound.   Seriously drool worthy, almost as good as my pasties.

   This party didn't end early.  At ten o'clock, the attendees were still happy to chat and eat, the  club personnel less so.  To the last person, everyone  was very happy to have attended, chided good-naturedly all those who did not show up and left content.

   It is gratifying to know one has planned a successful and appreciated event.  It is also rather handy to get someone else, at least once, to pay for your St Agur cheese.