Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/844641
Once the cat was let out the bag—or box, rather— there was a lively discussion. "We weren't trying to trick anybody. We just didn't want any preconceived notions!" said Meridith May, Publisher and Editorial Director of The Tasting Panel. The select group of buyers had received an invitation from the magazine for a blind tasting and luncheon at Vaca, featuring the Spanish contemporary cuisine of Amar Santana, runner-up on the latest season of Top Chef. They were given no information about the wines. Also in attendance were Chris Willis, Winemaker for E. & J. Gallo, and Stephanie Gallo, Vice President of Marketing. At the back of each flight—while enjoying such delights as Vaca's paella de carne, with pork belly, chorizo, duck confit, beef cheek and bomba rice— the group ranked the wines and guessed as to what was in each glass. Following the tasting, the talk turned to the shift in attitude toward box wine. High-tier box wine is the second-fastest-growing table-wine category, at 24 percent, Gallo noted. In addition to providing incredible value, these wines are packaged sustain- ably (at three liters, or four bottles, per box), while eradicating the possibility of cork taint. Driving the growth of high-tier box wine, said Gallo, are "people who are very engaged in wine in general. They're drinking box wine as their everyday wine. There are a lot of people who drink four glasses of wine, as a couple, per night, so a lot people look at this economically." Somms enjoyed pan con tomate and aged man- chego with their first flight of four white wines at Vaca, Costa Mesa. july 2017 / the tasting panel / 93 Flight 1: PINOT GRIGIO Winner: Vin Vault Pinot Grigio, California "Pear tarte tartin, crème brûlée, medium-plus acid and a long, clean finish. Good quality and well-balanced." —Nicole Gregory, Sommelier, Bacchus Bar & Bistro, Irvine "Medium-plus body. Nectarine and peach. Nice acidity with tropical weight. Long aftertaste."—David Schlesinger, Wine Specialist, OC WineMart, Aliso Viejo Flight 2: CHARDONNAY Winner: Vin Vault Chardonnay, California "Floral with nice citrus. Latent sweetness, good bitter-and-acid balance. Malolactic is not overdone." —Kent Bearden, Senior Director of Operations, Saint Marc USA, Newport Beach "Fresh butter and toasty, creamy and rich, but light enough and pleasant. Great balance and typicity." —Amy Mullally, Domestic Wine Buyer, The Wine Country, Signal Hill Flight 3: PINOT NOIR Winner: Black Box Pinot Noir, California "Red plums, cranberry, raspberry. Dry and lighter in body." — Farid Moshir, OC Wine Mart, Yorba Linda "Moderate intensity. Tart red fruit, cherries, strawberries and herbal. Slight purple-fruit finish. Light body. Medium-plus acid. Medium tannin."—Rusti Gilbert, Wine Director, Tasting Room Del Mar, Del Mar Flight 4: CABERNET SAUVIGNON Winner: Vin Vault Cabernet Sauvignon, California "Ripe, rich, intense and fruit-forward. Good balance—best so far."—Jim Bell, Sommelier, OC Wine Mart "Fig, tobacco, raisin and leather. Bold and complex, with an Old World fruit finish." —Kent Bearden Flight 5: RED BLEND Winner: Vin Vault Red Blend, California "Subtle, refined dark, ripe fruit. Forward tannins and fruit. Good, pleasant black fruit, medium body." —Jerry Grady, Owner, JGrady Select, Newport Beach "Rich, extracted red and black fruits. Black pepper, white pepper. Possible central coast Syrah. Big wine, but in balance between fruit and oak. Slight residual sugar. A crowd-pleaser." —Amy Mullally The lineup of contestants—Vin Vault, Bota Box, Black Box, Fish Eye and Wine Cube—is revealed.