[question] Question submitted by Terry Batistich. Do you only sample wines that are sent to you? If not, how do you decide? [/question] [answer] I guess there is no entirely fixed rule for me here. For a start, I try to taste all the best and best value imported wines I can, since without that experience, my perspective is limited. I receive around 8,000 – 10,000 Australian wines by post or courier each year. I try to taste as many as I can, especially those which (i) are in my book, (ii) are from wineries in my book, (iii) are from important up and coming wineries I should get to know, (iv) represent a cross-section of wines I have never heard of – for while they are indeed quite rare these days, there are always surprises. I try to taste all wine in the same conditions, ie in my tasting room. Naturally this is not always possible, and when there is no alternative, I do attend some trade tastings. I find it very hard to concentrate purely on the wines at many such events, since there are often too many distractions (ie people, smells, noises, crowds) for me to give them 100% focus. I try not to taste wines at the wineries responsible for them, since this also introduces other variables into the equation. There are some important wines I do buy to taste, in the case that for whatever reason I am not sent a sample bottle. I try to limit this with respect to Australian wines, since I make a serious attempt to treat all makers the same way, and if I am being sent one maker’s expensive wine free of charge, it is inconsistent for me to go out and buy another’s. But, life being as difficult to regiment as it is, it’s almost impossible in this context to act in a 100% hard and fast manner. [/answer]
