Mission Blind Tasting 'MBT' - request for most easily confused grape varieties

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Next month, I will be launching a series on blind tasting. If you blind taste, I would love to know which varieties/regions you confuse most often (your laterals). I will be adding your suggestions to the below list. (Please don’t feel as if you need to put varieties/regions in any of these categories – you can say that you confuse Banyuls and Port – no category needed.)

Neutral whites: unoaked Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Furmint (dry Tokaji), Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Albarino, Muscadet, Gruner Veltliner, Carricante, Timorasso, Verdicchio, Garganega, Gavi, Fiano, Trousseau Gris, Aligote

Intensely floral unoaked whites: Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Torrontes, Viognier, Malvasia Bianca

Lightly floral whites: Sancerre, Albarino, Cortese

Full-bodied, high-acid whites: Assyrtiko, dry Vouvray from warm vintages, Smaragd Gruner V

Full-bodied, lower acid, higher alcohol whites with oak: Condrieu, California Chardonnay, Grenache blanc and gris, white Rioja, Marsanne, Roussanne

Oxidative and (sometimes) flor impacted whites: white Rioja, Fino/Manzanilla, Vinos de Albarizas, Vin Jaune, Arbois Chardonnay and Savagnin

Lighter reds: Gamay, Pinot Noir, Valpolicella, lower-tannin, modern styles of Sangiovese, País, Pelaverga, Valdiguié, Trousseau, Ploussard, Grenache

Lighter reds with elevated tannin: Nebbiolo, Nerello Mascalese, occasionally Spanish Grenache

Sour purple wines: Blaufrankisch, Barbera, Kadarka, Gamay, Syrah

Purple and flashy oak: Premium Mendoza Malbec, Napa Cab Sauv, modern Bordeaux, super oaky Syrah (new world or Cote Rotie), Zinfandel, Ribera del Duero

Where’s the varietal character? reds: Syrah-dominant Cotes du Rhone, Zinfandel field blends, Mencia, Douro reds, California Merlot, Agiorgitiko, Cahors

Earthy high tannin reds: Nebbiolo, Sangiovese (Chianti, Brunello and Vino Nobile Montepulciano di Montepulciano), Xinomavro, Nerello Mascalese/Nerello Cappuccio, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Baga

Earthy, oaky, garnet-rimmed reds: aged Bordeaux, Rioja, aged Rhone Syrah

Bretty reds: Cab Franc from Loire, Syrah from Rhone, Bordeaux, Bandol

Deeply coloured tannic reds: Aglianico, Sagrentino, Tannat, Ramisco

Petrol whites: Riesling (especially Australian), Hunter Valley Semillon, Nagambie Lakes Marsanne, aged Jurançon

Sweet whites: Sauternes, Tokaji, Auslese Riesling (specifically Tokaji Late Harvest), late harvest Chenin Blanc

Floral sweet whites: Vin de Constance, Passito di Pantelleria, SGN Gewurztraminer

Off-dry to medium-dry roses: Mateus, White Zinfandel, Cabernet d’Anjou

Dark roses: Tavel, some Spanish Grenache roses, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, Bandol

Traditional method sparkling wines: Champagne, California and Oregon, Cap Classique, Franciacorta, English fizz, Cremant, Sekt, TrentDOC, Cava

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I reckon basic Valpolicella / Corvina is a good candidate for lighter reds. Torrontés for intensely floral, maybe?

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Yes and yes. Thank you! I’ve decided to add recommendations to the above list. These have been added.

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Really excited for this! Perhaps Bandol/Mourvèdre for another bretty red; Rioja for earthy, high tannin reds; Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero for purple and oak.

I think Viura/white Rioja can vary- it could fall under the low acid and oaky category (though I think it sometimes has medium or elevated acidity), or it can be oxidative (perhaps a candidate for another category, which could also include Savagnin/Vin jaune?). Also, Muscadet is a neutral white I struggle with, often confusing it with Soave or very basic Chablis.

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Added!

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“If you could go to JancisRobinson.com’s newly designed forum and drop examples of commonly confused wines into the thread titled Mission Blind Tasting – MBT, I would greatly appreciate it.”

Not sure this is where you want these, but Montepulciano d abruzzo & Montepulciano from Tuscany.

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Greg, this is exactly where I want them! Thank you! Added.

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Grey Riesling vs white Riesling.

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I will throw Trousseau Gris into the neutral whites camp but fair warning that because it is such an unusual grape it may not get pulled! I’m looking for flavour and structure doppelgängers for blind tasting rather than name doppelgängers. Perhaps Trousseau Gris is a lateral for Riesling - I’ve actually never blinded it! But I figure it’s worth mentioning as both your examples have to do with names.

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Am never sure between roussanne and marsanne in Rhone whites.

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I can’t say it’s one i confuse most often as I rarely drink it, but a recent mailer from the wine society reminded me that 100% Baga wines from Bairrada can often slot into the xinomavro/nebbiolo spectrum

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Added! Thank you!

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Thanks! Added!

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High quality traditional method sparklers - NW (CA usually) verse Brut Champagne; I have also confused top quality NW PN from NZ wth warmer vintages from Burgundy

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Thank you! I’ve added the sparklings. I have not added NZ PN vs Burg only because I will be comparing all major international varieties from the top locations that produce them. Chard, PG, PN, CS, Chenin, SB, Merlot, Riesling, Syrah, Grenache will all get their own articles that cover their various origins.

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Hi Sam, very excited for this. I’d throw in unoaked Viognier as a confuser alongside Gewurz and Torrontes

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Thank you! I’ve added that

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Love these categories/groupings!

Trousseau Gris is a curious candidate to me. How much varietally-labeled Trousseau Gris is coming from anywhere outside of Fanucchi-Wood Road?

For lighter reds, maybe also consider País, Pelaverga, Valdiguié?

Floral sweet whites?: Vin de Constance, Passito di Pantelleria, SGN Gewurztraminer

For dark roses: perhaps Bandol?

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Columbia Gorge Mencía? Yes please!

Columbia Gorge does have a wide variety of grapes and styles (is there a typical?). I see you reviewed the Analemma Mencia a few years ago (not terribly favorably, though Elaine Chuka Brown gave a 16.5 for an estate fruit version). I have had their Trousseau which I liked, but I think I prefer Eyrie’s one.

Trousseau versus Plousard blind tasting?

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Excited for this series Sam!! Add the following to TdM sparkling? ESW, Cremant, Sekt, TrentDOC, Cava?

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