Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who joined Wednesday (May 28th) night and made the event one to remember. White wines were supposed to be the “easy” ones to identify, and for once, we were right. Instead of confusion, this tasting turned into a masterclass in teamwork, confidence, and palate precision. It was a night of bold guesses, shared victories, and more than a few “I told you so” moments.
A Night to Remember
The Perfect Setting
The stunning venue at Joyce Wine Company in Carmel Valley set the tone for an unforgettable evening. Warm lighting, a beautiful table, and an energy that only builds when people are gathered to challenge themselves and share a glass (or six).
A special thank you to Alex Lallos of No Limit Fine Wines for pulling the strings behind this event—finding these incredible wines, securing the venue, and ensuring everything ran flawlessly. We could not have had such an amazing night without your support and effort.
Teams, Captains, and Competition
After the first event, I was inspired by the teamwork that seemed to naturally occur, so I decided to formalize it a bit more. We split into three teams with captains leading the charge: John Micek, Alex Lallos, and Bhaj Johnson. It wasn’t just a tasting—it was a battle of wits and senses.
There was a memorable moment during the Sauvignon Blanc round when Team Bhaj picked up on that grassy note and called “New Zealand” almost instantly, while Team John leaned confidently into “Sancerre” and got it right on the Loire Valley bottle moments later. The cheers and fist pumps from both everyone set the tone for the evening.
The Wines and Their Stories
Alex Lallos found some great expressions, each wine had its own personality, and we had no trouble teasing them apart:
Chardonnay: California/Australia – Rich and sunny, with ripe tropical fruit and a touch of toasted vanilla. A bold wine that had everyone nodding in unison, “This is New World.”
Chardonnay: Chablis Premier Cru – Bright, mineral-driven, like green apple dipped in chalk dust. Several teams immediately spotted that iconic Old World elegance.
Sauvignon Blanc: New Zealand – Passionfruit, lime zest, and fresh-cut grass—it practically shouted “Kiwi!” from the glass. Team Bhaj nailed this one before the second sip.
Sauvignon Blanc: Loire Valley (Sancerre & Pouilly-Fumé) – Leaner and more refined, with flinty notes and lemon peel. The teams rose to the challenge and called it correctly with almost no debate.
Chenin Blanc: California/Washington – Rounder, fruitier, with hints of peach and honeysuckle. A few tasters were surprised by how plush this New World version was.
Chenin Blanc: Loire Valley (Vouvray & Savennières) – Honeycomb, wet stone, and quince—a wine that captivated everyone with its layers of complexity.
Memorable Moments
Bhaj’s Chenin Moment: Bhaj smelled the Loire Chenin and, with zero hesitation, said, “This is Savennières.” He wasn’t just right—he was confidently right, and his team could tell this guy knew a thing or two about French wines.
Alex the Ace: Some say he had an unfair advantage, having picked all the wines... but truth be told, it's still not easy to get them all correct when doing a blind tasting. This was an impressive feat that I hope to accomplish some day.
John's Steady Hand: Through out the tasting, John was methodical as he approached each wine. To be on his team was to appreciate knowing that a wrong guess was more unlucky than anything else.
Lessons from the Night
This was one of the rare tastings where most people called the wines correctly, and it wasn’t luck—it was practice, focus, and maybe a little magic. The Old World vs. New World challenge brought out the best in everyone’s palate. The wine selection helped create a bit more differentiation than usual and it was nice to have an approachable blind tasting.
Next Event: [June 18] Learning Wine Structure
Our next gathering is shaping up to be one of the most unique and “nerdy” events yet—an exploration of wine structure. This time, it’s not about flavors, but about what you feel in your mouth when drinking wine. We’ll dive into the four key components—acidity, alcohol, phenolic bitterness, and tannins—and learn how to recognize each of them.
This will also be our only non-blind tasting, as we’ll be introducing the tasting grid to sharpen our skills for future explorations of unfamiliar varietals.
Even better, we have a truly special venue lined up thanks to Ryan Melcher. He's found us an exquisite Carmel home. It’s a rare opportunity to taste wine in such a one-of-a-kind space, and we can’t wait to share this experience with you.
Until next time, cheers!
Alex, Founder of Wine Scholars
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