Blind tasting is a very odd activity. Contrary to what many imagine, it has nothing to do with blindfolds. It involves tasting a wine without seeing the label and it can deliver shocking surprises. I tasted seven non-vintage champagnes blind with a group of professionals recently. There was horror when they discovered the wine most of them preferred carried a label they regarded as their least favourite. That sort of result is especially common with champagne, arguably the most image-driven – rather than quality-driven – wine of all. But it happens all the time when wine is tasted blind.
盲品(blind tasting)并不是大多数人想象中的蒙着眼睛品酒，而是通过纯品尝而非看酒标来对葡萄酒进行评价。这是一种奇特的活动，因为它常常为参与者带来无比的震撼。最近，我与一组专业人士对七款无年份香槟(non-vintage Champagne)进行了盲品，而最终的结果令这些人士如坐针毡，因为他们发现在盲品中很多中意的酒款，居然是自己在平日饮用时最看不上的那些。由于卖相常常比质量更具影响力，这样的结果在香槟的盲品中尤其正常，不过在几乎所有葡萄酒的盲品中，这种事情也时常发生。