Wesley Hunter doles out wine tasting advice like a vino Yoda.
“The answers are in the glass,” the beverage operations manager at RauDZ Creative Concepts said mysteriously. “You just have to find them.”
In fact, Hunter is offering practical advice for anyone participating in the first annual Tasting Games, a blind wine tasting competition.
“We’re so excited. The first Tasting Games is this evening,” said Arnica Rowan, event co-host and wine researcher at Terroir Consulting. “It’s going to be down in Oliver and it’s the first in three divisional events.
“We’re going to find out who is the best wine taster in all of B.C.”
The competition begins April 23 at Terrafina by RauDZ at Hester Creek in Oliver.
There will be a North Okanagan division in Kelowna on May 7, followed by a Central Okanagan division in Penticton on May 14.
“There are three wine celebrities on stage at each divisional event,” Rowan explained. “They are top of their game – sommeliers, educators, winemakers — and they’re going to be tasting five wines in front of everybody in the audience.”
But here’s the twist – the audience will also be blindly tasting the same five wines and have the same opportunity to compete for a coveted spot in the finals, which take place at the East Kelowna Hall on May 21.
This means anyone who attends the event can win the competition.
“I’m expecting there will be some wine lovers in the audience who are going to give the celebrities a real run for their money,” Rowan said.
Hunter is one of the three wine celebrities slotted to compete on the first night.
He’ll be going up against Severine Pinte, winemaker at Le Vieux Pin and La Stella wineries, as well as David Paterson, winemaker at Tantalus Vineyards.
“I feel good. I’m nervous to go up against such amazing people,” Hunter said. “To go against David and Severine is a little intimidating.”
Another serious contender is Matthew Landry.
“I got to see him compete in Vancouver when he won the Best Sommelier in B.C.,” Hunter said. “I definitely look up to that guy a lot.”
Hunter says blind tasting can be tricky.
“The main thing is to not jump to any conclusions,” Hunter said. “You need to trust yourself. You need to trust the notes that you’re writing.”
Hunter’s strategy is to look, smell and then taste.
“The first thing I would do is definitely check out the colour,” he said, “because that can give you a lot of indication on whether it’s youthful or it has some age to it.”
After the hue comes the aroma of the bouquet.
“Does it hit you or is it a little more subtle?” Hunter said.
For most wine lovers, the last step is, by far, the best part.
“Age, regions, grape varietals will all give small indicators while you’re tasting, and the challenge is trying to put them all together,” Hunter said.
Tickets are still available for the first annual Tasting Games in Penticton and Kelowna, although the Oliver competition kick-off is sold out.
Admission ranges from $68 to $78 per person, which includes wine, chef-prepared small bits and, of course, the opportunity to be crowned Best Taster in B.C.