On the 17th February, Oxford and Cambridge Universities sent their best tasters to London for the 69th Varsity Blind Wine Tasting Competition. The competition took place at the historic Berry Bros. & Rudd London Shop.
The two teams arrived early in the morning to the historic wine shop in St James’s, read for a challenging flight of whites and reds. Each team would be confronted with six whites and six reds, and have to correctly ascertain such characteristics as Grape Variety, Vintage, Country, Region, and Sub-Region. Marks are awarded for each, as well as for the competitors reasoning in making such judgements.
With six team-members each, plus a reserve, the scene was set for another close competition. The match was judged by Jancis Robinson MW and Sarah Jane Evans MW, both alumni of the competition itself.
After intensive rounds on a selection of Whites and Reds, Cambridge took the crown with wins in all three categories: Team, Top Taster and Reserve. Cambridge captain, Emer Jones, won Top Taster, and Cambridge Reserve, Patrick Brechka, won best Reserve.
Huge congratulations to the Cambridge team for their decisive victory. Their win resulted in their taking home the tasting trophy, along with bottles of bottles of Vintage 2015 for the winners, and a magnum of Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2015 for the Top Taster. Furthermore, the victory sees them invited to the International Blind Wine Tasting Match held at Maison Pol Roger, which sees the best university from England, Scotland, France and Austria battle for Top University.
