Turnbull Oakville 2002 and the Right Tasting Experience

There is a famous study where a mid-range red wine was given to two groups of test subjects. For the first group, the wine was poured from a bottle suggesting that the wine was from a lower grade producer. For the second group, the wine was poured from a bottle suggesting that the wine was from a higher grade producer. Maybe not so surprisingly, the first group thought that the wine was not as good as the second group thought. Basically, one's perceptions can influence how one enjoys a wine. Similarly, some wines just seem to taste better when they're opened with the right person under the right circumstances. Expectations make everything.

Last night, I brought a bottle of Turnbull Oakville 2002 to a dinner I had with a very lovely young lady (who's also a bit of a smart ass -- in a good way). The wine itself was very nice. A lovely purple, with chocolate and blackberries on the nose. The palate and tannins were rich and vibrant, and the aftertaste was lush. A very enjoyable bottle. Of course, I wonder -- did I enjoy the wine for the wine, or did I enjoy it because of the great company I had? I suspect the latter played a strong part....