Double Blind Tasting/Paring at Elbert's Steak Room

Lunch last Friday was at Elbert's Steak room. During Jay Lab's birthday lunch, someone had suggested to have a lunch at Elbert's and try the Burger. The concept was we all had to have the same Burger and see which one would pair best with it. We all had to bring a bottle each of the best wine we thought would pair well with the Burger. To make things more exciting, Arnie suggested it should be blind.

So after a few messages to Elbert, who graciously organized everything for us (64 glasses all labeled, brown bags to cover our wines, etc...), we all met up for lunch last Friday. I had arrived early so I helped out in organizing the glasses, labels, etc...it was hard work but someone had to do it..

As the others arrived, wines were poured in our glasses. None of us were really drinking any yet, since the whole point was to see which wine would pair best with the Burger, not which was the best wine.

Salad was served as it is part of the set Burger lunch menu (a great deal if you ask me - 599 for salad and the Burger). It was quite hard not to drink the wines before the food arrived, all we could do was smell the wine and try to imagine what it was. Maybe we should have brought a bubbly or a white to start the meal.

After some salad and initial mental notes on the wines, our meal was served. I must say that the Burger was one of the better ones I've tried in the Philippines. 2 patties, served with a generous serving of cheese and the sinful twice fried fries..As Noel said, it was hard not to gobble the Burger up right away, since we had to taste each bite with 7 different wines...but obviously we all managed.

After casting all our votes, JayL was in charge of tallying the votes and Jojo to announce the winners. What was at stake? The loosing wine would have to have to pay the meal of the winning wine - not much, but it was all about pride of winning obviously. This was the order of the winning wines, from first to last:

1. Arnies's 00 Ninquem
2. Greg's 99 Château Poujeaux

3. Jay's 03 Alvaro Palacios Bierzo Moncerbal

4. My 05 Alvaro Palacios Remondo Rioja Propiedad
5. Jojo's 06 Orin Swift The Prisoner
6. Noel's 04 Antinori Badia a Passignano Chianti Classico Riserva

7. Keichi's 08 Ferrand Beaujolais Nouveau

All the wines were good but obviously there had to be one winner, and that was Arnie's wine. Most of us (except Noel and Jojo) voted it best wine pairing. Keichi was the last, with a Beaujolais Nouveau. He did not expect to be dead last but he was a good sport and took the loss with dignity.

We had lots of fun and laughter (courtesy of Greg and Jojo). Thank you Keichi and Arnie for thinking about this and thank you Elbert and Adrian for being so accommodating to our group.