Experiences and Reflections
Cocktail Magazine, Issue No. 70, Grateful for the Opportunity
Another of the competitions in which I participated as a judge was the XX Expo Pisco Wong.We evaluated approximately 180 samples of pisco.I was assigned to table No. 04 in a group of 5 tasters. For the blind tasting,we were assigned the following pisco samples: pisco: Acholado, Non-Aromatic Green Must, (Mosto Verde), Non-Aromatic Aromático, Italia,, Moscatel,, Negra Criolla, (Black Creole), y and Torontel.Our highest score was 91.80 for a Non-Aromatic Green Must pisco with the code MVNA-129. The OIV Standard Deviation was 0.4, the lowest in the entire competition. It is important to understand what the OIV Standard Deviation means. According to the regulations of the competitions of the International Organization of Vine and Wine "OIV," the scores of tasters that differ by at least 7 points from the average will not be considered in the calculation of the final average. Less Standard Deviation implies less dispersion; indicating better calibration of tasters and closer and more accurate scores.
On the other hand, the sample that received the lowest score at our table was a Torontel pisco with the code TO-114, which scored 76 points and an OIV Standard Deviation of 2.39. Overall, the piscos were very good. No defects were found, as in previous years. The organization and the tasting were excellent. In the table I presided over, out of the five judges, three were related to pisco brands:two producers, a brand ambassador, and two sommeliers,Producers can participate, but the varieties of pisco they have submitted to the competition are not evaluated at the table, as they cannot be judges and participants at the same time. The interesting aspect is the contribution of each judge. According to one producer, we as sommeliers, have not produced pisco; therefore, there are virtues or defects that we are unaware of and cannot express.
It is true that no one can interpret an aroma they do not know, but that does not disqualify the work of sommeliers and tasters who do not produce pisco. Sommeliers interpret aromas and sensations to later translate them into words. We can participate in the production of a pisco and contribute our knowledge of tasting according to the archive of aromas and experiences that we accumulate during the practice of our profession. If a master distiller tells us that the aroma is defective, the first thing we do is identify it so that we can file it and remember it when necessary. What does the aroma remind us of? Is it pleasant or unpleasant? It is essential that judges are not only master distillersbut also sommeliers,technicians, enthusiasts, and, above all, that they practice tasting.Knowing how to produce pisco and understanding the tasting methodology is important, but if we do not practice a minimum of 60 hours per year and undergo the corresponding evaluations, we will never be ableto achieve excellence in sensory analysis.
I leave you with this quote from Andreas Larsson,who is the Best Sommelier in the World:"What makes a taster good is a combination of interest and passion, along with extensive knowledge." All that remains is to taste and keep tasting.Drink responsibly.
By Livio Pastorino Wagner
Sommelier, Specialist, and Pisco Taster
Registration: CRDO-PISCO 2020 RCO-034-2011
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