Can Winemakers Tell White From Red Without Looking?

Six wines, $35 to $83 a bottle, poured into black glasses. No color, no tint, no clue whether it's white, red or something else entirely. Just a nose, a palate and a lot of second-guessing.

It gets messy fast. One glass reads like a lees-aged white, another like a chilled red with a bit of tannin. One smells like a pure banana lollipop. Another triggers a childhood memory of skateboard scrapes, disinfectant and "light sweating." Nobody spits, because spitting would give the color away. Every wine still gets the usual verdict: what would you pay, and how many bottles would you buy?

Then the wines come out of the dark and every guess gets put to the test. At least one glass turns out to have uninvited guests at the bottom. Pour something into the darkest mug you own and see if you can call it before we do.

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