“hmm.. now this one looks kinda red..”
In one study, restaurant patrons were offered a free glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. Those on one side of the room were told it was a California wine; those on the other side were told the wine was made in North Dakota. “California equals wine. North Dakota equals snow or buffalo,” Wansink observes in his book, Mindless Eating. Both were actually the same cheap bottle of Cabernet but with different labels. The diners drank nearly all of their wine, but those who believed they were drinking the California vintage gave it higher ratings. Those with the so-called California wine also spent longer eating (65 vs. 55 minutes) and ate more, an average of 45 more calories. “If we think we are going to like a food or drink, it has a halo effect on the other foods we eat.” (and relationships.. which would explain all the inebriated one nighters;)
brainwash
staylazy
brainwash cafe 
The book is called Mindless Eating? Yea I guess the restaurent had Tasteless Diners… If you tried this stunt anywhere in Europe in a good Michelin starred restaurant it would have been laughed off the table. Bad wine is bad wine.
I especially like the “..california equals wine..” Only in America!
It may be worth mentioning to all your readers that California wines, in fact has attained a level of respectability on a par with the French. Speaking about a landmark blind tasting event in Paris where $6 California Cabernet triumphed in 1st place ahead of its expensive French rivals, Robert Mondavi wrote, “The Paris tasting was an enormous event in the history of California wine making. It put us squarely on the world map of great wine-producing regions. I saw the impact everywhere I went. Suddenly people had a new respect for what we were doing. They saw we could make wines as good as the best in France.”
In France the first reaction was to blame the judges. Baron Philippe de Rothschild, whose Mouton Rothschild had placed second, phoned one of the judges and asked haughtily, “What are you doing to my wines? It took me forty years to become classified as a First Growth!”
Here’s the link to the story if any of you wish to peruse it. By the way, thank you for recommending my site to your readers. I came prepared to be disppointed but I find your blog is refreshingly quirky and so very interesting.
http://www.delta-sky.com/2006_02/StarPages/index.html
Yes I would like to add that the ‘study’ sounds rather artificial and suspect from a wine lover’s perspective. There is no question in my mind not only are California wines up to standard, but often on price/value ratio surpass much of Europe’s finest. Pinots and Cabernets from California vinyards can be had for under 10$ without straining taste buds or credibility of your ‘expertise’. Good bottle, good meal and company need not have artifice and pretense attached to test its merit.
Agreed. Good company is a most important ingredient for a delicious supper.
Oh fer heaven’s sake give me a pint of Guiness while you blokes meander on about grape juice..
You must have had really bad wine in your lifetime 🙂