The Cecchi Challenge

Last Thursday I was invited by Brad (@winetimelondon) to take part in the Cecchi Challenge: a zoom event with other wine enthusiasts to learn more about Tuscan wine. The event included a quiz with the chance to win a case of  Cecchi wine. 

Hubby and I know a little but not much about Italian wine, especially wine from Tuscany and using Zoom is a very new experience for us, so we were excited but a touch apprehensive. This was added to as the quiz was using a totally new app to us, Kahoot. 

Our sample wines arrived for Ellen (@freerunpr) in a long thin cardboard box. I was so excited to open it hoping for some information, however it was just the wines .... this was certainly going to be a Challenge! 

Hubby and I set up my tablet for Zoom and I had my phone ready with Kahoot. It was lovely to see everyone online, some wine friends we have not seen for a while and Robb who we met last week at White Castle Vineyard. 

However we could only see four people at a time and had to keep scrolling. I now know that this is a feature of using an android tablet and had we used the laptop we would have seen everyone together; next time! 

Brad and Hannah (@the.british.bouchon) co-hosted the event along with Ben (@freerunpr). We had a fab presentation about Tuscany; the location, the vineyards, the wines. Hubby and I made notes, as I always do at a tasting, and learnt so much. 

The slides showing the vineyards locations, the map of Italy and especially the aerial photo of the vines were so informative. It was amazing to see how each, at times adjacent, field had vines planted in various directions depending on variety. We've added Tuscany to our holiday list, it looks amazing. 

We had set up four glasses each so we knew which was which. I do miss the wine tastings we used to attend and those we hosted, not only to see our wine friends again but now my tastebuds have returned it is great to start enjoying wine again.

And so to the quiz, Kahoot is a great app that was fun to use, the quicker you answer the better so fast fingers were a must. Of course you can't answer quickly if you don't know the answer hee hee. All the questions were mulitple choice based on Tuscany and the four wines. 

Some of the questions were quite tricky, we'd remembered (looked at on our notes) some answers from the presentation but had few wrong (guesses hee hee). Some took us a while to work out and answer, it was such fun.

The wines were lovely; white Litorale Vermentino, the first red was Maremma Toscana, followed by Chianti Reserva and finally Primocolle Chianti Classico. One thing I love about a tasting is trying a wine, trying another and seeing the differences. Our glass per wine meany we could go back to taste each one again, they were all delicious. 

To our absolute amazement when the final score was revealed we won .... we were so surprised. Our prize is a case of these lovely wines so we'll be able to taste them again and learn even more. 

There is nothing better than people together enjoying good wine, hopefully it will not be long before this can again be in person.

Thank you so much Brad, Hannah, Ben, Ellen and especially Famiglia Cecchi for a super time learning about Tuscany wines - saluti !