There is another change - well, improvement - in the tasting room; the central space in our HQ, the beating heart, the kernel, hub, crucible etc etc.. Where we just have to get it right or perish.
We taste round the clock. People score wines all the time. But now the wines have started to score the people!
Because... we all respond to different flavours and sensations in differing degrees of sensitivity and enthusiasm. Which is why we never give identical scores.
But even-out these inequalities and we have greater consensus, are better able to understand one another and... we become much better at picking wines with wide appeal.
A computer programme now assesses our wine scores and gives each of us a score - something like a golf handicap ... but for each element of taste!
We don't notice. We just carry on but all the time that box is watching and thinking, "mmm Laithwaite - a bit partial to sweetness ... or oak, or something.
A bit 'Big Brother'? But then our medal count and sales are clearly going up.
So it’s probably working; we are learning how each of our palates is a little different, and we are beginning to understand quite how different all of our customers’ palates are too.
One day we might understand that some customers have Thomas's taste in wine, and others find Becca's favourites right up their street.... or even mine.
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