Drew, I haven’t done the perfect experiment, which you propose, bagged and uncaprified vs. unbagged and caprified, but I have grown the same variety in my yard over the course of several years and tasted it uncaprified in years I did not bring the wasp in, and in the one year I did. Plus, some fruit don’t get caprified even when the wasps are around and they ripen during the peak of the season, when caprified ones of the same variety are ripening.
Trust me, caprification can make a huge improvement to some varieties. And virtually none to others. But for most fig varieties I have tried, provided the wasps didn’t bring in nasties with them that cause rot, a caprified fig is superior to an uncaprified one. Particularly if you enjoy fruits with some acidity to complement the sweetness. For me, ensuring the wasp visits my figs is a pain in the butt and will some fruit to rot and others to split. Yet I will still work to get them to my yard, because they take some figs to completely different levels of excellence.
Cheers,
Mark