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WINE TALK Buzz Words
I've gotta tell you, I'm pretty tired of wine 'connoisseurs'. You know whom I'm talking about. All of those pretentious half-wits that are busy telling you what you should and shouldn't drink. They're always talking about points or Parker or Tanzer or the Spectator. It's always, "I drank a '89 Chateau Gesundit last night but I'm saving my '73 Schmendrict for my anniversary." Or, "I've got a case of '55 Blowhard in my cellar, what about you? "
I'm going to spill the beans and its probably going to get me into some trouble. It's all about the buzz. What? - Not that kind of buzz? Oops - Let's try again... Most businesses have their own language; the wine biz is no exception. Wine drinkers have the awful tendency to speak in a dialect that means absolutely nothing to most folks and then they act like there's something wrong with you because you look confused. So, this month, I'll attempt to define some the buzz words, so to speak. Here goes... Aroma: You're kidding, right? Smell the wine. That's it, stick your nose in it and take a big, ol' whiff... that's the aroma. OK? AVA: This stands for American Viticultural Area, the USA's answer to the appellation systems used in Europe. AVAs are designated geographical areas recognized as named places for growing grapes. It is important to realize that AVAs (or appellations) do not in any way indicate wine quality! When the grapes in a wine have been grown within the boundaries of an AVA, the name of that AVA can be used on the bottle's label as an indicator to the consumer of the source of the wine-NOT the quality of the wine. Balance: Harmony among the wine's components - fruit, acidity, tannins and alcohol. Well-balanced wine possesses these various elements in proper proportion to one another. Botrytis: The common name for "botrytis bunch rot," a fungal disease that can attack ripe or nearly ripe grapes. The unusual thing about botrytis bunch rot is that it comes in two forms, one very good and one very bad. When a non-wine maker refers to "botrytis," they generally mean Botrytis cinerea (also known as "Noble Rot") - the good form. This concentrates sugars and flavors, and adds its own unique "botrytized" character to sweet wines. The bad form is known as "gray rot." It attacks damaged grapes and spreads rapidly, significantly reducing yields and quality. Bouquet: The complex aromas that develop with age in fine wines; young wines have aroma, not bouquet. La-di-dah. Buttery: Descriptor for rich flavor and smoothness of texture, somewhat akin to the richness and flavor of butter. Generally used when referring to oak-aged white wines; many Chardonnays are said to have buttery aromas and flavors. Lots of Chardonnay drinkers claim to hate this. Yeah, right. Complexity: Multifaceted aromas and/or flavors. Great wines exhibit a combination of flavor and aroma elements. Most big, over-the-top, high-alcohol wines do not. Corked, Corky: Smelling of cork or mold or wet cardboard rather than wine; usually due to a faulty cork. Send the bottle back. Dry: Opposite of sweet. Duh. Okay, this is actually a complicated term in that we all perceive sweetness in varying degrees. Supposedly, a dry wine contains no sugar. However, many wines described as dry do contain sugar, but also have a balancing acidity. Many wines described as sweet have no sugar, but because they are riper and fruitier tasting they are described as sweet. Fat: Dull, lacking in liveliness, over-ripe; wine without sufficient balancing acid. Finish: Aftertaste, or the taste that remains in your mouth after you swallow. Typically, wine bores will exclaim things like, 'What a great finish!' to try to persuade you that the corked wine still tastes good. Fruit-forward: Descriptor for wines that smell and taste of fruit first. Not an indication of quality one way or another; you either like fruit-forward wines or you don't. Your call. Hang Time: A term used to describe the ripening time of grapes on the vine. Some will tell you that longer 'hang-time' means a better wine. (Some will also try to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge.) Herbaceous: Aromas reminiscent of fresh grass or hay, grassy, as in certain Sauvignon Blancs; also the green bell pepper character of some Cabernets. Legs: The viscous rivulets that run down the side of the glass after swirling or sipping, a mingling of glycerin and alcohol. Also known as "tears"; it is an indication of viscosity, thickness, not quality. Length: See Finish. Okay? Mature: Fully developed, ready to drink. When this actually occurs, no one knows for sure. Muscular: Bold flavors, vigorous fruit, powerful body - wine on steroids. Noble: Great, of perfect balance, harmonious expression. Only truly boring people would ever use this expression. The so-called "noble" grapes are those that produce the finest wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Riesling. Some people would also include Syrah, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese. Nose: The smell of the wine; see Bouquet. Use of this term instantly identifies one as a wine geek. That's not an insult. Oak, Oaky: Aroma and flavor that usually derive from aging in oak casks or barrels. Characterized by smokiness, vanilla, clove or other spices. Too much of this and the wine is "over-oaked". Sometimes, oak flavors come from dipping oak chips or staves in the wine. Short: Refers to finish, like when it ends abruptly. Generally not a good thing, however, if the wine sucks... you could be glad! Soft: May refer to soft, gentle fruit in delicate wines, or a lack of acidity. It has come to be seen as a beneficial attribute. Whatever. Spicy: Having the character or aroma of spices such as clove, mint, cinnamon, or pepper. (Not hot peppers!) Structure: The wine's composition and proportions. It also refers to the 'tannic' backbone of the wine. Tannin: Found to varying degrees within the skins, seeds and stems of the grapes. Most prominent in red wines, it creates a dry, puckering sensation in young reds of concentrated extract. It mellows with aging and drops out of the wine to form sediment. Without a tannic structure, the wine will not age well, regardless of what the idiot critics claim. Weedy: Aromas or flavors reminiscent of hay or grasses; not necessarily unpleasant unless exaggerated. Like a southern accent. Just kidding. Yeasty: A bready smell, sometimes detected in wines that have undergone secondary fermentation. Found in Champagne and sparkling wines, it is very appealing if not excessive. Like a southern accent. Oops, there I go again. Young: In some wines, it signifies youthful freshness; in finer wines, refers to immaturity. Also a term used by a wine bore to excuse the wine that he ordered that sucks, i.e. "This wine is young, it will be much better in a few years..." Yeah, right. - Peter Wood
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