Wine descriptions…
How should a wine writer describe a wine so that everyone understands what he/she means? “Excellent” is of course a good word in this context which cannot easily be misunderstood. Possibly it is a bit short although sometimes it can actually be enough.
Some writers choose to write entire novels about each wine and cite characteristics, flavours and aromas endlessly. But too much does not help either.
You need to find the core of the wine. How to best describe the experience. For drinking a wine is all about an experience, a personal experience that you are going to pass on to others. Will the reader better understand a poetic description of the wine than a dry and factual? Can you describe a crispy dry champagne as “the feeling when wading in a mountain stream” and believe that people understand what you mean? Perhaps that is easier to understand than words like minerality, structure and soft tannins?
I remember when we made a visit to Angelo Gaja in Barbaresco a few years ago. He told us that when he is in the United States he often have to “explain” his wines. Americans are accustomed to heavy, powerful wines. They don’t always understand the more complex and elegant charm of a Barbaresco. “I thought long about how to explain the difference between elegant wines and heavy, powerful wines” said Angelo. “I started doing comparisons with actors. The American wines, I said, are like John Wayne, friendly and accessible as an open book. Our wines on the other hand are like Marcello Mastroianni standing in a corner, looking a little grumpy. You have to have the desire to discover them, they require some effort…”
What works for you? What kind of wine descriptions give you the best information? Let us know!
Wine trends…
This is the time of the year when many wine oracles have pronounced predictions on what will happen in 2016. Sometimes pointless truism, sometimes very thoughtful. We have this year refrained from predicting anything for 2016.
Instead we as you, dear reader, what do YOU think will be the trends in wine in 2016?
Send us a mail with your views and we will publish the thoughts in a future Brief!
PS: Don’t forget to take a look at this year’s wine tours!
One more PS: Don’t miss the story on the “Nobel Prize in Wine Literature” in the Brief.
Britt & Per
PS: Recommend to your friends to read the Brief !
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What’s on at BKWine Tours
- Chile & Argentina, February 6-21, 2016
- South Africa, February 26 – 7 March, 2016
- Bordeaux, April 20-24
- Champagne, September 14-18
- Bordeaux, September 28 – October 2
- Douro Valley, October 12-16
For more information please contact us on email or on phone (we’re on French time), or go to our wine travel site on www.bkwinetours.com!
We also make custom designed wine tours – on-demand tours for you and a group of friends, for your company (maybe to scout new winegrowers?), for a special event… We can combine winery visits and wine touring with other activities: gastronomic workshops, visit to an oyster farm, truffles hunting, cheese making, and more. More info on the custom designed and bespoke BKWine wine tours and travel here!
Wine tours in Finnish: We also do wine tours in Finnish. And in German, Norwegian, Spanish… Do you want the latest news and updates on our wine travel activity? Subscribe here! (Second alternative BKWineTours.com)
Do you want the latest news and updates on our wine travel activity? Subscribe here! (Second alternative BKWineTours.com)
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[box type=”note” size=”large” style=”rounded” border=”full”]This is just the introduction to the latest issue of the Brief. Subscribe to the BKWine Brief and you will get the whole edition in your mailbox next month.[/box]
