Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

So now "rustic" means not modern-styled? I could never quite figure out that term, "rustic." It seemed to import a lack of refinement found in the more expensive/reputed wines, or was in fact simply the last refuge of the critic that had to mark down a pretty good wine somehow to justify the 2x or 3x markup of a more reputed wine that was only equally good.

Yes, if it is modern I am concerned about the vintage. You don't hear too often the Medoc described as modern.

I think the best explanation I heard of rustic was the winemaking at Lopez de Heredia.

In their own words, when its hot in the cellars, they "open the windows".

None of that nitrogen cooled fermentation vats UC Davis nonsense!

I like that anecdote Arv!

The opposite of "modern" makes sense. Rustic conjures images of rough tannins and less-clean cellars, maybe Brett, but I suppose different people use the term differently.

AKR wrote:I think the best explanation I heard of rustic was the winemaking at Lopez de Heredia.

In their own words, when its hot in the cellars, they "open the windows".

None of that nitrogen cooled fermentation vats UC Davis nonsense!

Actually chilled gycol is used.

I'm fine with chilled glycol as long as they don't put it in the wine.

DavidG wrote:I'm fine with chilled glycol as long as they don't put it in the wine.

HAHAHA

Used in home brewing a lot too.
The get jacketed fermenters and then use fairly inexpensive beer line cooling systems to chill.

The funniest thing in that article was the identification of 'rustic' with 'Bordeaux 10 years ago'.

"It’s not like Bordeaux 10 years ago, when tannins could be hard as nails. In 2015, the fruit dominates the tannins and the acidity."

Ah, those rustic 2005s!

Long ago, rustic meant that they let brett in the wines.
Then, rustic meant that they let acidity in the wines.
Now, rustic means they let tannins in the wines.

well noted...