Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Inspired by the gloss/glossy discussion from another thread, what are some unusual words you like to describe wine and your own definition for these words?

I know some here are using "sexy", or other words.

Nic

Margaux Berries on the nose. Hard to describe but when you smell them you know!!

I think I was the first to use "Margauxberries" on BWE. An unusual word I have also used but did not catch on is "MaryJane". Not quite the same as tobacco; maybe "skunky tobacco" comes close, but I have not seen that used.

stefan wrote:An unusual word I have also used but did not catch on is "MaryJane".

That's not an aroma/taste I've ever experienced - in wine that is. Just in beer, yeah, that's it...

A word I used once was surprising to at least one person - beguiling. But I've seen it used by others since, including professional wine critics.

I got margauxberries from Stefan.
Crunchy fruit from Jim years ago, have seen others use it more recently.

What I don’t get is when someone, usually a pro, uses a list of extremely specific fruits that I’ve never heard of. Maybe that’s really what they experienced but it’s meaningless to those of us who don’t know all 187 different varieties of lemon or pear.

A 1959 Carruades de Lafite from a few months back was 100% “maryjane” on the nose. Never abated all night, either!

Michael

Bowling alley: sweaty rental shoes, Lysol, lane oil and urethane, which is what, brett or VA?

Ivory soap: Margauxberries. We didn't have violets where I grew up. Just dirt. Thus Ivory soap.

The one that raises my hackles is: explode.

Hell, I never, ever want to drink a wine that explodes in the mouth.

Alex R.

Just found one in the Neal Martin 2010 report: "pixelated." WTF does that mean with respect to wine? Broken up into pieces? Is it a positive or negative descriptor?

Lol

AlexR wrote:The one that raises my hackles is: explode.

Hell, I never, ever want to drink a wine that explodes in the mouth.

Alex R.

Michel Rolland promises you: "My wines will not explode in your mouth!"
Mauvais garçon!
OK, Thunevin promises too.

>>
I never, ever want to drink a wine that explodes in the mouth.
>>

I did not realize that you hate Champagne, Alex.

DavidG wrote:Just found one in the Neal Martin 2010 report: "pixelated." WTF does that mean with respect to wine? Broken up into pieces? Is it a positive or negative descriptor?

Yes exactly

Another one that comes up a lot in his notes is ‘filigree’ ... to describe tannins

I apologize in advance but
“Burgundy in Saint Emilion” should be included.

On a more serious note, describing the structure as “hardware” and the fruit as “software”

I was always puzzled by the word: attack. Seems like it means the impression of the first sip.
I am not crazy about writing in English using French expressions: Pain Grillé, Sous Bois, etc...

Musigny 151 wrote:I apologize in advance but
.
.
On a more serious note, describing the structure as “hardware” and the fruit as “software”

If the fruit in the wine is jammy/raisiny and terrible, shall we call it a “buggy software”, then?

Or someone would point out the saying in software development “it’s not a bug, it’s a feature”...

>>
I am not crazy about writing in English using French expressions: Pain Grillé, Sous Bois, etc...
>>

Most of what I write is silly whether in English, French, Hebrew, or Texian.

Just saw this in a review by Suckling:

tannins that unfold horizontally and melt into the wine

Jon, that is a bit like my "tasty on the sides of the tongue".

Gosh, maybe if I can increase my poetry level just a bit I can be a wine critic a la The Sucker.

JCNorthway wrote:Just saw this in a review by Suckling:

tannins that unfold horizontally and melt into the wine

Most tannins melt at 137.66 degrees. This is shocking to me; I demand a recount.

I always tease my friend Leve on this one:

Liquid Sex.

And while I tease him about that, that is the 1989 Petrus. Sex is cheaper, but the Petrus lasts longer.

Chateau Vin wrote:

Musigny 151 wrote:I apologize in advance but
.
.
On a more serious note, describing the structure as “hardware” and the fruit as “software”

If the fruit in the wine is jammy/raisiny and terrible, shall we call it a “buggy software”, then?

Or someone would point out the saying in software development “it’s not a bug, it’s a feature”...

I think "buggy" should be reserved for 2004 Burgundy.

OrlandoRobert wrote:I always tease my friend Leve on this one:

Liquid Sex.

And while I tease him about that, that is the 1989 Petrus. Sex is cheaper, but the Petrus lasts longer.

Then you are not doing it right.

Which reminds me.

Terry Theise once described a wine once described a wine as something you should savor naked lying nest to a roaring fire ( I assume with someone).