PSA: Remember when wine notes didn't sound like a perfume ad?

I was at a vineyard event last weekend, and it struck me how wine tasting lingo has gotten utterly out of hand (like, seriously). Back in the day, my uncle would just sip his cabernet and say, 'Tastes like cherries and oak,' and that was that. But now, I heard someone describe a pinot noir as having 'hints of wet saddle leather and regret,' which, come on, is that even a thing? I once tried to keep up by noting 'forest floor' in a merlot, but all I could think about was that time I actually slipped on moss (not a pleasant memory). In my line of work, we describe properties with flowery terms too, but at least a 'cozy nook' is something you can actually see. It's funny how we've moved from straightforward appreciation to this performance art of descriptors. Maybe we should just enjoy the wine without the drama, you know?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_henry8d ago

Oh man, this hits home. What worked for me was just owning my simple palate, I'd say things like 'smells like grapes' and shrug. It takes the pressure off and reminds people it's just fermented juice, after all.

simoncarter8d ago

Read a tasting note yesterday claiming a merlot had "hints of antique saddle leather." Makes you wonder if we've lost the plot somewhere between the vineyard and the poetry assignment.

shah.lisa4d ago

Totally get it, used to roll my eyes at that stuff too. But honestly, once you actually smell an old leather chair next to a glass of some big red, it kinda clicks.