Winespeak

As I grow in my knowledge and experience in wine, there is a sort of self-imposed pressure I am feeling in regards to winespeak. Winespeak conveys in relatable and descriptive words, the acute and particular sensations one feels when tasting a wine. The words are important in that they should paint an image that is unique to that particular wine being tasted.

I have also come to believe that winespeak is important in that it is also very personal to the taster as well, and also reflects upon the art of the winemaker. Words like oaky, full bodied, floral and mature seem much too prevalent today. Undoubtedly every wine has qualities similar to each other; They're made with basically the same ingredients, so logic tells us they all can share a common vocabulary. But if winemakers work so hard to create a wine that is unique to their interpretation of that vintage or terroir, wouldn't they want tasters to see more beyond the typical "go-to" adjectives? I've encountered this idea as I struggle to conjure descriptive phrases when I drink a wine, which brings me to my second point.

Winespeak is also personal to the taster. As I develop my experience in wine, I realized I don't want to be perceived as snobbish, or worse yet, a poser in some haughty vino culture. I therefore prefer to stay away from said catch phrases. I want my identity as a growing oenophile to be original. I want it to be original to me and original in its contributions to the greater wine world. There is a sort of guilt that creeps into my conscience when I taste a wine and it takes so much concentration to conceive a word that I ashamedly sneak a glance at the bottle label to see if the marketing department would provide me an inspirational start. Perhaps its just that bland American food has dulled my gastronomic sensual creativity. I must work to revive my taste bud/brain connection out of an interminable coma!

I have heard it said, that a wine expert creates their own vocabulary. It could be a specific set of words. I've heard someone describe a particular Cotes-du-Rhone like "gasoline" and it seemed to work. Perhaps a theme can be used as a comparison tool. I am preferential to the latter. A wine mentor of mine once compared an exceptionally full bodied Bordeaux to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. That one comparison left such a vivid impression in my mind. I sensed the complexity of the wine from memories of the playful chatter between the string sections. The wine's forward and strong presence could be recalled by Ludwig's opening bass line "da, da, da, DAAAAAH" Perhaps hints of blueberry or blackberry arise at the finish like the flourish of a violin would. Try it... It's emotionally riveting to actively compare wine to a musical piece, particularly classical. If I ever taste a wine similar to Elgar's Enigma Variations, I might just cry of delight. What particularly attracts me to the use of theme is that it can paint an extremely vivid experience to others. Simultaneously the analogy used remains a deeply personal, secretive, even spiritual memory to the describer. One man's memory of Beethoven's 5th is very different from another's. In the same understanding, perhaps themes are more supportive of wine as an art itself. No two wines are alike - should they be described in such homogenous terms?

Recently had a fabulous Washington Late Harvest Reisling with my mom this weekend. I would say it tasted like Chopin's "Minute" Waltz #6 in D Flat. Light, flirty with some playful substance and all around a delight!