the wine thread

[Crisp Sandwich]

What's a good low-sugar red?

Ribena.

 

[Ghoti]

Ribena.

That better not be a fucking Merlot.

 

[Crisp Sandwich]

That better not be a fucking Merlot.

 

[Ghoti]

Question. When people say they can taste things like vanilla and cloves in a wine, is that because vanilla and cloves have been used in the wine-making process?

 

[Crisp Sandwich]

Question. When people say they can taste things like vanilla and cloves in a wine, is that because vanilla and cloves have been used in the wine-making process?

Nope. I mean, I suppose that there are winemakers that would put adjuncts into their products to achieve those notes but generally those scents and tastes are flavours created in the fermentation/storing process.

Much in the same way that you'd taste chocolate or coffee in Beamish/Guinness even though those items are not in the recipe - it's because of the grain profile and the malting. Likewise pineapple or grapefruit flavours in a pale ale because of hop profiling. I've had American pale ales that taste like Lilt merely by being brewed with the correct malts and hops like Mosaic, Centennial or Cascade.

Again - beer brewers do add flavour adjuncts to their beers to force these flavours/aromas but then it must be stated on the ingredients. Then it's a fruited beer or some other such bollocks.

If you watch the documentary, "Somm", then you'll get a very good idea of it. One lad says that the wine he's sniffing smells like "a can of freshly-opened tennis balls".

If you are genuinely interested in this (and I can't tell if you're taking the piss or not so I'll assume that you are genuine) then the book "Wine Folly" is a great read. It's how I taught myself about wine during the first Covid lockdown.

 

[Ghoti]

Nope. I mean, I suppose that there are winemakers that would put adjuncts into their products to achieve those notes but generally those scents and tastes are flavours created in the fermentation/storing process.

Much in the same way that you'd taste chocolate or coffee in Beamish/Guinness even though those items are not in the recipe - it's because of the grain profile and the malting. Likewise pineapple or grapefruit flavours in a pale ale because of hop profiling. I've had American pale ales that taste like Lilt merely by being brewed with the correct malts and hops like Mosaic, Centennial or Cascade.

Again - beer brewers do add flavour adjuncts to their beers to force these flavours/aromas but then it must be stated on the ingredients. Then it's a fruited beer or some other such bollocks.

If you watch the documentary, "Somm", then you'll get a very good idea of it. One lad says that the wine he's sniffing smells like "a can of freshly-opened tennis balls".

If you are genuinely interested in this (and I can't tell if you're taking the piss or not so I'll assume that you are genuine) then the book "Wine Folly" is a great read. It's how I taught myself about wine during the first Covid lockdown.

I’m not incredibly interested in this, but I often wondered why people said those things and didn’t realise it’s because of certain exactitudes in the winemaking process. I just thought they were being pretentious. I might get into wine. I am off the beer.

 

[Carmona]

I remember reading once that the DNA of some of the grapes and some of the most famous associations are actually scientifically close. So, when some plonker says, it has hints of mushroom and pineapple (I jest), seemingly it has been proven that both of those may Indeed share a lot if characteristics with the actual grape.

 

[bigdaddycan]

Question. When people say they can taste things like vanilla and cloves in a wine, is that because vanilla and cloves have been used in the wine-making process?

Vanilla and clove are both secondary flavour characteristics aka added in the winery as opposed to in the field (primary - flavours of various fruits etc) or in the bottle as the wine develops (tertiary - like nutiness or caramel)
both of these are an indication of oak barrels used in the winemaking process

wine folly is a great book to start you down the road, Madeline the author is worth a follow on IG too

 

[Apollo Creed]

A cheeky number I picked up in Seville that I'll be demolishing this weekend.

 

[Carmona]

You'll notice the vanilla in that, mate. Wife picked up a couple of Viña Pomal Reservas this morning. Buy one, get one free! Works out at about 6.80 a bottle.