DESCRIPTORS
I’m sure you’ve come
across one of those web pages called Glossaries of Wine Terms. Go ahead, Google it. I got 10,500,000
results! It’s a handy list of stereotypical terms to use while tasting
wine. They're very useful if you can remember them, but we all describe things
differently. We tend to describe an experience, complex senses, and feelings
that are unique to each of us, unless we’re talking about a glass of wine.
People have their own
way of doing the “wine talk” Some are very systematic and pragmatic while
others like to be more poetic. In Europe, rather comparing the taste to a
specific fruit, a tree, or a bean, some people will tend to describe how they
feel. They will use analogies like: “Ce vin a un parfum de printemps très distingué” – (This wine has
a very distinct fragrance of spring) or in Italian, “Ha il sapore di sottobosco.” –
(It has the taste of forest undergrowth).
Get rid of those
preconceived notions and let your taste buds do the talking.
TOASTING
During the middle ages,
toasting was an act of trust.
Poisoning was a frequent practice back then. The act of toasting consisted of
trading beverages within each other. It also used to be a two-step process: one
of the drinkers would clink his
glass with another to express friendly feelings,
after which the second drinker would proceed to do the same. This process would
spill the beverage into the other glass, therefor reinforcing the trust
nature of this old tradition. Unlike glasses, cups and goblets (aka chalices)
were much sturdier back then, as they were made of wood, metal or even clay.
Different countries say
different things. We say “cheers!” in
English. The Chinese expression “qing qing” (or
tchin tchin) means “please please” and
is used to invite people to come enjoy a drink together. In Italy, “cin cin” (pronounced “cheen cheen”)
represents the sound of the glasses ringing together. By the by, “Chin Chin” has
quite a different meaning in Japan. It means “penis”. Can you imagine raising your glass and
shouting“Penis!” in
front of a crowd? As funny as this may seem, “Kampaï”, meaning “a toast to our health”,
is a much safer Japanese cheer!
Don't forget to check the blog for interesting tips and news of upcoming tastings!
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