Thursday Thirteen - Wine Tasting Terms

Doing research for a novel set around the wine industry I came across some terms that intrigued me. They are used (accurately and inaccurately according to which expert you speak to or book you read) to describe the 'dimensions' of wine and its taste. I thought I'd share some with you. Beside some you will note a letter 'B' (negative) or 'G' (positive) - no letter is neither good nor bad. Just so as you know what the basic terms are Fruit defines the flavor and body that comes from the grape not the wine making process or aging. Body is an important characteristic determined mainly by the alcoholic strength and its extract (wine solids i.e what is left after boiling the wine). Tannic describes the tannins (phenolic preservative) found mainly in red wine and comes from the dark skins, seeds and stems and is a key management factor for the red wine maker.

• Chewy - a wine contains some but not obtrusive tannins
• Closed - not very aromatic - said to be due to its maturity
• Dumb - no aroma/smell at all
• Firm - the tannins are perceptible (G)
  
• Flabby - too low in acid (B - no brainer here)
  
• Hollow -lacking fruit (B)
  
• Hard - too tannic (B)
  
• Hot - too alcoholic (B)
• Legs/Tears - colorless streams left on the inside of a glass after a relatively alcoholic wine has been swirled ( nothing to do with sugar/glycerol)
• Lean - lacking fruit not acid (B)
• Mature - aged to its full potential (G)
• Horizontial Tasting - a comparative tasting of different but related wines of the same year
• Vertical Tasting - comparative tasting of different vintages from the same provenance
  
• Blind Tasting - an attempt to identify and assess wines with covered labels.
  

I find this wine firm, a little chewy, not too flabby but it has great legs! Go and impress your friends.
Next week - I'll post 13 steps to help develop your palate.

(Ref: Jancis Robinson's Wine Course, BBC Books, 1995)

Thursday Thirteen #9 - Rue's Metaphsyical Powers

Yep, here you have it a TT about the common old Garden rue Rutaceae - Ruta graveolens. Bet you didn't know these thirteen things about it:

1. Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo both claimed rue's metaphysical powers improved their eyesight and creative inner vision. (An infusion of leaves is still used to bathe tired eyes)
   
2. Branches of rue were used to sprinkle holy water before high mass - hence it became known as the Herb of Grace.
   
3. It was an important strewing herb and anti-plague plant
4. Robbers who stripped plague victims protected themselves with 'Vinegar of the four thieves' of which rue was a key ingredient
5. It was the main component of mithridate - a greek all-purpose poison antidote.
6. Rue is shown on the heraldic Order of the Thistle. - when Ophelia, in Shakespeare's Hamlet, IV,v (1600) is distributing flowers says: 'O! you must wear your rue with a difference,' she is referring to rue in the heraldic sense.
   
7. It inspired the suit of clubs in playing cards.
8. It's seeds were first used in Roman cooking in 1 AD
   
9. If you crush and sprinkle it's dried leaves they are a powerful insect repellent.
10. By drinking an infusion of its leaves is said to induce perspiration, bring on menstruation, and stimulate bile secretion.
    
11. Herbalists use it to treat hysteria, epilepsy, and abnormal blood pressure.
12. Next time you have partridge for dinner, use the seeds in a marinade with lovage and mint.

NOTE: RUE SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN DURING PREGNANCY, AND ONLY WITH MEDICAL SUPERVISION.

(Main Source: The Complete Book of Herbs : A practical guide to growing and using herbs by Lesley Bremness (1988)