Comments on: “Hocus-pocus” – The Taste Makers in the NYer http://www.drvino.com/2009/11/30/hocus-pocus-taste-makers-nyer/ wine talk that goes down easy Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:49:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Jeff Mausbach http://www.drvino.com/2009/11/30/hocus-pocus-taste-makers-nyer/#comment-293259 Jeff Mausbach Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:43:04 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=5472#comment-293259 Tyler, Great article. It is true that wine aromas are chemically very volatile and complex - some say over 400 different chemical aromatic precursors in wine that are constantly in flux given their interaciton with oxygen. Even if we are only able to detect 3 or 4 or even 12, this helps explain why wine provides unique aromatic experiences given the individual taster and occassion. Indeed, one of the beautiful mysteries of wine. Jeff Mausbach Wine Education Director Bodega Catena Zapata Tyler,

Great article.

It is true that wine aromas are chemically very volatile and complex – some say over 400 different chemical aromatic precursors in wine that are constantly in flux given their interaciton with oxygen. Even if we are only able to detect 3 or 4 or even 12, this helps explain why wine provides unique aromatic experiences given the individual taster and occassion. Indeed, one of the beautiful mysteries of wine.

Jeff Mausbach
Wine Education Director
Bodega Catena Zapata

]]> By: Greg http://www.drvino.com/2009/11/30/hocus-pocus-taste-makers-nyer/#comment-293252 Greg Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:29:10 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=5472#comment-293252 Everyone who tastes wine, just like every driver, is convinced they're above average. Any attempt to convince a wine snob they're finding more than several aromas usually falls on deaf ears. They are also convinced of the absolute precision of their notes. I suspect is is possible to get a longer list of aromas tasting over an extended period of time. If you revisit a wine an hour later, you may notice something new or different. But I certainly doubt in the context of tasting a lineup back-to-back as critics often do that a dozen aromas and flavors are evident. I know from tasting different bottles of the same wine that I'll often have widely varying experiences. Whether it's bottle variation or taster variation, I'm fairly convinced the specificity and number of aromas listed is mostly bunk. They're better of with 'structural' descriptions like fruity, earthy, acidic, red fruit, black fruit, etc. Everyone who tastes wine, just like every driver, is convinced they’re above average. Any attempt to convince a wine snob they’re finding more than several aromas usually falls on deaf ears. They are also convinced of the absolute precision of their notes.

I suspect is is possible to get a longer list of aromas tasting over an extended period of time. If you revisit a wine an hour later, you may notice something new or different. But I certainly doubt in the context of tasting a lineup back-to-back as critics often do that a dozen aromas and flavors are evident.

I know from tasting different bottles of the same wine that I’ll often have widely varying experiences. Whether it’s bottle variation or taster variation, I’m fairly convinced the specificity and number of aromas listed is mostly bunk. They’re better of with ‘structural’ descriptions like fruity, earthy, acidic, red fruit, black fruit, etc.

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