Once the judges fell into the trap of assuming that intensity should be their predominant standard of judgement, the distinctions that make French wines French suddenly became less important. French wines were at a disadvantage in the Paris judging because sensory qualities such as subtlety, harmony of sensations rather than intensity, and normally distinct, hallmark flavor markers commonly associated with French vineyards or terroir suddenly became blurred within this blind tasting format. Therefore, if a wine is intense in fruit, it is probably French. Their assumption, obviously, was that France grows the best wines. With no point of reference, which often happens in blind tastings involving inexperienced judges, the French judges ended up awarding the most points to wines that exhibited the most intense fruit character. How could French judges possibly rate California wines higher than their own French wines? It happened because.ġ. The official results of that historic tasting: Take, for example the famous " Judgement of Paris" of 1976: Where French judges, in a blind tasting, were "fooled" into rating California wines above a few all-time great French growths, mostly because these judges had no prior experience of California wines. There is absoluely no accounting for taste. Aromatic qualities - such as oak, herbiness or fruitiness - are all subjective to a beholder's ability to perceive them, which depends upon the volume of a person's "taste memory," as the late Michael Broadbent MW famously put it.Īfter that, all bets are off, because what may seem like a balanced wine to one person may be rough and excessive to another person, or weak and wimpy to still another person. Body is in balance when alcohol does not taste harsh or hot. Tannin is balanced when the wine is not unpleasantly bitter or astringent. That is to say: Acidity is balanced when a wine is neither too puckery nor so soft that it lacks freshness or crispness. Popular wine influencers learning about Lodi Zinfandel by tasting them "blind" (from left, Casleah Herwaldt, Lexi Stephens, Desiree Harrison-Brown and Jamie Knee).Ī wine can be described as "balanced" when all its sensory qualities are in harmony, without excess of one element or another. Patience will unlock so much more.A new (or is it old?) definition of wine balance Together these grapes are said to offer peach, apricot and lemon lead in a rich, dry wine, with overtones of honeysuckle and warm brioche. This a wine to enjoy with food, but which can be quietly unpacked to give a complex wine that can be discovered again and again. Rousanne brings floral and herbal character, while Marsanne adds pear with stone fruit, spice and a nutty quality. A lush grape, with and a soft aromatic character backed by stone fruit and minerality, a good viognier is a treasure. Viognier is a difficult grape to grow well, but reaches its peak in the Northern Rhône. Perfect balance lodi full#This wine is full and rich, and yet retains a dry and crisp quality with true balance. Overtones of honeysuckle and warm brioche. Peach, apricot and lemon lead is this rich, dry wine. Known for a rich nutty character with hints of pear and spice, it adds depth and character. Marsanne is a grape that is rarely grown outside the Northern Rhône. Viognier is a stable grape variety in the region and noted for its red and white blends. Wines from the northern Rhône enjoy warm days and cool winds from the Massif Centrale at night to produce consistently excellent wines. Try to avoid a discussion with Fiona on the subject. Well drained slopes, difficult soils and a complex climate yield some of the world's best wines. The Northern Rhône is simply wine country. Any grape from this region is low-yield and exclusive and Roussette is no exception. Lying further south than Burgundy or the Loire, this region enjoys full sun and warm days, before cool air sweeps down from the Alps at night. It was always hard to argue with Napoleon. Savoie was an independent nation that spanned the French-Italian Alps until Napoleon suggested that the French side join the wider Republic. Savoie (Savoy to the English) is a small exclusive appelation in the French Alps. Another LE exclusive opportunity to try something beyond the mainstream. The source of these grapes and the blend is very, very French. Viognier produces wonderful wines, sometimes described as Chardonnay with more. This is another wine that makes us to grateful for the LE series. Viognier - Roussanne – Marsanne, Savoie and Northern Rhône
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