The Art of the Tasting Note

originally posted by Florida Jim:
originally posted by Mike Evans:
My problem with the note is that I can't imagine a Montus deserving that much hyperbole, but I think it was more descriptive than a lot of the laundry list notes I see. Of course, I've been known to write tasting notes that are as purple as a young CRB côt, and I still fondly remember Stuart Yaniger's description of the '93 Overnoy poulsard, so I may not be the best judge of an artful tasting note.
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A classic.
Best, Jim
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A monument.
 
From an email solicitation from Lagier Meredith:

One minute it’s you and Grandma on her gingham blanket at the church picnic with the middle school brass band, the minister’s wife and polite clapping. Next thing you know it’s Rick James breaking into Super Freak with Grandma on drums . . .

and

Café Central, Vienna 1907. Freud, Klimt, Kokoschka and Mahler argue “beauty” at the table behind you. That mysterious girl (where did you meet her again?) in purple leans in to kiss you. Passers by lower their umbrellas as they bustle past on the reflective wet sidewalk, all in good spirits after a sudden warm summer cloudburst.

Now, there are tasting notes for you!
 
I tracked down the TN that Jeff quotes above to see who wrote it - and started reading some of his burgundy notes. I like his style! This comment amused me (the wine was 1988 Clos du Tart):

"Stinky, feral yet at the same time classy - kind of like a posh person who never washes."
 
originally posted by MLipton:
In today's InboxFrom an email solicitation from Lagier Meredith:

One minute it’s you and Grandma on her gingham blanket at the church picnic with the middle school brass band, the minister’s wife and polite clapping. Next thing you know it’s Rick James breaking into Super Freak with Grandma on drums . . .

and

Café Central, Vienna 1907. Freud, Klimt, Kokoschka and Mahler argue “beauty” at the table behind you. That mysterious girl (where did you meet her again?) in purple leans in to kiss you. Passers by lower their umbrellas as they bustle past on the reflective wet sidewalk, all in good spirits after a sudden warm summer cloudburst.

Now, there are tasting notes for you!
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Eh. This kind of thing in commercial context reminds me of the old J. Peterman catelogs, where the tale romanticizes some article (fetishizes it? Oswaldo?), which you then buy for the sake of the invoked sentiment. Lynch is the virtuoso of this kind of story-writing for wine, and some new importers are taking a slightly modified approach. Indulge in elaborate, whimsical metaphor, sure, but describe the wine.
 
originally posted by Tom Glasgow:
originally posted by Florida Jim:
originally posted by Mike Evans:
My problem with the note is that I can't imagine a Montus deserving that much hyperbole, but I think it was more descriptive than a lot of the laundry list notes I see. Of course, I've been known to write tasting notes that are as purple as a young CRB côt, and I still fondly remember Stuart Yaniger's description of the '93 Overnoy poulsard, so I may not be the best judge of an artful tasting note.
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A classic.
Best, Jim
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No wonder Overnoy used to be affordable.
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Beyond the colorful imagery, the bit about Joe going the extra yard for a joke always slays me. Great stuff.
 
The peculiar thing about that Yaniger note is that I'm pretty sure the '93 saw no SO2 at all.

Just sayin'. I certainly had funky bottles of that wine.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
The peculiar thing about that Yaniger note is that I'm pretty sure the '93 saw no SO2 at all.

Just sayin'. I certainly had funky bottles of that wine.
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I think that's right. I have vague recollections of David Lillie telling me to be careful around the bottles in the cold storage room at Garnet back in the day as they might explode. I didn't realize at the time that he was serious.
 
I still have two bottles of the 93. The last three I opened, all over the last year, had a ton of brett, below which peeked good stuff. Hardly explosive.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
The peculiar thing about that Yaniger note is that I'm pretty sure the '93 saw no SO2 at all.

Just sayin'. I certainly had funky bottles of that wine.
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Having spoken with people who were at that dinner and had other bottles of the same wine they all agreed that was an off bottle. A very off bottle.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
originally posted by SFJoe:
The peculiar thing about that Yaniger note is that I'm pretty sure the '93 saw no SO2 at all.

Just sayin'. I certainly had funky bottles of that wine.
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Having spoken with people who were at that dinner and had other bottles of the same wine they all agreed that was an off bottle. A very off bottle.
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Oh, clearly. I was just noting that SY had identified high levels of free and bound SO2 that seemed incompatible with the practice in that shop.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:

Oh, clearly. I was just noting that SY had identified high levels of free and bound SO2 that seemed incompatible with the practice in that shop.
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it's called, 'sciencing up yo bitchin." newbs and lurkers shit their pants at the mere sight of it.

r.s
 
Saw this note today by Wine Spectator for a 2000 Ramey Hudson chardonnay I thought was worth sharing:
Ultrarich and multifaceted, with layers of ripe fig, apricot, pear and butterscotch. Well-oaked, too, but that only adds to the array of flavors. Finish goes on and on. Drink now through 2006. (3/ 2003)
 
originally posted by SteveTimko:
Saw this note today by Wine Spectator for a 2000 Ramey Hudson chardonnay I thought was worth sharing:
Ultrarich and multifaceted, with layers of ripe fig, apricot, pear and butterscotch. Well-oaked, too, but that only adds to the array of flavors. Finish goes on and on. Drink now through 2006. (3/ 2003)
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Some would translate "the finish goes on and on" as "god, I can't get that fucking taste out of my mouth."
 
originally posted by John Roberts:
originally posted by SteveTimko:
Saw this note today by Wine Spectator for a 2000 Ramey Hudson chardonnay I thought was worth sharing:
Ultrarich and multifaceted, with layers of ripe fig, apricot, pear and butterscotch. Well-oaked, too, but that only adds to the array of flavors. Finish goes on and on. Drink now through 2006. (3/ 2003)
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Some would translate "the finish goes on and on" as "god, I can't get that fucking taste out of my mouth."
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"A badness that lingers..." Fixed it for you you. H/T to his Corpulence.
 
originally posted by Mike Evans:
My problem with the note is that I can't imagine a Montus deserving that much hyperbole, but I think it was more descriptive than a lot of the laundry list notes I see. Of course, I've been known to write tasting notes that are as purple as a young CRB côt, and I still fondly remember Stuart Yaniger's description of the '93 Overnoy poulsard, so I may not be the best judge of an artful tasting note.
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Just drank this last night. Or tried to anyway. Agree with Yaniger.
 
originally posted by Michael Lewis:
originally posted by Mike Evans:
My problem with the note is that I can't imagine a Montus deserving that much hyperbole, but I think it was more descriptive than a lot of the laundry list notes I see. Of course, I've been known to write tasting notes that are as purple as a young CRB côt, and I still fondly remember Stuart Yaniger's description of the '93 Overnoy poulsard, so I may not be the best judge of an artful tasting note.
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Just drank this last night. Or tried to anyway. Agree with Yaniger.
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At long last, a wine we agree on.
 
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