Crunchy wine

[ChrisTaylor]

I'm reading an article that rates a number of Australian reds. A couple of the pinot noirs are described as having a 'juicy crunchy finish.' What does that mean? I can sometimes take things too literally (let's just say it's hardwired) but when I think of crunch I think of ... celery. I think of crunching on a packet of potato crisps. I find it hard to imagine a drinking experience along these lines.

Too, if a palate 'displays athletic shape and energetic tannins', what does that mean? I've no issue understanding flavour/aroma-based tasting notes (i.e. grassy, blackberry or even 'chalky tannins') but I'm at a loss when trying to understand this sort of wine writing.

[Tri2Cook]

I think there's a point where people just start cooking up their own descriptors so they can sound like they know something we don't. However, "juicy, crunchy" makes me think biting a pear, apple, stuff like that and could very well work as a descriptor in a wine tasting. That refreshing feeling that accompanies biting into something crispy and juicy.

Edited to add disclaimer: I'm not a wine expert or even a particularly devout enthusiast so take what I say on the subject for what it's worth.

Edited December 16, 2011 by Tri2Cook (log)

[Dexter]

Sounds like a marketing job gone horribly over the top. As a wine professional, I have no bloody idea what that description means, and I spend every single day reading and tasting these things... While no description adequately captures the flavors and aromas of a wine, some descriptions are so punched up they are completely useless. "Athletic shape" and "energetic tannins" indeed.

All that being said, it sounds to me like someone's trying to polish up a wine that the makers tried to leave on the skins to recover from under-ripe fruit, resulting in "green" tannins and a fair bit of malic acid in the bottle. Just a wild guess though. Only real way is to open a bottle and see for yourself.

[Mjx]

Might be a silly/misguided/pretentious effort to make the term 'crisp' sound more interesting. It's also not impossible that the writer is unknowingly a synaesthete, and just thinks that experiencing flavours in this sort of way is common to everyone.

[ChrisTaylor]

Sure. Maybe. But if I was an editor I'd jump on that line with my initial question. A professional writer isn't writing for himself or herself. A professional writer writes for a wider audience.

[Mano]

Too, if a palate 'displays athletic shape and energetic tannins', what does that mean?

I was pretty close to a full belly laugh with that one!

[rotuts]

most wine talk is psycho-babble. no all, just most.

this however is a new high/low of p-b

[Mjx]

Sure. Maybe. But if I was an editor I'd jump on that line with my initial question. A professional writer isn't writing for himself or herself. A professional writer writes for a wider audience.

Absolutely, but I think that a lot of publications care much more about being 'different' than intelligible; I know from aggravating experience that most authors seem to.

[haresfur]

Too, if a palate 'displays athletic shape and energetic tannins', what does that mean? I've no issue understanding flavour/aroma-based tasting notes (i.e. grassy, blackberry or even 'chalky tannins') but I'm at a loss when trying to understand this sort of wine writing.

I'd guess that means the wine is so overboard/dominated by tannins that you might get equal enjoyment if it had been filtered through dirty athletic socks.

[gfweb]

Crunchy means the wine needs to be decanted.

[Don Giovanni]

crunchy is jammy sharp fruit with plenty of acid as in PH...makes you think of wine that smacks the lips and is chewy but not in as in high PH chewy or sweet ... crunchy as in sharp clean lip smacking yet opulent ...

[Mjx]

crunchy is jammy sharp fruit with plenty of acid as in PH...makes you think of wine that smacks the lips and is chewy but not in as in high PH chewy or sweet ... crunchy as in sharp clean lip smacking yet opulent ...

A high pH is alkaline, not acidic; that'd be 'soapy', most likely.

[DeeBee]

Sediment?