The Wonders of Winespeak

[Al_Dente]

Are we ever going to get back on topic? At least just let the thread die a natural death...

[Craig Camp]

I think there were a lot of great players then as now. However to dismiss the interesting wines of the past in a headlong defense of the squeaky clean commercial wines of today is to ignore the foundation on which today's industry was built. I had some wonderful wines in the late 70's from Wente, Martini and other such names that are dismissed today in favor of technically perfect wines.

If we wax nostalgic about old ball players it is partially out of respect for what they accomplished without the knowledge and technology of today. This most certainly does not mean we do not have respect for the current generation of winemakers - or was that ballplayers.

[Echezeaux]

And I have very fond memories of old time Martini wines...reds matured in old, scuzzy redwood tanks! They were marvelous in their day and many old vintages are still interesting today.

There is an ocean of technologically "perfect" wine today, to be sure. But there are many really fabulous wines being made not only in California, but around the planet.

Look at some of the superb wines from France from places that had god-awful wines twenty or thirty years ago! Wines from Corbieres, for example, were (in my opinion) nearly undrinkable way back when. Today you can find really good wines and sometimes exceptional wines in that region. The same can be said for much of the Languedoc.

Similarly, much of the wine made in Italy 40 years ago was barely "wine." But today the technology is such that all sorts of people are making really good wine. Some are making really strange wine, attempting to cater to a perceived market or palate.

The average vintage in so-called enlightened places like Bordeaux is far higher today than 30 years ago, no?

Technology accounts for some of this, but also a dedication to quality on the part of vintners is supremely helpful.

Even Burgundy hasn't had the total "wash out" vintages it once experienced many years ago...

That being said, I don't put Helen Turley in Barry Bonds' league

[cdh]

Back to the initial inspiration for this thread...

Listen to the multimedia wine feature on nytimes.com, and listen to the last review of the Chateau de Sancerre ... "classic aroma of cat litter and minerals and almost an overripe quality from the fruit"...

Link to article (sub required, etc)

[Loris]

A sample of the AIS - Italian Association of Sommeliers tasting guideline:

ANIMALE Se evidenti rappresentano un difetto, se ben equilibrati con gli altri sentori contraddistinguono la tipicità del vitigno (per esempio pipì di gatto per certi Sauvignon). Pelliccia, cuoio, carne selvaggina, sudore, pipì di gatto...

In English:

ANIMALS (referring to bouquet) : If intense smell is perceived it represents a defect, if well balanced it countersigns the tipicity of the vine (examples: cat pee for certain Sauvignons). Fur, leather, game, sweat, cat pee...

(ooops sorry for my bad english...)