Austere is a major geek term that is often used to describe a young, expensive wine that critics assume will evolve into a blockbuster.
The term austere is actually difficult to pinpoint; it is a vague definition of a wine that has a high level of acid and/or tannin, which currently overpowers the fruit, but is expected to soften with age.
For example, a huge red Bordeaux or expensive California Cabernet may taste more like an ashtray than wine — when it is young. The flavors will be dominated by bitter earth and tar, acids may be oppressive (some people describe it as “bite”), and/or the tannins may leave your tongue feeling like it needs a shave. However, experienced connoisseurs — who have tasted similar wines in youth and later at maturity — may take the educated guess that the wine will eventually evelve into something much more drinkable. So instead of saying the wine is similar to licking hot tarmac, they’ll say it is “austere” (sounds a lot better, doesn’t it?).
In all seriousness, if you hear or read the word “austere” in tasting notes, it almost always will mean that the wine is 1) expensive; 2) very young; and 3) after appropriate time in the cellar, the “hardness” (“hard” is a common synonym for “austere”) will soften, the fruit will come forward, and the wine should taste somewhere between good and extraordinary.
By the way, if you are an advanced wine drinker and want to become more knowledgeable about wine, you should consider purchasing The Oxford Companion to Wine. Just about every wine term you’ve ever heard (and never heard) is defined in this massive tome, and it makes a nice paperweight. Click on the picture to the left to buy it from Amazon.
Italy may be best known for Sangiovese, the base grape of some of the country’s greatest wines, such as Chianti and Brunello. Rivaling Sangiovese is Nebbiolo, the fruit producing Barolo and Barbaresco. A third, lesser-known (at least, outside of Italy) yet just as supreme grape is Aglianico (ahl-YAHN-eh-koe).
Looking for an impressive, big-ticket bottle of wine that is cooler than the well-knowns?
For many of you, the answer is clear: Chianti is a winegrowing region within Tuscany, Italy. However, for those who have drunk Chianti before — perhaps many times — yet never really knew what it meant, you can learn all about it by following this link:
Choosing a wine for Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be so different from any other special occasion. That said, sparkling wine or Champagne is the ultimate celebratory beverage, and the obvious choice for romantic endeavors. It’s a no-brainer — you can’t go wrong by picking a quality Champagne, no matter how you choose to spend your Valentine’s Day. You can drink it as an aperitif, with appetizers, through the meal, and in the hot tub afterward (beyond that you can let your creative juices run wild with the possibilities).
OK, you’ve prepared a tray of baked ziti, have the nuclear-hot buffalo wings roasting in the oven, your secret-recipe chili simmering on the stove, and spread out the chips, dips, pre-cut veggie platter and getting ready to dole out the over-under squares in the final score pool. For beverages, you have the keg on ice and six choices of soda. What about the wine?
You have two issues when matching wine with the traditional turkey dinner — first, a wine that will go with turkey, and second, a wine that will have a chance to stand up to all the trimmings and various side dishes. Needless to say, this is not an easy task.
In a few days we’ll be ringing in 2006… and chances are you’ll be celebrating with Champagne. Check out the article
Recent Comments