How helpful are the words \u201cbad\u201d or \u201cgood\u201d when referring to a wine? Some writers are quick to use these words when discussing a wine. How do their readers interpret the words? When it comes to wine, the use of words like \u201cbad\u201d and \u201cgood\u201d are not as simple as they seem. Often the word bad means the writer doesn\u2019t like the wine. Conversely the word good means the writer liked the wine. If a reader shares the same likes and dislikes as the writer, than the use of bad or good could prove helpful. However, just because one person dislikes a wine doesn\u2019t imply that the next person will dislike the wine. For example, someone from the southeastern part of the United States who was raised on Muscadine grapes may like and enjoy a glass of wine made from the Nobel grape. Give that person a glass of Shafer Hillside Select and they may think it is bad. Wine is a personal preference and good and bad as used to describe wine is a personal interpretation and therefore not useful. Let\u2019s try not to bash a wine unless it has a \u201cwine fault.\u201d Consider that a review of a wine that criticizes the wine based on what the writer likes is not helpful to the reader. Of course if the wine has a fault that should be noted.<\/p>\n
When can the word \u201cbad\u201d literally mean bad? Some wines are faulted. Jean Lenoir\u2019s wine faults kit Le Nez Du Vin lists 12 faults that a wine may have. These include:<\/p>\n
Vegetal
\nRotten Apple
\nVinegar
\nGlue
\nSoap
\nSulphur
\nRotten egg
\nOnion
\nCauliflower
\nHorse
\nMouldy-earthy
\nCork<\/p>\n
While making wine at Vint Hill Craft Winery in Virginia, we had an opportunity to taste a wine that had a strong cauliflower and onion aroma and taste. The fault was traced to the vineyard. The new vineyard owner did not follow directions on a spray that was applied to the vineyard. Grapes were harvested prior to the number of days stated in the directions for the spray.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve run across a few faults not on the above list including geranium taint and smoke taint. The first wine I made, from a wine kit had a distinct geranium taint. Others didn\u2019t pick it up though and the taint was completely covered up if the wine was mulled. I\u2019ve tasted a 2008 smoke-tainted wine from Mendocino County in California. There were terrible forest fires prior to and during the 2008 harvest and it did affect the wine. Using the word \u201cbad\u201d to describe a fault is entirely different than using the word to describe a wine the writer doesn\u2019t like.<\/p>\n
Readers be aware. If a writer uses the word \u201cbad\u201d or \u201cgood\u201d see if the writer tells why the wine was bad or good. If the author doesn\u2019t give details, then the words \u201cbad\u201d and \u201cgod\u201d are meaningless. If the writer does state why he or she thinks a wine is \u201cbad\u2019 or \u201cgood\u201d then the reader must interpret if their palate agrees with the writer.<\/p>\n
Cheers,
\nTerry<\/p>\n