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+--- Thread: describing "spice" (/thread-18472.html)
- joeyz6 - 08-17-2003
Sometimes as I take a sip of wine I feel a sensation on the middle or back of my tongue that I initially describe as "spice," because it feels like a spicy food. Then, often, I realize that it's just the sensation of the woodiness of the wine. What do people think about this? Are wood and spice completely different on the palate for you? Does one bring out the other? How often do you think novices confuse one for the other?
- Drew - 08-18-2003
Spice for me includes flavors of Black Pepper, Cloves, Anise, Licorice and any flavors I detect associated with cooking spices AND I sometimes use the term to describe the flavor and sensation brought on with hot chiles, peppers and the like. Wood aging also imparts earthy flavors that can be described as spice.
Drew
- winoweenie - 08-18-2003
That trip did wonders there J-Boy.Your descriptive comparisons have REALLY started to evolve. 'Atta-boy!WW [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]
- quijote - 08-18-2003
I'm quite a novice, so here's my take in brief: the presence of oak frequently imparts a "spicy" element to the smell or taste of a wine (the scent of clove in an oaked chard, for instance), but too much oak (depending on the wine grape's delicacy) is just plain woody and unpleasant (and much too noticeable). However, I think I've been able to sort out some distinctions, for example the distinction between oak and the grape's peppery taste in a shiraz. And a few wines seem to have a spicy aspect (such as ginger in Gewurtztraminer) without the presence of oak.
It's a little more complex than that, but that's my take on it so far....
- Thomas - 08-18-2003
Seems to me quijote has got it down!
- quijote - 08-18-2003
I'm going to have to keep drinking wine, though, just to make sure my impressions are valid.... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]