Big Reds

[quijote]

I've seen this term used quite frequently. Does it just refer to full-bodied wines such as Cab? Does it also refer to medium/medium-full wines such as Merlot, Côtes du Rhônes, etc.?

Or is the term more of a market-oriented one, referring to all of the reds that command a lot of market share (such as cab, merlot, and pinot)?

Or something else?

[joeyz6]

The only meaning I've ever heard for 'big' is full-bodied.

[Innkeeper]

I would say "very full bodied." This can result from high alcohol, overripe fruit, over extraction, and other factors.

Hugh Johnson defines it thusly: "Concerns the whole flavor, including the alcohol content. Sometimes implies clumsiness, the opposite of elegance. Generally positive, but big is easy in California and less usual in, say, Bordeaux. So the context matters."

[mrdutton]

Like those big ZINS, eh IK?