As part of the new blog, new focus that I mentioned in last weeks' introduction, one of the new focuses that I would like to pursue, is some wine basics- so every second Monday of the month I'll post four or five wine terms, their definitions and pronunciation guides (these are going to be approximations- not all of the pronunciation symbols will translate into Blogger). If there are words you'd like included here, let me know!
Vitis Vinifera (VEE-tis vī-nif′ehr-uh) The botanical family of grapevines native to Europe and the near East; considered to make the best table wines. Examples include (but aren’t limited to) the Sangiovese grape of Italy, the Cabernets of Bordeaux, Syrah in Province, Riesling from Germany and Austria’s Gruner Veltliner.
For more information, visit the University of California at Davis’ web page at:
For more information, visit the University of California at Davis’ web page at:
Hybrid (Hī-bred) A cross of two or more types of the same plant, relating to wine; a cross of two (or more) grape vines to yield a new vine. Such as a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc yielded Cabernet Sauvignon. So it is possible for a vine to be both a hybrid and Vinifera. Other hybrids that you may encounter in a bottle of wine: Vidal Blanc, Chambourcin, Baco Noir, Ruby Cabernet, Pinotage, Marechal Foch, Blanc du Bois and Vignoles (aka Ravat 51).
Bud Break (bud brāk) The point in a grape vines’ annual life cycle where pollination has occurred and the flowers (inflorescences) become very small berries, that will develop into grape bunches.
Bud Break (bud brāk) The point in a grape vines’ annual life cycle where pollination has occurred and the flowers (inflorescences) become very small berries, that will develop into grape bunches.
Bud break at Guy Drew Vineyards; Cortez, Colorado. May 2007.
Palette vs. Palate vs. Pallet (pa-leht; same pronunciation) One of these refers to a set of colors that an artist uses to create a painting, and the other refers to the range of tastes experienced in your mouth. When something moves over your palate, such as a wine that you’ve just sipped, flavor messages are transmitted from your tongue to your brain, where a comparison occurs. This is why you see wine writers fall over themselves using words like “blackberry”, “loganberry” or “dark berry fruit” in an attempt to translate the flavor sensations in a taste of wine. Palette, on the other hand, is used to refer to a range of colors. Such as: “This room is done in a warm (think yellow, orange, red) palette”. Pallet describes the wooden support piece that cases of wine are delivered on, generally there are about 56 cases of wine to a palette. Just for fun, look back over some of the recent wine reviews you’ve read, who is tasting with their mouth, and who is tasting with a piece of wood?!
Palette vs. Palate vs. Pallet (pa-leht; same pronunciation) One of these refers to a set of colors that an artist uses to create a painting, and the other refers to the range of tastes experienced in your mouth. When something moves over your palate, such as a wine that you’ve just sipped, flavor messages are transmitted from your tongue to your brain, where a comparison occurs. This is why you see wine writers fall over themselves using words like “blackberry”, “loganberry” or “dark berry fruit” in an attempt to translate the flavor sensations in a taste of wine. Palette, on the other hand, is used to refer to a range of colors. Such as: “This room is done in a warm (think yellow, orange, red) palette”. Pallet describes the wooden support piece that cases of wine are delivered on, generally there are about 56 cases of wine to a palette. Just for fun, look back over some of the recent wine reviews you’ve read, who is tasting with their mouth, and who is tasting with a piece of wood?!
2 comments:
Hybrid -- where grapes vines are concerned -- means crosses between different species of vitis. Crosses between the same species are known as 'crosses'. 'Hybrid' has a perjorative connotation, because wines made from them are not considered to be as good as pure vinifera and hybrids ar enot allowed to be planted in the EU. Of the list you give "Vidal Blanc, Chambourcin, Baco Noir, Marechal Foch, Blanc du Bois and Vignoles (aka Ravat 51)" are all hybrids, but Ruby Cabernet & Pinotage are vinifera crosses. As you mention, Cabernet Sauvignon is a cross, as is Syrah and indeed most of the famous varieties are crosses. The difference is that modern crosses are the result of man deliberately crossing varieties for various reasons whereas Cabernet, Syrah & etc were probably wild crosses.
The wooden platform you put cases of wine on is a pallet.
Hello Peter! You're right on the third Pallet (I added it in).
On the Hybrid vs. Cross matter, in American English, both terms are published in dictionaries (mine, at least) as being interchangeable. I do not however have a botanical dictionary.
See the following for an online reference:
http://glossary.gardenweb.com/glossary/nph-ind.cgi?scrug=16677&k=cross&b=and&r=root&s=both
My main point in including cabernet sauvignon as a hybrid, was more to get people thinking- according to all of the articles that I've read on the subject, it was a natural, or 'spontaneous' crossing.
Thanks for reading!
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