Description
Josh and Rachals Tasting description 2023 – Traditionelle Blanc de blancs.
“Lemon meringue and biscuit aromatics with a hint of oyster shell and saline characters. Rich creamy palate with a fine and persistent mousse. Yellow peach and grapefruit flavours on a dry palate with saline drive giving good length. Drying lemon pith flavours on the finish.”
A “lemon meringue” wine description typically refers to a white wine that balances high, zesty acidity with a creamy, rich mouthfeel and subtle sweetness, mimicking the components of the dessert. It suggests a complex, dessert-like experience, often featuring notes of lemon curd, candied rind, and a soft, toasted, or meringue-like finish
Biscuit aromatics generally feature warm, sweet, and buttery notes, often highlighting vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, and toasted or nutty undertones that emulate fresh baking. These scents, frequently used in candles and food, can range from classic vanilla to spiced ginger, Speculoos, or herbaceous additions.
“Oyster shell” in wine refers to a distinct mineral, briny, or flinty taste often found in cool-climate, high-acid white wines, frequently likened to the sea or wet stones. This taste, associated with “minerality,” often highlights a savory quality and a sharp, refreshing, and slightly metallic finish, making it a perfect pairing for seafood.
Saline characters in wine are savory, mineral-driven sensations that evoke briny, sea-spray, or oyster-shell notes, frequently found in coastal white wines. This taste—often a mouthwatering, slightly salty finish rather than pure saltiness—is technically driven by acidity, mineral components like magnesium, or lees contact rather than literal salt (NaCl), adding freshness and structure.
A rich, creamy palate in wine tasting refers to a full-bodied, smooth, and viscous texture often likened to cream or butter, typically resulting from malolactic fermentation (converting harsh malic acid to soft lactic acid), oak aging, or high alcohol. These wines, such as oaked California Chardonnay or traditional method sparkling wine, often feature notes of butter, toast, vanilla, or hazelnut, offering a luxurious, mouth-coating sensation.
“fine and persistent mousse” the prompt “fine and persistent,” in wine tasting, this phrasing is almost exclusively used to describe the mousse (bubbles) of a high-quality sparkling wine, which is entirely different from the “mousy” off flavor described above.
“Yellow peach and grapefruit flavours on a dry palate” – dry white wine featuring prominent yellow peach and grapefruit flavors generally points to a crisp, aromatic, and fruit-forward style. These notes frequently indicate high acidity, citrusy zest, and a “lip-smacking” finish.
“ Saline drive giving good length” – Saline drive” refers to a distinct, savory, or mineral-driven mouthfeel—often described as briny, coastal, or oyster shell-like —that provides a refreshing, mouth-watering tension in wine, leading to a long and structured finish
“Drying lemon pith” is a tasting note used to describe a specific, tactile finish in white wines, characterized by a combination of high acidity, textural astringency, and a bitter, citrus-oil flavour. It typically indicates a wine with a bone-dry, crisp profile that leaves the mouth feeling puckered or slightly rough, similar to the taste and feel of chewing on the white pith of a lemon rind.
