Description
Josh and Rachals Tasting description – 2024 Shiraz
“ Lifted nose of briar fruits with hints of cigar box and vanilla. Dark brooding fruits on the front palate with soft satin tannins and a plush generous mouthfeel. Red fruits persist on the back palate giving the wine good length.”
A “lifted nose of briar fruit” is a common tasting note used in wine descriptions, particularly for cool-climate red wines like Pinot Noir and Shiraz. It describes a bright, aromatic bouquet that combines the scent of fresh red or black berries with
the woody, slightly earthy, and savoury aroma of brambles, thorns, and forest undergrowth.
A “hint of cigar box” refers to a specific aroma profile often found in wine, aged spirits, or tobacco products, characterised by a mix of sweet wood, dry tobacco, and sometimes light spice. This scent is derived from the Spanish Cedar wood used to line traditional cigar humidors, which creates a distinctively fragrant environment designed to preserve cigars.
Vanilla in wine tasting is a common aroma or flavor note resulting from aging wine in new oak barrels, particularly American oak, which imparts compounds like vanillin. It is a “tertiary” or “secondary” aroma often found in oaked Chardonnays and red wines like Rioja, adding sweet spice or creamy notes
“Dark and brooding” fruits in wine tasting refer to a cluster of intense, ripe, or concentrated black-fruit flavors, often associated with fuller-bodied, tannic, and sometimes oaked red wines. These flavors represent the deeper, more serious end of the spectrum compared to bright red fruit notes.
Satin or silky tannins in wine tasting describe a smooth, luxurious, and soft mouthfeel, indicating refined, well-integrated phenolic compounds. Unlike harsh or “green” tannins that feel bitter and drying, satin tannins provide structure without overwhelming the palate, often suggesting high-quality, aged, or plush wines.
A “plush” and “generous” mouthfeel in wine tasting describes a luxurious, soft, and, mouth-filling texture that is often associated with high-quality, full-bodied wines. It suggests a wine with smooth, well-resolved tannins and a rich, velvety consistency, acting more like cream than thin liquid
“Length” in wine tasting refers to the duration that favorable flavors and sensations persist on the palate after swallowing or spitting the wine. A high-quality wine often has a long, elegant finish lasting 20 seconds or more, while exceptional wines can linger for over a minute.
