What causes Hard and Angular was: TN: Good Brunello, bad Chianti, couple others


Dale:

The words "hard and angular" are just the ones I have been looking for to describe a wine that I have had for a while. I am rather new at this so I couldn't quite find a name for what I was tasting. I am curious if you know what the cause might be?

In my case it is a 2001 Pinot Noir from southwest Michigan. I have tried a bottle each year since '02. I think I can recognize tannins using the reference to tea and having tried several wines with tannin designed to age. The tannins can be strong and give that drying feeling but not what I would call harsh or "angular" as is my pinot.

wine menus worth the price
On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 16:05:51 GMT, "Nils Gustaf Lindgren" Forgive me for snipping your horror story, but it is on the verge of becoming the common occurrence worldwide. Two issues ago the Wine...

I have also tasted wines high in acid, especially from up where we live. Again I would not call them "hard and angular" but more "tart" would be the word; as in drinking lemon juice.

I have thought possibly ascetic acid but it is not volatile and the nose is quite pretty (if a little oaky). And I can't detect anything that I could liken to vinegar.

I observe from reading this group that TCA usually presents itself as a lack of fruit accompanied (if one has the nose for it) by various musty off flavors (wet cardboard, dog etc.). I could find none of these in the above Pinot. The fruit in the aroma seemed resonably pleasant.

wine menus worth the price
SNIP Fortunately, I've had good luck with what I term "Sommelier's Tasting" menus. These have almost always accompanied a "Chef's Tasting" menu...

So I have been looking for the way to describe the sort of thing you found in the Nando Chianti. I think "hard and angular" is it.

Does this represent some specific of flaw in winemaking? What might be the cause of it, do you think?

Thanks,

TN: Good Brunello, bad Chianti, couple others
With lemon chicken, the 2002 Hugel Gentil (Alsace). Not as aromatic as some vintages, and possibly a tiny bit of residual...

Art Schubert Traverse City, Michigan


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