Episode #704 – Why Using Metaphors to Describe Wine is Like Digging a Pool with a Spoon!

Few things get under Host David Wilson’s skin than the use and abuse of metaphors when describing wine, and he says the time has come to address the elephant in the room by writing more intelligible wine descriptions. David is quick to admit that he loves using metaphors in everyday conversation. But there is a serious problem when certain metaphors are used to describe wines. That’s because the metaphors in question don’t get us closer to understanding what a wine tastes like.

For example, it is common to describe the flavors in certain wines as a host of fruits and vegetables… many of them quite exotic and unfamiliar. But even if we were to say that a Chardonnay tastes a bit like a peach, then what does the peach taste like? Very few wine tasting notes stand on their own merits and don’t force us to ponder what the things the wine’s taste is being compared to taste like themselves.

David argues that it is time for more straightforward and useful wine descriptions that don’t leave consumers scratching their heads wondering what “pencil lead” and “overripe Dragon Fruit” taste like. There’s plenty of food for thought here… if only we could describe what it tastes like!

This edition of Grape Encounters has been brought to you by Total Wine & More. Absolutely nobody makes great wines, spirits, and beer from around the globe more accessible and affordable than Total Wine & More. Whether you’re an expert, a sommelier in training, or just a wine-loving consumer that could do without all the jargon, Total Wine & More speaks your language. Find what you love. Love what you find at Total Wine & More, or visit Total Wine.com. And please, be 21!