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ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:53
 | | 10/23/2005 5:00 AM |
| G'day or evening to everyone; I've been working on an essay for a Literary Critical Theory class today, and while I will finish it entirely tomorrow, I thought I would post the first bit online for your viewing.
As a warning, this is a) rough, and b) rough material. Semiotics isn't going to get printed in Wine Spectator any time soon, but I think it should have value here.
The essay will be posted directly below this - when the remainder is finished, I will just edit that post. (Also, footnoting seems to be lost in the transfer from the word processor to the BB, so I'll just skip it for now.) | | | |
| ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:53
| | 10/23/2005 5:04 AM |
| Analysis in the field of oenology has undoubtedly been neglected by contemporary critical scholarship. The study of wine can be avoided because of its historical relegation to the elite (and others who bear the fringe interest.) However, as sales, interest and knowledge of wine uniformly rise across the population, it seems fitting that more attention be given. The form, features and functions of the modern wine tasting note will be examined with respect to their structural and sociological discourses. Observing such linguistic and connotative levels will qualify the passages as open text [in the Giambatista Vico-distinction]. However, the medium is ultimately as finite and untrustworthy as it is aesthetically pleasing.
The tasting note originates from sensory evaluation. Wine is classically assessed by sight, aroma and taste. From these three areas, the writer is then required to condense observations that he or she has made. We will explore the size and scope of tasting notes shortly. It should be noted that the sense-trifecta is discretional and not required to be fully represented. Two factors present in the language and phrasing are critical to the overall composition: firstly, the attribution of value from vocabulary; secondly, the inclusion/exclusion of properties.
As the Saussure lectures indicate, textual value is determined by a dissimilar item of exchange, or similar items of comparison. Classifying characteristics of wine is dependent on comparison. A wine’s acids, esters and aldehydes create sensations that the author will then associate with pre-existing flavours. What is presented to the reader, is then a purely associative exercise. Before actually reading a note, we can safely assert that the pure value of wine exists in what it resembles. At this point, it is imperative to recall the Saussurean idea that “what is in the word is only ever determined by the contribution of what exists around it.” For oenological purposes, the style of wine produced will qualify certain descriptors either highly or poorly. A basic example is the expected presence of green apple in Chardonnay. In Cabernet Sauvignon, finding green apple (or other vegetative qualities) is considered a flaw. Excerpted is a selection from the Canadian "Vines Magazine".
4.5 Stars / Lailey Vineyard 2002 Limited Edition Chardonnay / $45
…This masterful Chardonnay reveals intense aromatics, including toasted nuts and tropical fruit notes. A big, rich and integrated Chardonnay, this is truly astounding stuff. It is a mouthfilling wine with intensely spiced apple and pear fruit, an excellent creamy texture and long, lingering finish. One sip of this wine and you’ll have no doubt about its style and good breeding.
There is a lot of material to work with here. We will begin with the general markings of flavours. The reader is imposed by a variety of similar tree fruit, grain (toasted nuts) and cream. Even if the line “A big, rich…” were not included, there is no doubt that this is a wine of weight and substance.
Further, context and adjective use is important in establishing the note. Words such as “masterful”, “rich”, and the double use of “intense[ly]” surround the descriptors. If one doubted the value of toast in wine, any of the above should give confidence for its merit. Using the word “reveals” suggests that the wine is capable of delivering something special, only for the worthy drinker. More overt is the insertion of approval: words and phrases like “excellent”, “truly astounding stuff”, and especially the entire final line. The quantity of comments establishing the idea of complexity and harmony dictate to the reader that the wine is a quality one. The score preceding the text contributes to that as well, but that too will be discussed later.
Ultimately, textual meaning/value should form a substantial portion of the tasting note’s impact. However, if an important part of a note is absent, it may imply something is amiss. When writing, the author recalls the sensory influence, but not everything can be included. The author is selective. This presents a subjective and inaccurate representation. An author’s bias immediately becomes a factor. (One may argue that the indice of wine’s ‘time sampled’ is a cause for incongruence. Flavour profiles change as a wine ages, but rare/vintage wines are not as commonly featured in average/contemporary publications.) Though it is possible that the author may be limited by space, it is better protocol to invoke Michel Foucault’s notion of prohibition. “…in every society the production of discourse is at once controlled, selected, organised and redistributed by a certain number of procedures...”
The tasting note is born out of a duty to report. While evaluating wine is a subjective art, it is transmitted into an objective description through print. Objectivity is put forth as truth. Unfortunately, in print truth is marred by agenda. Foucault reaffirms this, insofar that “the will to truth, like other systems of exclusion, rests on institutional support.” The two major sources of tasting notes are wine magazines (buyers guides) and producers themselves. Let us now turn our attention to difference and exclusion between identical wines in Buyers’ Guides, then between guide and producer. | | | |
| Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts:9054
| | 10/23/2005 4:32 PM |
| Interesting start SJU, looking forward to reading the rest.
A request however - please continue the paper in a new post or, if you will edit the existing post, add a new post as an alert so we will know it is here. | | | |
| David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15701
| | 10/25/2005 9:04 PM |
| Quote:
4.5 Stars / Lailey Vineyard 2002 Limited Edition Chardonnay / $45
…This masterful Chardonnay reveals intense aromatics, including toasted nuts and tropical fruit notes. A big, rich and integrated Chardonnay, this is truly astounding stuff. It is a mouthfilling wine with intensely spiced apple and pear fruit, an excellent creamy texture and long, lingering finish. One sip of this wine and you’ll have no doubt about its style and good breeding.
As skwid would say, "You're wrong!".
You need to address jerks like this in your paper  | | | |
| ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:53
| | 10/27/2005 5:16 AM |
| Hey there,
Sorry for the delay, got caught up in another paper and a midterm. Essay's finished, it'll be in the post right below this. I'll mention too, that while 90% of what has been posted already is the same, some of the introduction has been retooled, and I took a new direction near the end.
Anyway, enjoy. I used footnotes during the document, so I'm transposing those into endnotes here. Also, keep in mind that this is a 6 page essay for a Literary Theory Class: there's a lot more I could have gotten into, and there are some facts I had to insert for the sake of the audience (Prof or other students) not getting lost.
The title was also changed, you'll notice that right at the top. | | | |
| ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:53
| | 10/27/2005 5:28 AM |
| The Discourse of Structure in Wine Tasting
Analysis in the field of oenology has undoubtedly been neglected by contemporary critical scholarship. The study of wine can be generally marginalized because of its historical relegation to the elite (and others who bear the fringe interest). However, as sales, interest and knowledge of wine uniformly rise across the population, it seems fitting that more attention be given. The form, features and functions of the modern wine tasting note will be examined with respect to their structural discourses. Observing such linguistic and connotative levels will qualify the passages as a medium which is finite, multifaceted and aesthetically pleasing.
The tasting note originates from sensory evaluation. Wine is classically assessed by sight (colour), aroma (bouquet) and taste.Ώ] From these three areas, the writer is then required to condense observations that he or she has made. It should be noted that reporting of all three senses is discretional and not required. Two factors present in the language and phrasing are critical to the overall composition: firstly, the attribution of value from vocabulary; secondly, the inclusion/exclusion of properties.
As the Saussure lectures indicate, textual value is determined by a dissimilar item of exchange or similar items of comparison. Classifying characteristics of wine is dependent on comparison.ΐ] A wine’s acids, esters and aldehydes create sensations that the author will then associate with pre-existing flavours. What is then presented to the reader is a purely associative exercise. Before actually reading a note, we can safely assert that the value of wine exists in what it resembles.Α] At this point, it is imperative to recall the Saussurean idea that “content is really fixed only by the concurrence of everything that exists outside it.”Β] For oenological purposes, the style of wine produced will qualify certain descriptors either highly or poorly. A basic example is the expected presence of green apple in Chardonnay. In Cabernet Sauvignon, finding green apple (or other vegetative qualities) is considered a flaw. Excerpted is a selection from the Canadian Vines Magazine.
4.5 Stars / Lailey Vineyard 2002 Limited Edition Chardonnay / $45
…This masterful Chardonnay reveals intense aromatics, including toasted nuts and tropical fruit notes. A big, rich and integrated Chardonnay, this is truly astounding stuff. It is a mouthfilling wine with intensely spiced apple and pear fruit, an excellent creamy texture and long, lingering finish. One sip of this wine and you’ll have no doubt about its style and good breeding. Γ]
There is a lot of material to work with here. We will begin with the general markings of flavour. The reader is imposed by a variety of similar tree fruit, grain (toasted nuts) and cream. Even if the line “A big, rich…” were not included, there is no doubt that this is a wine of weight and substance. It is not light, nor thin/watery. Furthermore, context and adjective use is important in establishing the note. Words such as “masterful”, “rich”, and the double use of “intense[ly]” surround the descriptors. If one doubted the value of toast in wine, any of the above should give confidence for its merit. Using the word “reveals” suggests that the wine is capable of delivering something special, only for the worthy drinker. More overt is the insertion of approval: words and phrases like “excellent”, “truly astounding stuff”, and especially the entire final line. The quantity of comments establishing the idea of complexity and harmony dictate to the reader that the wine is a quality one.Δ]
Ultimately, textual meaning/value should form a substantial portion of the tasting note’s impact. However, if an important part of a note is absent, it may imply something is amiss. When writing, the author recalls the sensory influence, but not everything can be included. The author is selective. This presents a subjective and inaccurate representation. An author’s bias immediately becomes a factor.Ε] Though it is possible that the author may be limited by space, it is better to invoke Michel Foucault’s notion of prohibition. “…in every society the production of discourse is at once controlled, selected, organised and redistributed by a certain number of procedures...”Ζ]
The tasting note is born out of a duty to report. While evaluating wine is a subjective art, it is transmitted into an objective description through print. Objectivity is put forth by the publisher as truth. Foucault reaffirms this, insofar that “the will to truth, like other systems of exclusion, rests on institutional support.”Η] The two major sources of tasting notes are wine magazines (Buyers’ Guides) and producers themselves. Each presents itself as an authority. Let us now turn our attention to difference and exclusion between identical wines in Buyers’ Guides.
Following are two short notes on the 2003 Riesling from German producer Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler. The first comes from Wine Spectator Magazine. “Plush and dense, this white sports peach and citrus notes on an open, juicy structure. Moderate length keeps the peach element alive. Drink now through 2007. 5,000 cases made.”⎖] The second note is cited from Vines Magazine:
This impressive young Riesling offers a scent of acacia honey on its nose, which is something of a hallmark of Rieslings from the atypically hot 2003 vintage. All that sun and heat made for ultra-ripe fruit and yielded impressive peach and honey flavours. A nice toasted mineral element adds complexity and interest to the flavour profile.⎗]
In comparing the vocabulary and foci, a few ideas are striking. Both indicate peach, but Wine Spectator uses it along with citrus and a report on mouth-feel. The “juicy structure” is tasted through acids and plays off the “plush” idea, serving as bookends to the fruit. Words like “sports” and “moderate” indicate this to be a playful, uncomplicated wine. Vines uses peach, but brings a focus to honey and its place in terms of the “atypically hot” production. The wine is not simple as Wine Spectator suggests. Vines uses “complexity”, “interest” and “profile” to infer that the wine is of great quality. Since it is the same wine, it would make sense to see at least a similar direction to the comments. It seems strange that the Vines note spends about half of the time explaining honey, yet Wine Spectator does not mention it.
Perhaps, to better understand the “honey” quandary, it is beneficial to consider the context in which honey exists in wine. Honey as a descriptor is classified in the Caramel subcategory of the larger Caramelized division of the Aroma Wheel.⎘] What is more interesting is that honey, honeyed, or caramelized is used with great frequency in describing dessert wines. For example, a perfect, 100 point dessert wine, awarded the honour of 2004 Wine of the Year: “The 2001 Rieussec [Sauternes] is… hyperconcentrated, with layers of flavours that deliver an array of mineral, honey and pineapple with accents of dried spices.”⎙] Sauternes wines are made with the mold botrytis cinerea, exactly the same as German dessert wines.⎚] The Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Riesling is not of the dessert distinction; it is an ordinary table wine.
Speculation begins as to what the readers of Wine Spectator are actually looking for. If readers want to understand it as a traditional Riesling, then they are rewarded uncomplicated peach and citrus. Contrary to that, the Vines article educates the readers, who may feel smarter by knowing more about 2003 Rieslings. The simplicity of the wine is marginalized in favour of developing the value of its unique character. Both notes have been selectively written. Their omissions create entirely different readings, accomplished by appealing to either tradition or self-empowerment. In each case, the supremacy of the objective print is reinforced.
It is impossible and illogical to suggest that each tasting note is written with a particular ideology guiding it. Notes are written with the agenda of sales in mind⎛], and the limited print-space allotted to the note limits what influence ideology may have. The closest application of ideology comes in the second of two sides that are represented in each tasting note: wine itself, and how the wine fits into the world. In the latter is where wine is attributed a social context. Social context is developed by monetary value and utility. Wines may have utility in food pairing, or be functional otherwise.⎜] After a brief description of flavour, the 2004 Gewürztraminer from Featherstone Estate Winery advises the reader to “Enjoy with Asian dishes, vegetarian entrées or roast a chicken. Also great as an aperitif because of its sense of fun. Chill lightly and take to parties.”⎝] There is no enforcement of Marxist stratification; simply a practical way to enjoy the wine, offered so that the customer may be more likely to purchase it.
After observing the differences, one may begin to qualify the observation completely. The text and the absences associated with it form the message of the tasting note on the whole. The most important contribution to the text is how the audience reads the discourse. This is exactly what Roland Barthes’ essay The Death of the Author states: “the birth of the reader must be at the cost of the death of the Author.”⎞] The reader ultimately writes the tasting note through their processing of information. The new meaning is an integration of his or her knowledge, shrewdness of note dissection, and associative reading. While some tasting notes may vividly describe wine, there is far more at play than just fruit, oak barrels and soil influence.
-J. Wilcox
Oct. 25th, 2005
-----------------------------------------
Endnotes:
1: Leonard Bernstein, The Official Guide to Wine Snobbery (New York: Quill, 1982) 32-34.
2: Ferdinand de Saussure, Course in General Linguistics (London: Peter Owen Ltd, 1959) 115.
3: Fans of Jean Baudrillard’s text "Simulations" could even go so far as to suggest that the simulated/reproduced flavours of wine make it “hyperreal”. This is not intentional artifice, however. Wine is produced with certain sensory intentions in mind, but it is not produced for the sake of recreating fruit (like an apple). It is produced for the sake of sale as wine, specific to the grape or grapes used.
4: De Saussure, 115.
5: Christopher Waters, “20 Top Niagara Whites”. Vines 7.2 (St. Catharines: Osprey, 2005) 29.
6: The score preceding the text contributes to that as well. Scores are commonly awarded but are just as subjective, if not more so than descriptors. Fans of Marx will rightly flock to the idea that wines are stratified and made “better than” others by rank. However, there is enough material in that for another complete essay.
7: One may argue that the indice of wine’s ‘time sampled’ is a cause for incongruence. Flavour profiles change as a wine ages, but rare/vintage wines are rarely featured in contemporary publications.
8: Michel Foucault, ed. Robert Young, “The Order of Discourse”. Untying the Text (Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1981) 52.
9: Ibid, 55.
10: Bruce Sanderson, “Buying Guide.” Wine Spectator 29.15 (New York: M. Shanken Communications, 2005) 206.
11: Christopher Waters, “Buyer’s Guide to Wine.” Vines 7.2 (St. Catharines: Osprey, 2005) 48.
12: The Aroma Wheel was developed by the University of Davis California to aid amateurs and professionals in identifying scent/flavour descriptors. “Burned” is the other subcategory of “Caramelized”.
13: James Suckling, “Wine of the Year.” Wine Spectator 29.15 (New York: M. Shanken Communications, 2005) 47.
14: André Dominé, Wine. (Spain: Kõnemann, 2003) 890.
15: Wine sales when written by producers, magazine sales when written by publishing companies.
16: How the wine fits into the world barks at Althusser’s comments in “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses”, that understanding involves all levels of the ideology imposed on the subject by its society, 167-168.
17: Louise Engel, Our Wines. 23 Oct. 2005. <http://www.featherstonewinery.ca/wines.html>.
18: Roland Barthes, Image-Music-Text (New York: Hill and Wang, 1977) 148.
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And just so it's said... yes, I am Canadian, and yes we spell it "flavour". | | | |
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