Everyone who tastes wine tend to develop personal references. Descriptions are often also specific to different groups. In Sweden and England Bordeaux wines are sometimes characterised with “stables”, but if you say that to a Bordeaux producer he will be offended. We had a question a while back about a term that sometimes occur in our wine news comments. What do we mean by “septic”?
Jack (who used the term) explains:
“I use it quite often, perhaps more for my own memory rather than to clearly convey a fragrance experience for readers. I Googled it and found both a reference to the decaying stage in some parts of the body as well a reference to unclean drains (cf. septic tank and its fragrance connotations)… My own definition is close to these references but I would describe it as something in between the scent of a woven “band-aid” and an unclean bathroom drain. A bit like the smell of a plaster on a hand after it been stuck for a good while over a wound. Cf. also “antiseptic” associated with various liquids for cleaning wounds. The smell of some of these is also close an unused plaster (of fabric).”
When you taste wine all is permitted!
