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BLACKCURRANT
Everybody
knows the blackcurrant bush, Ribes nigrum, with its highly-scented
foliage and jet black berries whose juice can be made into jellies and
liqueurs.
Blackcurrant is a classic aroma in wine tasting, a sign of maturity and
of the grapes' natural concentration. It is sometimes suggested by the
deep red color of the wine. As soon as you detect the aroma of small red
berries, you may find it useful to associate it with the accompanying
acid or sweet flavor in order to differentiate between blackcurrant, strawberry,
raspberry and redcurrant. It is equally important to distinguish the warm,
fruity aroma of the blackcurrant from the vegetable notes of the blackcurrant
bud that is often found upon opening white wines made from Sauvignon.
Blackcurrant
is a hallmark of red Burgundies and of those made from Pinot noir growing
on chalky soil. It is an aristocratic aroma and although not very prominent,
it is nevertheless quite stable, and will last for many years as long
as the wine remains unoxidized. It is the warm aroma of blackcurrant liqueur
that is found most frequently in Burgundies.
In Bordeaux wines, Cabernet-Sauvignon's unusually rich range of aromas
display fine nuances of crushed blackcurrant in the great growths of the
Medoc. Scents of blackcurrant in young Margaux are unashamedly fresh and
lively, but they are found most frequently in the wines of Pauillac in
which the Cabernet-Sauvigngn plays a major role. It blends admirably with
violet.
Great
red wines selected for their fine expression of balckcurrant:
Bordeaux
Pauillac,
Chateau Mouton Rothschild (premier cru classe)
Pauillac, Chateau Pichon-Longueville, Baron (deuxieme cru classe)
Pauillac, Chateau Lynch-Bages (cinquieme cru classe)
Margaux, Chateau Margaux (premier cru classe)
Margaux, Chateau Rausan-Segla (deuxieme cru classe)
Saint-Julien, Chateau Leoville Las Cases (deuxieme cru classe)
Burgundy
Chambertin-Clos-de-Beze,
Domaine A. Rousseau (grand cru)
Charmes-Chambertin, Domaine Dominique Gallois (grand cru)
Charmes-Chambertin, Domaine Huguenot (grand cru)
Mazis-Chambertin, Domaine Philippe Naddef (grand cru)
Mazis-Chambertin, Domaine Faiveley (grand cru)
Ruchottes-Chambertin, Domaine G. Roumier (grand cru)
Rhone
Valley
Hermitage,
Domaine Belle Pere et Fils
South
West France
Madiran,
Domaine Sergent (EARL Gilbert Dousseau)
Spain
Vega
Sicilia, <<Valbuena 5 ano>>
Italy
Sassicaia
Austria
<<1000>>,
Domaine Feiler-Artinger; Nittnaus A. et H. <<Comodor>>
Kollwentz, <<Steinzeiler>>; Umathum, <<Ried Hallebfuhl>>
Australia
Wynns
Coonawarra Estate <<Cabernet-Sauvignon>>
Wynns <<Cabernet-Sauvignon, John Riddoch>>; <<Shiraz Michael Coonawara>>
Penfolds <<Cabemet-Sauvignon BIN 707>>
Henschke, Shiraz, <<Keneyton Estate>>
Leasingham <<Shiraz>>
Jim Barry <<The Armagh>>
New Zealand
Stonyridge
<<Larose>>
Te Motu
U.S.A.
Californie,
Niebaum-Coppola <<Rubicon>>
Chateau Montelena
Pahlmeyer, <<Cabemet-Sauvignon>
Silver Oak, Cabernet-Sauvignon
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, <<Cask 23>>
Opus One; Beringer, <<Private Reserve>>
Jade Mountain, <<Ghiraz Mount Veeder>>
Heitz Cabernet-Sauvignon; Caymus Cabernet-Sauvignon
Chile
Carmen
Vineyards, <<Cabernet-Sauvignon reserve>>
Vina Santa Rita, <<Medalla Real>>; Los Vascos
Montes <<Alpha Cabernet-Sauvignon>>
Concha y Torro, <<Merlot>>
South
Africa
Stellenzicht
<<Syrah>>
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