It's critic bingo! (energetic, vertical, explosive beams of tannin)

[Robert.A.Jr]

And spice cake!

But not gregarious spice cake. I hate when my spice is too spicy.

[Howard_Cooper]

I sort of get this note in some really intense reds that have been in high toast barrels. A taste profile I hope to avoid. Reminds me of some of the Cali cabs during the excessive late 90’s. Honestly, does LPB really thinks " lilacs with touches of cast-iron pan and Marmite toast" is a real descriptor? I have never smelled a CLEAN cast iron pan that smelled of anything really. It’s a metal, does not vaporize well. Maybe she should just go back to black forest cake. This person at the helm of the WA is why I cannot ever imagine renewing my subscription. Hard to take anything seriously she writes.

I can only think of one reason to subscribe to the WA - William Kelley. But, he is a compelling reason.

[Howard_Cooper]

The old Black Forest Cake elements again! But with sage, cardamon and cumin!

She’s moved more generally to using chocolate/cherry descriptors rather than black forest cake probably in response to this thread.

Here are those chocolate-covered cherries again! Like an invasive species, they seem to have taken over Bordeaux:

2018 Les Gravieres - St. Emilion
“Made from 100% Merlot, the 2018 Les Gravieres is deep garnet-purple and rocks up with gregarious blueberry pie, > chocolate-covered cherries > and plum preserves scents with nuances of violets, spice cake and mocha. Big, full and decadently fruited, it has a firm frame of super ripe, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing very long and layered."-Lisa Perrotti-Brown. MW

“Rocks up”?

It is a good thing I learned to like wine way before descriptions like those in this post and this thread came along. If I had read these things first, I never would have touched the stuff.

[John_Morris]

Or maybe you got to know Bordeaux before it tasted like Black Forest cake.

[Robert.A.Jr]

Or maybe you got to know Bordeaux before it tasted like Black Forest cake.

The egg definitely came before the cake.

[Jonathan_Loesberg]

Or maybe you got to know Bordeaux before it tasted like Black Forest cake.

This implies the descriptor is actually communicative. And, indeed, it may be in that it is used to describe sweeter, more extracted, alcoholic wines. If it were used to describe Sociando Mallet or Bel Air Marquis d’Alibre, it would be more absurd.

[John_Morris]

Or maybe you got to know Bordeaux before it tasted like Black Forest cake.

This implies the descriptor is actually communicative. And, indeed, it may be in that it is used to describe sweeter, more extracted, alcoholic wines. If it were used to describe Sociando Mallet or Bel Air Marquis d’Alibre, it would be more absurd.

Exactly.

[John_Morris]

Looks like the period key is still not functioning correctly on Meadows’s computer.

2018 Domaine Faiveley Chambertin Clos de Beze les Ouvrees Rodin
BH 94-97
“Once again moderately prominent wood still allows the overtly spicy and floral-inflected dark currant, black cherry and discreet earth nuances to be appreciated. > The mid-palate of the broad-shouldered flavors is pliant yet intense and muscular while the driving finish possesses breathtakingly good depth and persistence on the imposingly structured but not really rigid or unduly austere finale. > This will live for decades and need at least 10 to 15 to be approachable with pleasure.”-Allen Meadows

[John_Morris]

Mr. Meadows never met a run-on sentence he didn’t like. (And, yes, this one is, at least, shorter.)

2017 Domaine Lamarche Clos Vougeot
BH 91-94
“A background whiff of wood sets off the very fresh aromas of red and dark berry, earth and a hint of leather. > The rich, full-bodied and very serious flavors possess solid size and weight along with excellent drive on the powerful and youthfully austere if decidedly linear finish. > Like the Les Cras, this is going to require at least some aging to fill out and until that occurs this is going to be more potential than pleasure. With that said, my range implicitly assumes that it will flesh out in time.”-Allen Meadows

If you parce this sentence, I think you’ll find that “flavors” is the subject of the first clause, and that they “possess” a “linear finish.” I.e., the second half of the sentence, beginning “along with” is a predicate of “flavors.”

[John_Morris]

Run for cover! It’s exploding Black Forest cake!

2018 Ch. Lagrange, St. Julien
“Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Lagrange > explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked red and black plums > with suggestions of rose oil, cedar chest, pencil lead and hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic vibrancy for the ripeness, packed with juicy black fruits and compelling tension with a finely grained texture to support, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Nicely done!” (1/2021)
95 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, WA

How to make an Exploding Birthday Cake Prank | Make Science Fun

[Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r]

Run for cover! It’s exploding Black Forest cake!

2018 Ch. Lagrange, St. Julien
“Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Lagrange explodes from the glass with > bombastic notes > of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked red and black plums with suggestions of rose oil, cedar chest, pencil lead and hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic vibrancy for the ripeness, packed with juicy black fruits and compelling tension with a finely grained texture to support, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Nicely done!” (1/2021)
95 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, WA

Since English is not my first language and to me bombastic made me think of “Mr. Boombastic, tell me fantastic” (thank you Shaggy), I checked Merriam-Webster for the etymology, definition and synonyms. I’m not sure “bombastic notes” of crème de cassis is ideal if you consider the synonyms:
flatulent, fustian, gaseous, gassy, grandiloquent, oratorical, orotund, rhetorical (also rhetoric), windy

[John_Morris]

“Bombastic” may not be an ideal wine descriptor, but it is apt for a lot of wine writing.

[Charlie_Carnes]

Looks like the period key is still not functioning correctly on Meadows’s computer.

2018 Domaine Faiveley Chambertin Clos de Beze les Ouvrees Rodin
BH 94-97
“Once again moderately prominent wood still allows the overtly spicy and floral-inflected dark currant, black cherry and discreet earth nuances to be appreciated. > The mid-palate of the broad-shouldered flavors is pliant yet intense and muscular while the driving finish possesses breathtakingly good depth and persistence on the imposingly structured but not really rigid or unduly austere finale. > This will live for decades and need at least 10 to 15 to be approachable with pleasure.”-Allen Meadows

Like he’s talking to text, driving in his car!

[Jayson_Cohen]

Run for cover! It’s exploding Black Forest cake!

2018 Ch. Lagrange, St. Julien
“Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Lagrange > explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked red and black plums > with suggestions of rose oil, cedar chest, pencil lead and hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic vibrancy for the ripeness, packed with juicy black fruits and compelling tension with a finely grained texture to support, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Nicely done!” (1/2021)
95 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, WA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDE0pDG7S2I

The thing is. Black Forest Cake has a very particular aroma and it’s not the save as chocolate covered cherries. Though somewhat similar.

[John_Morris]

We’re waiting for elucidation of the distinction, Jayson. All adjectives welcomed.

[John_Morris]

When I reflect too hard on his structural description of the 2014 Produttori Montestefano, I’m not sure it makes sense, but I do like the imagery:

The Montestefano vineyard is known as ‘the Barolo of Barbaresco’: rich red fruit, roses, violets, leather, tobacco, balsamic, and more, riding on a slow-motion detonation of acidity but only to be reined back in by a tight girdle of no-nonsense tannins. --Neel Burton (aka @BlindTasters)

[David_Bu3ker]

When I reflect too hard on his structural description of the 2014 Produttori Montestefano, I’m not sure it makes sense, but I do like the imagery:

The Montestefano vineyard is known as ‘the Barolo of Barbaresco’: rich red fruit, roses, violets, leather, tobacco, balsamic, and more, riding on a slow-motion detonation of acidity but only to be reined back in by a tight girdle of no-nonsense tannins. --Neel Burton (aka @BlindTasters)

Barbaresco in Spanx?

[Jayson_Cohen]

We’re waiting for elucidation of the distinction, Jayson. All adjectives welcomed.

That’s like trying to construe a patent claim that doesn’t need construction when it takes its plain and ordinary meaning. Or going down the very wine verbiage diarrhea you deplore.

They smell different. There’s plainly no cream and baked cake aromas in chocolate-covered cherries.

[Marc_Hauser]

What I love about this thread is that it really shows that tasting is a strong mix of knowledge and bullshit. Like art criticism.

I respect that.

[John_Morris]

We’re waiting for elucidation of the distinction, Jayson. All adjectives welcomed.

That’s like trying to construe a patent claim that doesn’t need construction when it takes its plain and ordinary meaning. Or going down the very wine verbiage diarrhea you deplore.

They smell different. There’s plainly no cream and baked cake aromas in chocolate-covered cherries.

I was ribbing you.