What's this cassis stuff anyway?

[Jenise]

Yeah, that's probably what Cabernet tasters are referring to, Creme de Cassis, which isn't extremely tart like cassis the fruit or cassis juice.

I'm 99.44% certain that this is correct - Cassis the descriptor refers to cassis the liqueur. Also, it's really a scent descriptor, not a flavor descriptor, so tart or sweet isn't really an issue. Blackcurrant with an herbaceous element, which (in my opinion) falls pretty close on the aroma wheel to Napa "eucalyptus."

Robin, having grown up surrounded by eucalyptus trees, and having drunk cassis, I'm surprised at your remark: to my mind, there is absolutely nothing remotely similar about the two. Or am I misunderstanding?

To me, Cassis in red wine does not taste like Cassis Liqueur, which I use in cooking, or black currant, which I spread on English Muffins. It tastes like the element that Robert Parker calls cassis in red wine.

The best you can do, in my opinion, to experience what cassis in wine smells like, is to sample some bottle that Parker calls a cassis bomb, rather than open a bottle of cassis liqueur or jar of black currant jam. Notwithstanding the protagonist in the movie, Perfume, because he is fictional, Parker sets the Gold Standard for aroma reference.

On a related note, from Reuters, today, - from a Duke study: "How one perceives smell appears to have a lot to do with variations in an odor receptor gene called OR7D4." The article explaines that what one person considers a stench might be a fragrence to another.

To me, Cassis in red wine does not taste like Cassis Liqueur, which I use in cooking, or black currant, which I spread on English Muffins. It tastes like the element that Robert Parker calls cassis in red wine.

The best you can do, in my opinion, to experience what cassis in wine smells like, is to sample some bottle that Parker calls a cassis bomb, rather than open a bottle of cassis liqueur or jar of black currant jam. Notwithstanding the protagonist in the movie, Perfume, because he is fictional, Parker sets the Gold Standard for aroma reference.

On a related note, from Reuters, today, - from a Duke study: "How one perceives smell appears to have a lot to do with variations in an odor receptor gene called OR7D4." The article explaines that what one person considers a stench might be a fragrence to another.

Pardon me, Covert, but that is one of the most specious lines of reasoning I've seen in quite a while.

Cassis doesn't smell like cassis, and the only way to smell cassis in a red wine is to have Parker call something cassis, identify that as closely as you can by drinking a Parker-referred wine, then use THAT as the determinate for what cassis smells like?

I'm sorry...but my mind is boggling right now.

One of today's multitude of emails from Garagiste quotes a recent Wine Spectator review of the 2008 Olivier Hillaire Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Les Petits Pieds d'Armand." Writes the Spec reviewer: "A gorgeeous beam of creme de cassis runs through this silky, rich red...."

Bravo Spec! I know what they mean. But I learned from this thread that I often don't know what cassis means when the word is used in TNs by itself. To paraphrase somebody in Alice in Wonderland, apparently cassis by itself means whatever the individual wine reviewer happens to want it to mean. To avoid adding to the confusion, in the future I'm going to stick with creme ce cassis and blackcurrant. But even here there is potential confusion, as in blackcurrant jam (sweet) versus blackcurrant juice (tart), so maybe one should specify jam or juice.

Well, I had gooseberry pie in England in the 1970s. I still remember that!

I've had Kir a couple of times, once in Beaune AAMOF, but I was'nt impressed by its flavor, therefore I don't remember it. I guess I'll have to try again.

I'm sorry...but my mind is boggling right now.

I am reminded of the Red Queen, I believe it was:

"Words mean exactly what I want them to,
Neither more nor less"

Can you say tautology?

Mark Lipton

Shucks, everytime I go up to Alberta, I'm inundated with gooseberries. They serve them with most meals up there.

Hoke, you are de man!! Lately, my choice of dishes has included.............

Tuna Capaccio with gooseberry coulis.
Goosegoogs veal scallopini.
Bread and butter pudding with goosebery reduction.
Peanut butter sandwich with gooseberry jam optional.
Jugged Hare with goosegog tartlet (norvegian recipe).

LOL.

Pardon me, Covert, but that is one of the most specious lines of reasoning I've seen in quite a while

Hoke, I am surprised that a man from the Bay Area would think so linearly. My comment wasn't intended to be a line of reasoning. Like some of the folks down in Chinatown, I believe that evil influences make themselves felt along straight lines. So I try to avoid them.

From a Covert posting: "The article explaines that what one person considers a stench might be a fragrence to another."

Reminds me of the night I took a lovely floral-scented Chambolle-Musigny to a "bring your own wine" night at a French restaurant in Raleigh. I wanted to share it with the restaurant owner who is from Provence. He took one sniff and exclaimed "This is why Americans don't get Burgundy--such a beautiful stink!" (It wasn't at all bretty or barnyardy so I think he was using "stink" the way we might use "aroma" "nose" "bouquet" "scent" or "fragrance." I did wonder just what he meant about Americans not getting Burgundy however--maybe that the majority of Americans he encounters will seek out the familiar California Cabernet Sauvignon over a more subtle and unfamiliar Burgundy.

JC Wrote:
You can also purchase red currant or black currant jam or preserves to get the flavor and aroma of the fruits--probably sweetened in the making of the jam so not as tart as the natural fruit

I don’t know JC depending upon the variety of black currant and how it is cultivated it’s very possible to see 22 Brix at harvest

Here check this web-site out courtesy of Geoff Langford and the New Zealand Berry fruit Propagators; http://www.berrypropco.co.nz/blackcurrants.htm

Salute