19th century take on blackcurrant character in wine

I'm currently reading The Botanist and the Vintner which tells the story of how phylloxera nearly wiped out the vineyards of Europe and how it was eventually defeated. While the life cycle of the bug is a bit of a chore to follow, generally, the book is surprisingly compelling.

It strikes me as somewhat curious that, apparently, in 19th century France, to describe a wine as tasting of blackcurrant was not very flattering. Here's what some people thought about the taste of American grapes: If these foreigners should invade the Champagne, of Burgundy and of Bordeaux - Oh desecration! These glorious products warmed by the French sun will be sacrificed to hideous brews tasting of blackcurrant or bedbug. Aside from this, there is at least one other passage that makes clear that wines tasting of blackcurrant were less than desireable.

Nowadays, for Cabernet Sauvignon based wines, anyway, you almost expect blackcurrant to show up somewhere in the tasting note. Funny how fashions change.

Jay, I wonder if today when we say a wine tastes like blackcurrant we are thinking of blackcurrant jam, and perhaps the writer you quote was thinking of plain blackcurrant. These days a typical Parkerized Cab can taste something like the jam. I've forgotten what blackcurrants themselves taste like.

If you don't know what a blackcurrant tastes like.... then how do you know what blackcurrant jam tastes like? I don't seem to remember seeing any cassis jam in the jelly isle.

I haven't read the book, but from what it sounds like, I believe they are referring to Concord grapes, which can taste somewhat similar to cassis............. Taken in that context, the statements are understandable.

mark

These glorious products warmed by the French sun will be sacrificed to hideous brews tasting of blackcurrant or bedbug.

Hmmmmm, don't think I've ever tasted bedbug.

Sounds like an interesting read.