The language of wine

Wein ist Genuss und globale Handelsware zugleich. KEN TAYLOR sprach mit einer Weindozentin über ihre Lehrgänge für angehende Sommeliers aus aller Welt und die Sprache, die diese zum Thema „Wein“beherrschen müssen.

Ken Taylor: The wine trade has become an increasingly global business, hasn’t it? Carolyn Bosworth-davies: It certainly has. I can see this clearly from the sommelier classes I run. My students are from all over the world. In a class of 15 students who hope to become sommeliers, I might have people from the traditional wine countries like France, Spain and Italy, but I will also have students from Latvia, Poland and Scandinavia. And there will also be trainee sommeliers from Asian countries, such as China, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand.

Taylor: That’s a real cultural and linguistic mix! Presumably, they are studying to pass the WSET exams, which are in English.

Bosworth-davies: They are. And the great advantage I have in this situation is that my students are all highly motivated.

Taylor: That is a definite advantage. And I find that when you work with multicultural groups, in which everyone speaks in a second or third language, there is often a willingness to help and support each other.

Bosworth-davies: I have had to think about the way I teach, too. Normally, I work with native speakers of English, so I don’t have to think too much about my English.

Taylor: Did you have to change your approach?

Bosworth-davies: I learned to slow down a bit and to choose my words more carefully.

Taylor: To keep it short and simple. Bosworth-davies: Absolutely. I find that I need to help my students with the language they need for the exams and for their future work. Sometimes, I can see that students have the knowledge but just can’t express themselves in the right way. They have to learn the language of wine.

Taylor: The language of wine? Bosworth-davies: In a way, there are two languages of wine. There’s the technical language of viticulture, grape growing, and viniculture, wine production. Then there is the language of wine appreciation, which is how you describe a wine to someone else.

Taylor: What’s the difference between these two languages? Bosworth-davies: French forms the basis of the technical language. We use words that come from French to describe processes, such as “batonnage”, when you stir the lees, or to describe equipment, such as “barrique”, a type of barrel. You will also find words from the other traditional wine-producing countries, but French-based words form the foundation of the international language of viticulture and viniculture.

Taylor: How about the language of wine appreciation? Bosworth-davies: That’s different. You can learn that in your native language. But if you take the WSET exams, you need a glossary of terms to be able to describe wines in English to a customer in a restaurant, for example.

Taylor: This must be a more difficult area to teach, in a way, because taste is so subjective.

Bosworth-davies: That’s true. Most people do not know how to start describing a wine. You need a common vocabulary to be able to communicate the style, quality and condition of a wine to someone else. It also helps you to define your own personal preferences.

Taylor: Is there such a common vocabulary?

Bosworth-davies: The WSET has produced a systematic approach to wine tasting, whereby, under different headings, you can find the vocabulary you need to describe wine.

Taylor: Can you give me a couple of examples?

Bosworth-davies: Under the heading “palate”, the taste and feel, there is a subheading “flavour characteristics”. Under this heading, you find words such as

“fruits”, “flowers”, “vegetables” and “oak”. Each of these flavours is broken down, too. For example, under the heading “green fruit”, you get “green apple”, “red apple”, “gooseberry”, “pear” and “grape”.

Taylor: So, I just need the WSET in front of me when I have a glass of wine! Bosworth-davies: It’s not quite that simple, unfortunately. As you said, taste is subjective, so you need other words to describe the balance and texture of the wine — words such as “austere”, “aromatic”, “blowsy”, “fleshy” or “flabby”!

Taylor: If you take the WSET exams, you will learn this vocabulary, but as a wine drinker, what do I do? Bosworth-davies: Avoid words such as “interesting” or “nice”. These words simply tell the other person that you like the wine. They don’t explain why you like it or describe the wine in any helpful way. Compare the taste, smell and texture of the wine to other tastes, smells and textures. You can’t be wrong!

Taylor: I’ve tried some English wines recently. The sparkling wines I had were excellent.

Bosworth-davies: England is a very small producer at the most northern tip of the wine-producing region. British wine producers started by growing German grape varieties such as Bacchus and Dornfelder, which suited colder, wetter climates. But because of the lack of sun, the wines have a high level of acidity. But acidity is what you need as the basis for sparkling wines. In fact, south-east England is on about the same latitude as the Champagne region. And British sparkling wines now win prizes in blind tastings and are believed to be just as good as champagnes! But we produce only tiny amounts, compared with France, Italy, Australia and any of the other major wine-producing countries.

Taylor: Maybe that will change as the climate changes.

Bosworth-davies: That would be a very minor benefit!

“Most people do not know how to start describing a wine”