Cru or Crud? Part II: Le Nez du Vin
Our "Cru or Crud?" holiday gift guide finds the best and the worst of holiday wine gifts, and today's item is nothing to turn your nose up at!
Philosophers have debated for centuries over the problem of shared experience: sure, we might all agree that a particular color is called "red", but how can we know that everyone "sees" the same color? Similarly, your favorite wine critics may describe a bottle as having notes of violet, or green pepper, or red currant... but how can you know if your impression of green pepper is the same as theirs? What does red currant smell like anyway? Enter Le Nez du Vin, a collection of "reference molecules" (read: scented oils) which touts itself as the standard for identifying wine aromas. Each kit comes in a clothbound booklet, complete with reference guide and explanatory cards--as they should, for an average price of $100-$400--and are broken down into red, white, and champagne scents. There are even kits for discerning barrel influences and faults, the latter featuring such lovely odors as glue, sulfur, and horse!
Overall, it's a fantastic concept, but the price tag may be enough to drive the average consumer away. And let's be honest: who needs a bottle of lemon "reference molecules" when fresh lemons are available just down the street? Still, having struggled to identify various aromas (and trying to deal with the local snob who swears there's a hint of acacia in his glass) makes this a gift I'd be excited to see under the tree. Read more at makescentsofwine.com.
Quattro Vino rating: Cru.