Tackling the "annals of wine descriptors" in a recent blog post, Steve Heimoff focuses in on "profound". What does it mean to call a wine "profound"? Heimoff starts by compiling a disparate list of wines, from varied sources, described with this hallowed term he pleads to be used judiciously. Here are five of those wines and the source of the praise:
1) Romanee-St.-Vivant: "...[A] profound wine because its form is beautiful even though it's not complicated." --Wine Berserkers
2) Chinon: Particularly its clay and limestone slopes, where you'll find "...Chinon's most serious and profound wines." --K&L Wines
3) Pinot Noir from the extreme Sonoma Coast: Source of "the most profound Pinot Noirs grown in America today.” --Matt Kramer, Wine Spectator
4) Valdespino Amontillado Tio Diego: "An iconic and profound sherry." --Matthew Jukes, MoneyWeek
5) 2008 B Cellars Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet: “...profound in black currants and cassis." --Steve Heimoff
And one wine that's, sadly, not profound:
A Mondeuse from Savoie: "I like it for its freshness and structure, although it's not a profound wine by any means." --Joe Salamone, Crush Wine & Spirits, Wall Street Journal
Steve then raises these questions: "How can a wine be 'not complicated' and yet 'profound'? Can a Sherry be 'profound' in the same way as Ausone? Are there degrees of profundity? And what is the monetary value of 'profundity' in a wine compared to one that’s merely very good without being profound?"
Have you had any wines you'd call profound, and what make then so?
Jameson Fink has a decade of wine industry and blogging experience. Saveur Magazine nominated his site, jamesonfink.com, for a 2013 Best Food Blog Award in the Wine/Beer Category. He is a tireless advocate for year-round rosé consumption and enjoys a glass of Champagne alongside a bowl of popcorn.
