Return of the silly little things that annoy you thread

[Andrew Stevenson]

Where did this idea of calling wine "juice" come from, and why does it seem to persist? Is it an affectation of an American/Australian critic, maybe?

On the one hand, wine and juice simply are not synonyms. Juice is fermented and becomes wine. Nothing against juice: I've had some delicious grape juices, but they're not the same thing. If it's okay to call wine juice, what do you call juice?

On the other hand, juice has more characters than wine, and is surely (if only a tiny bit) harder to spell when typing/tapping.

 

[Richard Zambuni]

I think that it’s an Americanism.

 

[Alex Lake]

It's trying to be cool and down with the kids!

 

[Kevin Courtney]

I have never heard wine called juice. It is referred to as juice before it is fermented. Perhaps it is a UK thing; or perhaps I just don't get out enough.

 

[Steve Slatcher]

I think that it’s an Americanism.

Me too.

Perhaps dates back prohibition? "No, I'm buying all those grapes just to make juice"

 

[Tom Cannavan]

Very much an Americanism, I suspect spawned by a certain type of wine drinker: "wow, that's great juice dude!" . Makes me shudder too

 

[Alex Lake]

Definitely works better (even worse?!) with "dude" somewhere in the sentence....

 

[Paul Anderson]

Where did this idea of calling wine "juice" come from, and why does it seem to persist? Is it an affectation of an American/Australian critic, maybe?

On the one hand, wine and juice simply are not synonyms. Juice is fermented and becomes wine. Nothing against juice: I've had some delicious grape juices, but they're not the same thing. If it's okay to call wine juice, what do you call juice?

On the other hand, juice has more characters than wine, and is surely (if only a tiny bit) harder to spell when typing/tapping.

I guess you don't like Mondays, Andrew?

 

[Tom Grande]

I think it's supposed to give the impression you hang around with winemakers

 

[Paul Day]

I'd rather hear "juice" than "Moose" (as in Moose-seen-yee).

 

[Mark Palmer]

I thought you were referring to “moose” as in Moose-are.

Must move in different circles......

 

[Jeremy Caan]

I've read it in US critics and find it grates.

 

[Alex Rychlewski]

As an American, and therefore guilty of Americanisms, I think it is fun to refer to wine as juice on occasion, to avoid repetition and to give a fun dimension to a subject that is often taken far too seriously.

That being said, I don't call guys "dudes" or girls "chicks" .

I think it's good to be eclectic and have adopted some Britishisms that seem to suit, even ones that aren't in the dictionary.
One I can think of is "vanillary".

I'd be interested to know: do you ever encounter a problem understanding tasting notes in American English?
Certainly, Robert Parker's writing style is/was very different from the English critics.
I can't imagine an Englishman saying, for instance, "gobs of fruit", but I assume the idea come across clearly.
Or does it?

Best regards,
Alex R.

 

[Tom Cannavan]

I can't imagine an Englishman saying, for instance, "gobs of fruit", but I assume the idea come across clearly.
Or does it?

No, "gobs of" anything is not something I have ever heard a British person (which is a kind of Englishman but with gobs more regions included) say, but at the same time it does work in suggesting (warning about?) what style to expect.

 

[Richard Zambuni]

Perhaps even worse is ‘pop and pour’ and even that gets shortened to popped or pnp. I agree with Paul D about Moose. Just horrible. La Mish no better. It feels so good to be grumpy .

 

[Phil David]

Gob of course has a different primary meaning in British English. As in:

American: 'Hey, that's some sick juice, dude.'
Brit: 'Shut yer gob'.

 

[Dan Vyvyan]

I've only started noticing it (not to the point of being irritated though, yet) in the last couple of years and assumed it was something to do with the so-called cult of natural wine. Only last week in a coffee shop in the City I really did hear the bewhiskered barista say to a customer, "Hey mate, that pet nat you tipped me last week was great juice. Usual cold brew?"

 

[Keith Prothero]

Perhaps even worse is ‘pop and pour’ and even that gets shortened to popped or pnp. I agree with Paul D about Moose. Just horrible. La Mish no better. It feels so good to be grumpy .

Nothing wrong with La Mish. Posted it today in fact as you probably noticed

 

[Alex Lake]

"Moose" is definitely taken. Wouldn't want to be palmed off with some ropey old Pinot when I'm after the real stuff...

I think I'm guilty of using "popped and poured" but do try to put it in quotes in a lame attempt to gain a degree of deniability.

 

[Mark Gough]

a British person (which is a kind of Englishman but with gobs more regions included)

Very good Tom , made me laugh !

 

[Alex Rychlewski]

Oh dear, I just looked up "gob" in a British English dictionary and see that if also means "spit" in your isles.

AR

 

[Andy Leslie]

Is this the place to get "stem" (meaning wine glass) off my chest? No reason for its use whatsoever other than an affected desire to be using language that won't be understood by people outside the tribe.

Thanks. Feel a bit better now.

 

[Paul Anderson]

I find 'stemware' much more annoying than 'juice'.

 

[Jim Agar]

Certainly guilty of using the term, as in “lovely juice underneath”, normally followed by “shame they over worked it and buggered it up with too much oak.”

 

[Neil Holland]

Is this turning into a long overdue remake of "silly little things that annoy you" that ran and ran on the old forum?

I rather hope so!