What is a "beam?"

quote:

Originally posted by aphilla:
As in this TN:

Juicy, with a beam of red currant and cherry fruit backed by sweet spice, roasted vanilla and red licorice notes. There's a nice juicy edge to the medium-weight finish. Drink now through 2015.

I've always interpreted that to mean focused, bright fruit that shines through.

Focused.. big at mid palate..perhaps powerful.

I often write that in my own notes when I mean to convey precision of the fruit as it attacks the palate, like a laser beam on a cornea, or a Borg cutting beam slicing into the Enterprise's outer hull...

Ahem...anyway, the wine would usually have intense fruit concentration, but focused into that beam by perfectly balanced acidity, alcohol, and tannin levels.

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I dont think drinking Beam and wine in the same glass is a good idea.

quote:

Originally posted by jnastynebr:
I dont think drinking Beam and wine in the same glass is a good idea.

Damn y ou beat me to it, I was goint to say "Isn't Beam Jim's brother"

"Beam" could have two meanings... a "ray," as in a ray of light; or a structural support.

Perhaps Mr. Laube might clarify this usage, as he is one who uses the term.

Molesworth uses it a lot also. The note I posted happened to be from JM.

I've picked up that term, probably from Molesworth, and use it from time to time; I mean it to represent (as others have said) a focused and clearly distinct taste of fruit.

Just as a flashlight beam shows up clearly in a dark room, some wines have a precise flavor that stands out against the background.

If a taste is strong but doesn't jump out from the background, I wouldn't use the term.

It's how wineismylife gets from one offline to another.

the comments here regarding 'beam' in a tasting note are spot on, particularly squirreljam's...

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