Blackcurrant, cassis and the US

I have often wondered why Mr Parker uses "cassis" a lot in tasting notes, and not "blackcurrant". Is he merely using the French word for effect, or is it a reference to crème de cassis perhaps...? (His use of "pain grillé" is similarly mysterious to me.) Then I recently came across this article, and wondered if it partly explained the cassis thing. Even so, I am not sure I fully understand.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/wh ... atlas-page

Anyway, I'd be interested in hearing any thoughts on the article, and its relevance to tasting notes.

I understand gooseberry is another rarity on the left side of the Atlantic, and seems sadly to be dying out over in the UK too.

The Globus food chain store in Switzerland used to carry blackcurrant jam every time I visited my grandparents in Basle.

[David M. Bueker]

Fun article. I had never had blackcurrant until a trip to Canada in the late 1990s. It is a different sort of flavor. As for why Parker likes to use cassis (or pain grille for that matter), that's just one of the odd affectations of Bob.

Hi Steve,
You might find this De Long Blog interesting

https://www.delongwine.com/blogs/de-lon ... ackcurrant

Salute

You might find this De Long Blog interesting
https://www.delongwine.com/blogs/de-lon ... ackcurrant

I did, thanks.

Didn't realise that crème de cassis was the most likely exposure Americans would have to blackcurrant, and that it was referred to as cassis.

Also interesting that blackcurrant is associated with sulphurous smells in America - something that I really cannot relate to at all. There is something about Cabernet Sauvignon (and Sauvignon Blanc, which can also have blackcurrant notes - usually described as blackcurrant leaves) that I do not like, but I don't think it is anything to do with the blackcurrant.

BTW it is rare that I come across real blackcurrant berries here, but I remember childhood drinks and sweets, and blackcurrant jam is still a favourite.

The aroma compounds found in blackcurrants and possible in wine could easily be transformed into smelly sulfur compounds. (If you can try to taste an un-ripe, ripe and over-ripe (even a dried-out “raisin”) blackcurrant).
Researchers have associated one aroma compound with the infamous “cat pee” so I definitely see a connection there. I believe it is dominate in the blackcurrant bush itself but believe it could carry over to the berries.

Salute

The aroma compounds found in blackcurrants and possible in wine could easily be transformed into smelly sulfur compounds

Transformed perceptually I presume you mean? In which case I shall pay more attention next time I have blackcurrants. Or do you mean literally - through a chemical reaction?

Researchers have associated one aroma compound with the infamous “cat pee” so I definitely see a connection there.

Gives a whole new meaning to "chat-eau bottled".

-Paul W.

The following link might be of interest

http://www.compoundchem.com/2015/07/23/blackcurrants/

Take an alcohol molecule replace an oxygen atom with a sulfur atom and you have something smelly.

Salute

Interesting - we must get more black currants up here in the Great White. And in the home country they have (had?) Ribena.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/wh ... atlas-page .

I was lost with the fisrt sentence Pop quiz: What flavor is the purple Skittle

I didn't realise blackcurrants were so unknown in the USA. As said, they're common here in UK and there can be few that didn't grow up with Ribena, and then bought it for their children.

I've seen cassis as a tasting note and used it myself as its a quicker word to write than blackcurrant.

I've also used blackcurrant leaf and understand it having grown up with blackcurrant bushes in my parents garden. Unfortunately my wife is not keen, and won't have anything to do with them -- an excess in her childhood I think. Since our kids stopped drinking Ribena (quite recently actually) we don't have even a blaccurrant jam in the house. But it's an unforgettable taste.

OTOH, we've gooseberry bushes