Did You Know?... What We Mean By "Jammy" Wine

By it's very nature, wine tastes like fruit. But sometimes, wine reviews will say that it tastes like fruit jam, or cooked fruit, or even things like Maraschino cherries. What is the difference, you might ask? Sometimes the weather or the goals of the winemaker give us fruit flavors that are more concentrated and sweeter than in other wines. Usually, this is the result of a warm year that ripens the grapes excessively before they can be picked. Sometimes, it's just the nature of the grape. Cabernet Sauvignon tends towards very ripe flavors, and Zinfandel and Primitivo are often characterized as "jammy." And that's exactly how it tastes, like a spoonful of your favorite jam or fruit preserves. It's not a good thing or a bad thing: it's a definite flavor descriptor to keep an eye out for if you feel strongly one way or another.