Volcanic Wine Awards | The Jancis Robinson Story | Mission Blind Tasting

The small world of wine words

Chinese wine wheel

Richard examines whether wine-tasting vocabulary can break through language barriers.

The best superhero power isn’t flying, even when the world’s borders aren’t closed. Nor is it X-ray vision, ever since the internet revealed to us far more than anyone could possibly stomach. And it most certainly isn’t blind tasting, which is little more than a party trick.

No, the best superhuman power is omnilingualism. Fluency in all languages must surely be the most potent skill – not just in vocabulary and grammar, but also in accent and colloquialisms. Think of how much more can be achieved when you can speak...

Become a member or log in to continue reading
Member
$135
/year
Save over 15% annually
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
  • Access 294,756 wine reviews & 16,080 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
 
Ideal for collectors
  • Access 294,756 wine reviews & 16,080 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
  • Access 294,756 wine reviews & 16,080 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
  • Access 294,756 wine reviews & 16,080 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Pay with
Visa logo Mastercard logo American Express logo Logo for more payment options
Join our newsletter

Get the latest from Jancis and her team of leading wine experts.

By subscribing you agree with our Privacy Policy and provide consent to receive updates from our company.

More Hemming in Asia

wine pouring onto map of Eastern World
Hemming in Asia Richard examines the truth about (non?) cork-asian habits. The Eastern World, with its dragons, elephant gods and ' Pompaddy-Conti Bordeaux...
Wine bottle in dragon holder
Hemming in Asia Richard surveys the latest news from the wine market in China. My last review of the wine scene in China...
Sachi Soy Wine bottle
Hemming in Asia A Singaporean start-up is upcycling soy whey into 'wine'. Soy is one of my favourite wine descriptors. It's the yummy...
Singapore Skyline
Hemming in Asia Richard's personal pick of the best wine destinations in his adopted home. Now that Singapore has just exited another lockdown...

More from JancisRobinson.com

Thomas Walk Vineyard in Kinsale
Free for all Jancis is put in her place, by the hybrid grapes of the Emerald Isle. A shorter version of this article...
Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc-Viognier bottle and glass of wine outdoors, on table with books
Wines of the week A summer-ready, silky white wine that’s widely available from just $8.99, £20.90 . The sleeper hit of Napa winery Pine...
Split Rail vineyard
Tasting articles Part 4 of an exploration of California’s westernmost vineyards. Above, the Split Rail vineyard in Corralitos (credit: John Benedetti)...
Fernando Mora MW and Mario López of Bodegas Frontonio
Tasting articles A close look at three of Zaragoza’s most important projects. Above, Fernando Mora MW (left) and Mario López of Bodegas...
Ungrafted monastrell vines in Jumilla
Free for all 4 June 2026 In advance of the 2026 Old Vine Conference on 8 June, we’re republishing this overview of our...
Acered vineyard
Tasting articles To celebrate Aragón’s new map in the upcoming World Atlas of Wine , Ferran explores the wines of Zaragoza. Above...
Alexandre Delétraz's (Cave des Amandiers) vineyards in Valais @ Leif Carlsson
Tasting articles Red, white, young, old – there’s no shortage of diversity or deliciousness available in Swiss wines. You just need to...
Mt Ararat overlooking vineyards
Tasting articles Reasons to drink more Riesling; best buys; and far-flung finds – highlights from a month of tastings. Above, Mount Ararat...
Wine inspiration delivered directly to your inbox, weekly
Our weekly newsletter is free for all
By subscribing you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions.