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Have you ever seen the wine descriptor PAIN GRILLE and wondered what does it mean and how do you say it? Put on your French hat and say: Pa-GREE-yay. Basically it means charred toast. It's a smokey aroma and can come from the wine or from oak aging. Example: Malbec from Argentina that's spent 1-1/2 years in new French oak. Try to get it on sale.

Pain Grillé by Francine Lubera on sofiavolo.com

Posted

Pain Grillé by Francine Lubera on sofiavolo.com

I don't agree with this article. Pain Grillé means "toasted bread" (literally "grilled bread," but it's also the traditional French term for toast (although more-and-more, young people are using the word "toast")). It does not mean charred (which implies a burned quality). Not charred oak, or burned meat, or smoked fecal matter; but simple, toasted bread, and for me, it evokes images more associated with a bakery - think of the yeasty aromas of toasting bread. This is what you get in certain bone-dry Blanc de Blancs Champagnes (Blanc de Blancs are made with 100% Chardonnay, and often have a yeasty aroma). I do not associate this descriptor with smoky oak (which I detest in wines) - It's neither a strong nor an offensive aroma, but more of a warm, comforting nuance - just imagine a piece of toasting bread.

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