TUDOR'S FAINT PRAISE (75 - 84) TABLE
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c2002 by Dean Tudor. All rights reserved.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
c2002 by Dean Tudor. All rights reserved.
Tired of having to wonder what to say about a nice, but not exciting,
wine?
wine?
At a loss for words after the initial vagueness of "floral"/"berry"/"aromatic"
nose or "light mouthfeel" or "short finish" or "fairly priced"?
nose or "light mouthfeel" or "short finish" or "fairly priced"?
Need more descriptors for those wines you've just tasted, and rated
between 75 - 84 ?
between 75 - 84 ?
THEN -- look no further than TUDOR'S FAINT PRAISE (75 - 84) TABLE,
which emphasizes the POSITIVE (believe it or not, it does!)
which emphasizes the POSITIVE (believe it or not, it does!)
For a spin, you could use the French or Italian non-cognate translation
of the term, for that (wink-wink) cachet...
of the term, for that (wink-wink) cachet...
Dean Tudor, professional wordsmith and member of the Wine Writers'
Circle of Canada, has developed an incipient WHEEL of terms, divided into two
major categories -- and further subdivided into three SUM categories.
Circle of Canada, has developed an incipient WHEEL of terms, divided into two
major categories -- and further subdivided into three SUM categories.
One: Phrases, subdivided into Standard, Useful, and Modest (the SUM of
it)
it)
Two: Words, subdivided into Standard, Useful, and Modest (the SUM of it
all)
all)
All of these words and phrases have been used by dozens of wine critics
in thousands of reviews of wines ranging from 75 - 84 points; the use of
French and Italian is my twist alone...
in thousands of reviews of wines ranging from 75 - 84 points; the use of
French and Italian is my twist alone...
PLEASE send me any additions, comments, or changes: your input is vital
I: PHRASES (which can be modified to fit the situation)
=======
=======
STANDARD (phrases):
- a la mode
- after a fashion
- all in a day's work
- all right
- as expected
- exhausts its possibilities
- follows the mean
- gets the best out of it
- goes on quietly
- in a manner...
- just short of...
- keeps to the middle
- makes the most of it
- manages well-enough...
- matter-of-course
- matter-of-fact
- mighty few
- more or less
- near enough...
- near you
- no surprises
- not in the least...
- on no account
- passes muster
- pretty good
- within bounds
- after a fashion
- all in a day's work
- all right
- as expected
- exhausts its possibilities
- follows the mean
- gets the best out of it
- goes on quietly
- in a manner...
- just short of...
- keeps to the middle
- makes the most of it
- manages well-enough...
- matter-of-course
- matter-of-fact
- mighty few
- more or less
- near enough...
- near you
- no surprises
- not in the least...
- on no account
- passes muster
- pretty good
- within bounds
USEFUL (phrases):
- all-purpose
- does yeoman service
- drink now
- drinkable now
- find useful
- for everbody
- have a use for...
- have some use
- in constant use
- make use of...
- not bad
- of service
- performs a function
- suits one's purpose
- well-known
- well-meant
- well-priced
- worth drinking
- does yeoman service
- drink now
- drinkable now
- find useful
- for everbody
- have a use for...
- have some use
- in constant use
- make use of...
- not bad
- of service
- performs a function
- suits one's purpose
- well-known
- well-meant
- well-priced
- worth drinking
MODEST (phrases):
- avoids excess
- cut-out for...
- hints of...
- in character
- in fair condition
- in good condition
- in some measure
- in the region of...
- manages to...
- non-extreme
- not loud
- not to be taken for granted
- on the brink of...
- on the verge of...
- small-framed
- to a certain extent
- to some degree
- up to the mark
- well-framed
- within an ace of...
- within sight of...
- cut-out for...
- hints of...
- in character
- in fair condition
- in good condition
- in some measure
- in the region of...
- manages to...
- non-extreme
- not loud
- not to be taken for granted
- on the brink of...
- on the verge of...
- small-framed
- to a certain extent
- to some degree
- up to the mark
- well-framed
- within an ace of...
- within sight of...
II: WORDS
=====
STANDARD
- acceptable (It. gradevole)
- conventional (Fr. classique, conventionnel)
- correct (It. di buon gusto)
- customary (Fr. habituel, coutumier d'usage)
- decent (Fr. convenable, bienseant)
- everyday (Fr. quotidien)
- fair (Fr. moyen)
- familiar (Fr. amical)
- fine (Fr. raffine)
- genuine (Fr. sincere)
- generic
- honest (Fr. honnete)
- household (Fr. famille; It. famiglia)
- impartial
- innocent (It. semplice)
- innocuous
- interesting
- legitimate
- literal
- median (Fr. du milieu)
- mild (Fr. benin)
- moderate (Fr. modique)
- natural
- nice
- neat
- normal
- obvious (Fr. manifeste, evident)
- orthodox (Fr. bien pensant)
- passable (Fr. assez bon)
- pleasing (fr. aimable)
- positive
- proper (Fr. a propos)
- propitious (Fr. propice)
- real (Fr. vrai)
- refinement (Fr. bien eleve)
- regular (Fr. en regle)
- satisfactory
- simple (Fr. candide)
- solid (It. sodo)
- sound (Fr. robuste)
- standard
- straightforward (Fr. sans detour)
- subtle (It. sottile)
- telling (Fr. puissant, efficace)
- tolerable (It. sopportabile)
- traditional
- true
- typical
- uniform
- universal
- unpretentious
- unspecified
- unspoiled
- unstudied (It. spontaneo)
- unvarying
- usual (Fr. courant)
- veritable
- vinous
- conventional (Fr. classique, conventionnel)
- correct (It. di buon gusto)
- customary (Fr. habituel, coutumier d'usage)
- decent (Fr. convenable, bienseant)
- everyday (Fr. quotidien)
- fair (Fr. moyen)
- familiar (Fr. amical)
- fine (Fr. raffine)
- genuine (Fr. sincere)
- generic
- honest (Fr. honnete)
- household (Fr. famille; It. famiglia)
- impartial
- innocent (It. semplice)
- innocuous
- interesting
- legitimate
- literal
- median (Fr. du milieu)
- mild (Fr. benin)
- moderate (Fr. modique)
- natural
- nice
- neat
- normal
- obvious (Fr. manifeste, evident)
- orthodox (Fr. bien pensant)
- passable (Fr. assez bon)
- pleasing (fr. aimable)
- positive
- proper (Fr. a propos)
- propitious (Fr. propice)
- real (Fr. vrai)
- refinement (Fr. bien eleve)
- regular (Fr. en regle)
- satisfactory
- simple (Fr. candide)
- solid (It. sodo)
- sound (Fr. robuste)
- standard
- straightforward (Fr. sans detour)
- subtle (It. sottile)
- telling (Fr. puissant, efficace)
- tolerable (It. sopportabile)
- traditional
- true
- typical
- uniform
- universal
- unpretentious
- unspecified
- unspoiled
- unstudied (It. spontaneo)
- unvarying
- usual (Fr. courant)
- veritable
- vinous
USEFUL
- accomodating (Fr. obligeant)
- adaptable (Fr. souple)
- adjustable (It. regolabile)
- amusing (Fr. drole; It. divertente spassoso)
- applicable (It. adattabile)
- approachable
- apt (It. atto, adato, capace)
- available (It. efficace)
- beneficial (Fr. avantageux, salutaire; It. vantaggioso)
- competent (Fr. apte)
- consumable
- contributory
- convenient (Fr. pratique; It. comodo)
- co-operative
- current (It. fiume)
- droll
- edifying
- effective
- effectual
- efficient
- favourable (It. propizio)
- friendly (Fr. amical)
- fun (Fr. plaisant)
- functional
- global
- handy
- healthy (Fr. bien portant)
- helpful (Fr. serviable, secourable)
- immediate (It. prossimo, vicino)
- likeable (Fr. agreable, apprecie, populaire; It. simpatico,
amabile)
- multi-purpose
- obliging (It. compiacente, gentile, servizievole, cartece)
- popular (It. in voga, ben voluto)
- practical (It. fattibile)
- pragmatic
- quaffable (It. tracannare)
- ready (It. abile, pronto
- reasonable (It. ragionevole)
- refreshing (It. ristorare)
- reliable (It. fidato)
- representative
- salutary
- serviceable (Fr. utile)
- sensible (Fr. doue de bonsens)
- suitable (It. adatto)
- supporting (It. sostenere)
- trustworthy (It. fidato, sicuro)
- ubiquitous (It. omnipresente)
- unobjectionable
- unobnoxious
- usable (Fr. utilisable)
- useful (Fr. pratique)
- utilitarian
- valid (It. valevole)
- versatile
- wholesome (Fr. sain)
- worthwhile (It. valore, merito)
- worthy (Fr. digne)
- adaptable (Fr. souple)
- adjustable (It. regolabile)
- amusing (Fr. drole; It. divertente spassoso)
- applicable (It. adattabile)
- approachable
- apt (It. atto, adato, capace)
- available (It. efficace)
- beneficial (Fr. avantageux, salutaire; It. vantaggioso)
- competent (Fr. apte)
- consumable
- contributory
- convenient (Fr. pratique; It. comodo)
- co-operative
- current (It. fiume)
- droll
- edifying
- effective
- effectual
- efficient
- favourable (It. propizio)
- friendly (Fr. amical)
- fun (Fr. plaisant)
- functional
- global
- handy
- healthy (Fr. bien portant)
- helpful (Fr. serviable, secourable)
- immediate (It. prossimo, vicino)
- likeable (Fr. agreable, apprecie, populaire; It. simpatico,
amabile)
- multi-purpose
- obliging (It. compiacente, gentile, servizievole, cartece)
- popular (It. in voga, ben voluto)
- practical (It. fattibile)
- pragmatic
- quaffable (It. tracannare)
- ready (It. abile, pronto
- reasonable (It. ragionevole)
- refreshing (It. ristorare)
- reliable (It. fidato)
- representative
- salutary
- serviceable (Fr. utile)
- sensible (Fr. doue de bonsens)
- suitable (It. adatto)
- supporting (It. sostenere)
- trustworthy (It. fidato, sicuro)
- ubiquitous (It. omnipresente)
- unobjectionable
- unobnoxious
- usable (Fr. utilisable)
- useful (Fr. pratique)
- utilitarian
- valid (It. valevole)
- versatile
- wholesome (Fr. sain)
- worthwhile (It. valore, merito)
- worthy (Fr. digne)
MODEST
- agreeable
- amicable
- appealing (It. supplichevole)
- aromatic
- attractive (It. attraente)
- calm (It. placido)
- charming
- clean
- comfortable (It. comodo)
- compact
- complaisant
- composed (Fr. assure)
- dainty (Fr. delicat; It. raffine)
- delicate
- detached
- dispassionate (It. imparziale)
- encouraging (It. incoraggiante)
- evanescent
- fetching
- forward (Fr. audacieux)
- fragile
- fragrant (It. odoroso)
- fresh
- fruity
- good
- graceful
- humble (Fr. modeste)
- hushed (It. far tacere)
- lean
- light (It. sparuto, scarno, smilzo)
- lightweight (Fr. leger)
- lively (Fr. vif en joue, plein d'entrain)
- mellow
- modest (Fr. sans pretention)
- muted
- original
- placid
- pleasant (It. gradevole, dilettevole)
- pliant
- polished (It. lucido)
- quiet (Fr. tranquille, paisable)
- rarefied
- restrained (It. restrizione)
- rounded (It. tondetto)
- scented
- self-effacing (Fr. amour-propre)
- slender (Fr. svelte)
- slight
- smooth (Fr. moelleux)
- soft (Fr. tendre, doux)
- steady (It. fermo, soldo)
- sure (It. sicuro)
- sustain (It. provare)
- tenuous
- tranquil
- underrated (It. svalutare)
- understated (Fr. minimise)
- undervalued (It. sminuire)
- unspoiled
- amicable
- appealing (It. supplichevole)
- aromatic
- attractive (It. attraente)
- calm (It. placido)
- charming
- clean
- comfortable (It. comodo)
- compact
- complaisant
- composed (Fr. assure)
- dainty (Fr. delicat; It. raffine)
- delicate
- detached
- dispassionate (It. imparziale)
- encouraging (It. incoraggiante)
- evanescent
- fetching
- forward (Fr. audacieux)
- fragile
- fragrant (It. odoroso)
- fresh
- fruity
- good
- graceful
- humble (Fr. modeste)
- hushed (It. far tacere)
- lean
- light (It. sparuto, scarno, smilzo)
- lightweight (Fr. leger)
- lively (Fr. vif en joue, plein d'entrain)
- mellow
- modest (Fr. sans pretention)
- muted
- original
- placid
- pleasant (It. gradevole, dilettevole)
- pliant
- polished (It. lucido)
- quiet (Fr. tranquille, paisable)
- rarefied
- restrained (It. restrizione)
- rounded (It. tondetto)
- scented
- self-effacing (Fr. amour-propre)
- slender (Fr. svelte)
- slight
- smooth (Fr. moelleux)
- soft (Fr. tendre, doux)
- steady (It. fermo, soldo)
- sure (It. sicuro)
- sustain (It. provare)
- tenuous
- tranquil
- underrated (It. svalutare)
- understated (Fr. minimise)
- undervalued (It. sminuire)
- unspoiled
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