Blackcurrant Notes
Definition - What does Blackcurrant Notes mean?
Blackcurrant is often used to describe a wine's character which has dark berry characteristics. It is mainly a European term to describe some wines and is often referred to cassis in the US. This is a classic signature aroma and flavor for Cabernet Sauvignon wines or those blended with Cabernet Sauvignon.
WineFrog explains Blackcurrant Notes
For some new to wine or those new to describing wines, blackcurrant can be confusing for some Americans. When the adjective "blackcurrant" is used interchangeably with "cassis", many think of the liqueur. But "cassis" just happens to be the French term for blackcurrant. When wine writers from Europe use the term "blackcurrant", they are referring to the fruit. When American wine writers use the term "cassis", they are talking about the liqueur.
The reason that "blackcurrant" is more a European wine term is because many in the US are not familiar with the fruit itself. Since 20th century, blackcurrant was illegal to grow as it carried a fatal disease that would wipe out the white pine. This was important, as during this time the timber industry was booming. It was only made legal to grow again in 1966, but only New York, Connecticut, Vermont and Oregon were the states where it was legalized.
