What do "moelleux" and "liquoreux" mean?
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Dear Dr. Vinny,
What do “moelleux” and “liquoreux” mean? Are they two different sweet white wines in Bordeaux?
—Mosquito, China
Dear “Mosquito,”
Both of these are general French terms for sweet wines, not necessarily referring to a particular region or type of wine. The translation of “moelleux” is sweet, soft, tender, smooth and mellow, and I’ve seen it used to refer to a wine that’s only slightly sweet. “Liquoreux” definitely refers to a rich and sweet wine, but typically only describes the richest, most luscious of dessert wines. Could a wine be referred to as both “moelleux” and “liquoreux”? Sure, since these words have very similar meanings.
—Dr. Vinny
