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PhrasesWine TastingHa sentori di muschio e terra.
B1

Ha sentori di muschio e terra.

It has notes of moss and earth.

Pronunciation

'Muschio' — stress on 'MUS-chio'. The 'sch' makes a hard 'sk' sound.

When to use it

Use during a tasting to describe earthy, forest-floor aromas typical of aged Italian reds like Barolo or Chianti Riserva.

What it means

'Sentori' are wine tasting notes — hints of an aroma. 'Muschio' (moss) and 'terra' (earth) are classic tertiary aromas that develop with bottle aging.

Variations

Sento note di sottobosco.

I detect undergrowth notes.

'Sottobosco' = forest floor, a key Italian tasting term

Ha un profumo di foglie secche.

It has a scent of dried leaves.

Autumn leaf note, common in aged Sangiovese

C'è qualcosa di terroso e minerale.

There is something earthy and mineral.

Combines two common descriptors

Mini Dialogue

— Ha sentori di muschio e terra. — Esatto, tipico del Barolo invecchiato. — Quanti anni ha questa bottiglia? — Diciassette anni. È nel suo momento migliore.

— It has notes of moss and earth. — Exactly, typical of aged Barolo. — How many years does this bottle have? — Seventeen years. It's at its best right now.

Cultural Note

Earthy aromas in Italian wine are prized, not considered a flaw. Italian producers say: 'il vino deve parlare della terra' — the wine must speak of the land.