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Cheeky ?

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Pete65 | 21:38 Mon 13th Jul 2015 | ChatterBank
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I am wondering why I often see posters referring to a "cheeky red wine".
Why is it cheeky?
Does anyone know the origin of this phrase?
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Pete. Sorry, I can't explain either of them. I doubt that anybody can. Wine buffs love that sort of flowery language. Or wine snobs if you prefer. You've only got to read about blind tastings where the "experts" seem unable to tell Chateau something or other from Harpic. Try reading any of the Sunday supplements where their "wine expert" waxes lyrical about an...
22:23 Mon 13th Jul 2015
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Question Author
I have not heard that before.
If you know, can you explain, please?
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I don't know the origin of the phrase, but a cheeky wine is one whose taste is unexpected, in a good way...you sip it and think, hmm, yes, that's pretty good, wasn't expecting that.
A cheeky vimto is a cocktail which apparently tastes just like vimto but is made up of ruby port and blue wkd, no vimto near it but lots of alcohol. Maybe the cheeky bit comes from that..sounds vile but tastes quite nice?? Never tried it myself..
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Divebuddy, that is great!
Thank you for taking the time and trouble to pass on your info!
I have always thought there was a lot snobbery attached to wine.
I have seen on this forum many times the word "cheeky" being used in respect of wine.
But, you have had a good go at explanation!

I have recently been baffled by a phrase on here, "how very dare you?"
And wondered in my innocence how "very" made any kind of sense in that phrase.
Then I was told it was a catchphrase from a television programme, and was not supposed to make sense!
Thanks again, Divebuddy!
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Thank you, Ethandron.
It is better than anything I could come up with anyway!
It's all cheeky these days, cheeky wine, a cheeky selfie, etc I have no idea why and it is annoying me!
Eth....cheeky vimtos are actually really nice.
Jamie Oliver used to use the word Cheeky a lot, years ago. Dunno if he's spread it around? As to it referring to wine, it's ridiculous! I make my own wines and to be honest, I'd rather drink them than a lot of shop bought as I know what's gone into them. When I buy wine by the case from Tesco, (basically because it's on a good offer), sometimes it's really difficult to find information as to whether it's vegetarian or not. A lot of French wines aren't - God knows what they put in them! I have a recipe from France for 'Cock wine'. (Wonder if that word will come out as asterisks?) Basically, they steep a whole, plucked fresh bird in the fermenting wine. Was it made by accident once, many decades ago? I've no idea and no, I haven't tried it and shudder at the thought! My sister is a strict vegetarian, who likes a glass of wine, so I have to be stringent with ingredient research.
Back to the subject - I have a lot of wine making books and have never seen a recipe where the result is described as 'cheeky'. Nor do I remember Oz Clarke or Jilly Goolden using the word - although they must have used every other adjective under the sun - to describe a wine and they were supposed to be experts. (I wonder whatever happened to 'fat man in the kitchen'?) There was a glorious spoof of it, done by Vic and Bob many years ago. Wonder if it's on youtube?
Aha!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UvF2_k0eZI
cheeky: impudent or irreverent, typically in an endearing or amusing way

In the case of wine, I'd say this meant it tasted better or different (in a good way) than you'd expect for the grape, region, country and/or price.

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