From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
A term used to describe the overall impression a food or beverage gives, often used to describe wines, liquors and cheeses. Character is determined by numerous variables, such as the characteristics of the base ingredients, the particular flavors and aromas associated with a particular year's harvest, the flavors and aromas drawn from the soil where the fruits are grown (or the influence of a particular type of feed on the flavor of the milk of an animal), etc. A food or beverage that is described as having "fine character" is distinctive and complex in flavor and aroma, making it stand out from the crowd.
