It's a bit everyone's dream to be able to recognize the aromas of wine to appear more professional in front of those around us. Although it is not that simple, there are some little tricks to guess the aromas of wine. But you have to start from A, B, C.
What are the different aromas in a wine?
First, you should know that there are different types of aromas in the same wine: primary , secondary and tertiary aromas . And therefore, there are several determining factors: the grape variety, the soil, the climate, the vintage, the ageing, etc. Different elements play a role in the aromatic palette of a wine.
What are the primary aromas in wine
The primary aromas are the typical scents of the vine. They can pass through vegetal and spicy notes such as green pepper or pepper found in wines made from Cabernet grapes. We can find floral notes , such as linden blossom and acacia. And finally fruity notes , such as citrus fruits, or red fruits, in particular the famous raspberry of Burgundy Pinot Noir.
What are the secondary aromas
Secondary aromas are formed during alcoholic and malolactic fermentation . These new aromas derive from the transformation of grape constituents, in particular sugar and amino acids. New molecules then appear that give rise to another aromatic palette, such as ethyl acetate (banana note) or ethyl butanoate (pineapple note). We then find notes of yellow-fleshed fruits such as apricot or peach, as well as other spices and aromatic herbs such as cinnamon, cloves or saffron.
What are tertiary aromas
The latter aromas are formed during the aging in barrique, ie during the aging of the wine (evolution of aromas). During this part, it is possible to play on this aromatic palette. The aromas, in fact, differ according to the barrels chosen by the winemakers, according to the type of wood, the origin (forest, soil), the type of toasting, etc. Thus, during this phase, several new notes may appear such as notes of vanilla, caramel, chocolate, toasted almond, licorice, leather, coffee, etc.
What is the difference between smell and aroma?
Smell corresponds to direct nasal olfactory perception, i.e. after sniffing. The aroma , on the other hand, is the olfactory stimulus perceived retronasally, after the introduction of the wine into the oral cavity. In fact, chewing and swallowing generate an "olfactory return"