WINE AROMAS

What is the scent of wine? To answer this question, all you have to do is visit a winery. The answer will literally be right under your nose. Wine has a characteristic and wholly original aroma that develops as the grape juice or must ferments during alcoholic fermentation.

The olfactory impression we get as our nose picks up on scattered aromas and substances is what defines the scent. This is why the predominant aroma will vary depending on when you visit the winery. During the harvest, the freshly picked grapes give off a sweet, fruity aroma. Later on, the fragrance changes as the yeasts transform sugar into alcohol, and the must turns into wine. And finally, if you step into the barrel-aging room, the wood—usually oak—not only imparts aromas to the wine it contains, but also fills the entire enclosed space of the cellar with aromatic compounds reminiscent of wood and spices. There is, however, a deep prevalent aroma that one always finds in a winery: an unmistakable wine aroma.

Why then do notes describing the aroma of a particular wine always tell us about fruit, herbs, flowers, spices, minerals and other elements that we usually find confusing? Why doesn't anyone ever say that wine smells like wine?

Therein lies the magic of wine. On an individual basis, the aromatic expression of a wine can be broken down into a variety of aromatic compounds imparted by the grape variety, the environment surrounding the vine or the winemaking and aging process.

The other big question worth asking is this: do you have to be an expert to identify all of these specific aromas in a wine? No, definitely not. Above all else, it is a question of perceptiveness, sense of smell and a bit of practice.

TRAINING YOUR NOSE

How many aromas are there in a wine? That depends. There are as many aromas as people who perceive and express them. Our sense of smell, our ability to recognize aromas and the memories we associate with them—either individually or as a whole—is a personal treasure. Highly individual variables come into play: our own history, memory, experience... Two people might both have a keen sense of smell, but that doesn't mean they will perceive or identify the same aromas.

The sense of smell is a decisive piece in putting together a sensation-filled puzzle. By teaching your nose to recognize the aromas of fruit, flowers or spices you add yet another layer to your enjoyment of wine. You can train your nose with several simple exercises. One method is to assign wine aromas to three, broad categories. Aromas are divided based on whether they are linked to the grape, the winemaking or the aging process.

PRIMARY OR VARIETAL AROMAS: VINE, VARIETY AND SOIL

These aromas are the easiest to identify. Here we find citrus aromas like lemon, grapefruit or tangerine, as well as white fruit like apple, pear, quince or melon. These aromas can also remind us of stone or tropical fruit, red fruit like cherry or plum, and a whole range of small fruit and berries. Tiny details can alter these aromas, such as subtle changes in the ripeness of the grapes or where the vine was grown.

The Cabernet family of wines—Sauvignon and Franc—may display a touch of green pepper, especially when produced in cool climates. Of all the herbaceous aromas, this is the easiest one to identify.

Floral aromas require a bit of homework. Some prior knowledge is necessary to pick up on the scent of roses in a Muscat or Gewürztraminer, or violets in young Syrahs from the northern Rhône.

Finally, primary aromas can also include certain fragrances, particularly fennel or eucalyptus, which are imparted by the vine’s environment.

SECONDARY OR “WINEMAKING” AROMAS: FERMENTATION AND OTHER PROCESSES

Yeast: the crucial ingredient in the process that turns the sugar in grapes to alcohol. In other words, it is the fuel needed to create wine and, as such, it shapes the personality of a whole group of aromas.

Banana is one of the most recognizable fragrances, most clearly expressed when winemakers opt for carbonic maceration. This aroma is typically associated with wines from the Beaujolais region in France made from the Gamay variety. The process known as malolactic fermentation, commonly used in making reds and certain whites, imparts a characteristically lactic (creamy or buttery) aroma.

TERTIARY OR “MATURE” AROMAS: THE INFLUENCE OF WOOD AND TIME

This is known as the wine’s bouquet. Experts use this term when describing a very distinctive overall aroma, but with the subtlety that comes from being able to distinguish each individual component. The bouquet is shaped by several key factors that affect the aging process: the character of the wood, where it comes from, its level of toast and how long it remains in direct contact with the wine.

Furthermore, wine is always "alive." It is not inert, but rather evolves over time, even after it has been bottled. Several factors—how the wine is made, the variety, and especially the aging conditions, the temperature and humidity—impart subtle aromas and nuances that gradually change the personality of a wine.

THE AROMA WHEEL

For very keen noses

Aroma is one of the defining traits of a wine. It can tell us a lot of things: the grape variety used in making the wine, the type of winemaking or how old it is. The aroma also expands our experience of a wine.

TOASTED

Aromas reminiscent of roasted nuts (almonds, hazelnuts) and coffee beans or toasted bread. They are generally related to the barrel and its level of toast.

MINERAL

A family of aromas that evokes the smell of certain minerals (flint) or rocks (chalk, quartz, tuff, graphite). These are the aromas that remind us of wet stones, earth dampened by rain or the graphite in a wooden pencil.

DRIED FRUIT & NUTS

Aromas reminiscent of dried fruit and nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, prunes, almonds, dates, raisins, dried figs and apricots, etc.) One could say that they are characteristic of wines at their peak, both whites (hazelnut aromas in a Chardonnay) and dessert wines (raisins in a sweet Muscat or prunes in port).

FRUIT

A wine is described as fruity when its aromas make us think of scents in the fruit series (grape, peach, apple, lemon, orange, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, cassis, blueberry, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, lychee, etc.) The fruit characteristics of a wine are usually revealed on the nose.

FLORAL

The most delicate aromas we will find in a wine are floral, bringing to mind the fragrance of certain flowers. This association is limited to very specific grape varieties, because they are the only ones that possess these characteristics.

SPICES

Spiced notes can be imparted by the grape variety or by barrel aging. Certain grapes contain spice aromas as part of their varietal profile. For example, Merlot and Tempranillo are both reminiscent of pepper. Other spices—including vanilla, clove and cinnamon—are found in oak-aged wines. They are imparted by the wood and add to the unique character and complexity of a wine.