Wine - It's Easier Than You Think

Part 2

So let's continue our little wine lovers guide. Hopefully, after reading our last wine tasting guide you've had the chance to pick a bottle from VinoVoss.com you'd like to taste.

Ideally, you have popped it already and poured it into your glass of your choice. The swirling bit is done, as well as the visual check. So what follows now is the nose.

Olfactory evaluation of the wine is key (Photo: Ales Maze, unsplash.com)

The Nose – Olfactory Evaluation

What makes wine smell the way it does is a fascinating and complex subject. Some aromatic compounds are inherent in the grapes and survive fermentation, while others are produced by yeasts during fermentation or introduced from oak barrels or other microbes. With an estimated 800-1000 aromatic compounds in wine, not all are detectable by the human nose, yet they contribute to the wine's overall aroma and so-called complexity.

Smell detection relies on about 400 different olfactory receptors, which vary among individuals, leading to different thresholds for aroma detection and recognition.

Consequently, a particular aroma molecule may be perceived differently by each person, influencing their wine-tasting experience.

But what is the reason for us to smell wine?

Free of Faults

First of all, we want to make sure the wine is clean, meaning it has no vinegar, moldy or cork taint. These three taints mentioned are only a few of the many faults a wine can have.

The next step is to check the intensity and the type of aroma a wine has. One differentiates between 3 different types of aromas. The primary, secondary and tertiary aromas.

Intensity

To gauge a wine's aroma intensity, first of all, lift the glass to your nose without swirling it, then rotate the wine to initiate evaporation and evaluate the aroma's nature and quality. The intensity reflects how forcefully aromas are released, while complexity pertains to the variety and quality of detectable aromas, influenced by factors like grape type, terroir, winemaking, and aging processes.

Before taking the first sip there is the olfactory evaluation of the wine (Photo: Alfonso Scarpa, unsplash.com)

Primary aromas

Primary aromas are the easiest to detect in young wines, often sparking interest among wine newbies. Primary aromas are those aromas, or their precursors, that are already in the grapes. These include prominent notes such as fruits and florals, as well as herbs and spices like mint, pepper, and licorice. One example for you to make it easier to understand is Gewürztraminer or Muscat. If you eat the grape berries, they're going to taste very similar to the wine that is being produced.

Secondary aromas

Whereas primary aromas come from the fruit itself, secondary aromas emerge from production processes like fermentation, malolactic fermentation, and lees aging.

During fermentation, sugars convert into alcohol, and factors like yeast types, fermentation conditions, and temperatures create a variety of secondary aromas.

Oak barrels contribute noticeable scents such as toast, cedar, smoke, vanilla, and spices.

Further examples are malolactic fermentation for instance, which converts tart malic acid into creamier lactic acid, producing nutty, creamy, and buttery notes.

Or aging on the lees, especially for white and sparkling wines, imparts yeasty, pastry, and biscuity aromas.

Tertiary aromas

As wine ages, it develops tertiary aromas through oxidative or reductive processes.

Oxidative aging, often from extended barrel aging, brings out coffee, toffee, chocolate, and caramel notes.

Reductive aging, typical of long bottle aging, produces earthy notes like mushrooms, truffle, and vegetables.

Primary fruit aromas also evolve, with red wines gaining prune, raisin, or fig notes, while white wines develop dried apricot, orange marmalade, or candied fruit aromas. Red wines may also acquire animal scents like leather and game, while white wines can develop confectionery aromas such as honey, cake, or praline.

Balancing primary, secondary, and tertiary aromas is crucial for preserving the grape's character and terroir.

Get the Taste

Before taking a sip as you would normally do, try something out. Put your fingers onto your nose, so you do not smell anything while having the first sip. What do you experience? Right, you do not really get anything beyond the structural components of the wine, such as the acidity, the sugar or the alcohol level.

And this is the point where we are going to continue in our next chapter of the series ‘Wine  – It's easier than you think'

So stay tuned to get the taste of wine.

Lotte Gabrovits