Identifying nuanced smells and tastes while wine tasting transforms simply enjoying a wine into an exploration or perhaps even a fun game of “name the flavour” with friends.
Did you know that professional wine tasters can identify up to 1,000 different aromatic compounds in a single glass of wine? While this extraordinary sensory ability is not common, most of us can improve our aroma detection skills, with a bit of practice.
Flavours in wine arise from a combination of natural chemical compounds found in grape varieties. This is nuanced by their interaction with terroir/vineyard environment as well as with winemaking processes such as yeast selection, fermentation, secondary fermentation, filtration, ageing and storage conditions. Aromas and their detection arise as a complex interaction between chemical compounds in the wine and our taste and smell receptors. These compounds include terpenes, aldehydes, pyrazines and methoxypyrazines.
The sensory wine experience.
Wines typically contain a symphony of aromas which will hopefully delight you and possibly even trigger some memories. Keep in mind though, that smell and taste, while connected, are not the same and sometimes a wine will have a less than appealing aroma but a delicious taste nonetheless. This is because noses have the ability to identify hundreds of different aromas, while tongues are far more limited and really only identify sweet, sour, bitter, salt and umami.
Margaret River wines are renowned for their particularly nuanced expression of aromatic profiles. The region’s wine has been said to display distinguishable characteristics such as Chardonnay with complex fruit and subtle oak, Cabernet Sauvignon with rich dark fruit with savoury undertones and Sauvignon Blanc Semillon featuring herbaceous tropical notes.
So, what are some of these 1000 aromas?
Essentially, aromatic profiles are categorised into families.
Floral and herbal aromas are delicate and typically found in white wines with hints of jasmine, honeysuckle, orange blossom, cut grass, earl grey tea, green bean, lavender, hops, asparagus and hay. Some elegant reds, however also have subtle floral undertones of violet, rose petals and dried herbs.
Fruity aromas underly the primary flavour foundation of many white wines and include apple, fig and gooseberry, citrus flavours such as lemon zest, grapefruit and lime, stone fruit flavours like apricot, white peach and nectarine as well as tropical notes like passionfruit, banana, guava, melon, mango and pineapple.
Fruit flavours in red wines are frequently described as berries like blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, blackcurrant and mulberry.
Beyond fruit flavours, more complexity can often be detected as sweet and woody tones in both red and white wines. These aromas include oak, cedar, chocolate, honey, caramel, vanilla, butterscotch and molasses.
Wines with savoury and earthy notes have sophisticated aromas add depth and often have some surprising descriptors including leather, tobacco, clove, coffee, cinnamon, smoke, liquorice, black pepper, olive, truffle, graphite and wet stone.
Mineral notes are the author’s personal favourites and these are frequently described as providing a sense of place and terroir. Mineral notes include vinegar, mushroom, slate, limestone, chalk, flint, river stone, kerosine, and salt spray.
Dairy and nutty aromas include butter, cream, yoghurt, yeast, bread, toast, almond, hazelnut and walnut, many of which arise during the fermentation and barrelling processes.
Wine taster’s guide to appreciating aromatic features:
1. Make a visual examination
-Observe the wine’s colour and clarity
-Tilt the glass to assess the depth and
-Swirl the wine to aerate release volatile compounds
-Tip the pour towards the top of the glass to reveal the length and thickness of residue known as ‘legs”, indicating higher sugar levels
2. Explore the aromas
-Take short, deliberate sniffs, don’t be shy go on and get your nose right in there
-Identify primary, secondary, and tertiary notes
-Remember that there’s no right or wrong, just concentrate on working out what you can actually smell. Don’t forget some of the unconventional things we just mentioned like kerosine and guava.
3. Palate Assessment
-Take a measured sip
-Allow wine to coat entire palate and allow it to linger
-Note the flavour progression and complexity as well as which parts of the tongue seem to light up
General wine tasting etiquette
– Use the spittoons provided without hesitation
– Ask any questions you might have
– Take measured notes and make them after the second sip so that your palette is not affected by the previous wine you tasted
– Avoid strong perfumes, drinking coffee, chewing gum or teeth brushing before wine tasting
Pro wine tasting tips
– Approach each wine with an open mind
– If you will be tasting a lot of wines in one day (as you will onboard a Full Day Gourmet Wine & Dine Tour with Margaret River Tours), remember the first wine you taste may end up being your favourite. If you like a wine and you think the price is fair, buy a bottle. Some wines are not available in your average bottle shops and this could be your best opportunity.
And last, but not least, don’t be afraid to discuss your perceptions with the cellar door staff and other tour guests just for the fun of it. At the end of the day, wine, like food, tastes and smells different to different people. We can’t all be sommeliers after all.
References:
Jackson, R. (2020). Wine Science: Principles and Applications
Noble, A. (2021). Wine Tasting: A Professional Handbook
Robinson, J. (2019). The Oxford Companion to Wine
Styger, G et al (2011). Wine flavor and aroma