Podcasts Arts Wine for Normal People Ep 409: Wine Aromas Explained

Ep 409: Wine Aromas Explained

Published: Jan. 13, 2022, 12:18 a.m.

b'


Photo: Pixabay

Note: I recorded this right before I got sick so I sound a little \'throaty\' but I hope you\'ll enjoy the show nonetheless!

For the first show of 2022, we start out with a dorky one and answer the question:

Where does aroma come from and are the things people describe in wine like roses, smoke, and pepper real or total BS?

\\xa0

We take the questions head on and give some answers that may surprise you! Enjoy and thanks for your continued support of the show and all we do!

\\xa0

Here are the show notes:\\xa0

We start with the basic, defining aroma, as I do in the Wine for Normal People book: The smells unique to the grape variety, demonstrated in a varietal wine in its youth.

\\xa0

We discuss perception, wine tasting, and then I review some very cool findings from this article, \\u201cAroma Compounds in Wine\\u201d By Fengmei Zhu, Bin Du and Jun Li, Published: October 19th 2016

\\xa0

"File:Head Olfactory Nerve Labeled.png" by Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator is licensed under CC BY 2.5

At a high level we talk about aromas from the grape, from yeast and enzymes, from amino acids, and those from malolactic fermentation. We talk about the effects of weather and soil briefly as well.

\\xa0

Then we go through the laundry list of compounds in wine, and what each brings to the aroma, bouquet, and flavor:

\\xa0

Terpenes: In grape skins also in fruits, flowers, leaves of some plants. Big component of aromatic whites \\u2013 Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Riesling. Includes:

  • Linalool:\\xa0When in contact with other things in the wine, makes lavender, orange blossom, lily, bay leaf notes
  • Geraniol: Rose petal smell
  • Nerol and citronellol:Floral, citrus notes, also in flowers and fruit
  • Limonene and citral:\\xa0Found in citrus peel
  • Hotrienol: Elderflower, gooseberry
  • 1,8-cineole and alpha-pinene:Eucalyptus, garrigue\\xa0(airborne and can cling to the skin of grapes)

\\xa0

Rotundone:\\xa0In skins, aroma of peppercorns, particularly white pepper

Photo: Pixabay

Aldehydes:

  • Hexanal and hexenal:\\xa0Fresh cut grass, tomato leaf
  • Vanillin:Vanilla beans, vanilla
  • Benzaldehyde:Bitter almond or marzipan in Italian white wines
  • Furfural: Dried wood, caramel, oak

\\xa0

\\xa0

Pyrazines/ Methoxypyrazines:\\xa0

  • Green bell pepper, herbaceous notes

\\xa0

Esters: Created by reactions between alcohols and acids

  • Primary fruit aromas like apple, orange, citrus, banana, pear

\\xa0

Photo: Pixabay

Ketones and diketones:

  • Beta-ionone:\\xa0Violets, dark flowers
  • Diacetyl:\\xa0Butter, creaminess in wine - byproduct of malolactic fermentation. When combined with new American oak with its vanilla- nut notes - like buttered popcorn

\\xa0

\\xa0

Thiols/Mercaptans: Volatile sulfur compounds in grapes, released by fermentation (when bad \\u2013 like garlic or onion!)

  • 3MH (3-mercaptohexan-1-ol):Passion fruit
  • 3MHA (3-mercaptohexyl acetate):Guava and gooseberry
  • 4MMP (4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one): Blackcurrant (Cab)

\\xa0

Lactones

  • Sotolon:Sauternes, Madeira \\xa0-- either Botrytis or age has an effect here - spice, nuts, maple syrup
  • Octalactone:\\xa0 Coconut notes

\\xa0

Phenols\\xa0are derived from oak aging:\\xa0

  • Guaiacol: Smoke, roasted, toasty notes
  • Eugenol: Clove

\\xa0

Other common wine aroma compounds

  • TDN\\xa0(1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene): Petrol or kerosene in Riesling
  • Noriosoprenoids: Spice, raspberry, rose, vanilla

Photo: Pixabay

\\xa0

What\'s the point of this show? Forget all the technical terms and just know: what you are tasting and smelling is based on something REAL -- not some nonsense made up by wine snobs. There is a legitimate reason for why wine smells the way it does!\\xa0

\\xa0

_____________________________________________

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you\'ll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!\\xa0

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

\\xa0

\\xa0

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to:\\xa0www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

\\xa0

___________________________________________________________

Sources:

'