
All fruit and vegetable varieties, especially grapes, possess characteristic aromas pending on their environment and soil types. This phenomenon manifests itself in single vineyard wines more than in generic wines.
Over centuries, vineyard owners found out certain grape varieties grow better in certain regions, and within that area there were even more suitable parcels yielding more aromatic grapes.
French were the first to recognize that, but the Portuguese, and to some claim Hungarians, were the first to promulgate and implement appellation laws. French adopted the appellation concept on a countrywide scale in 1938, mostly to prevent fraudulent practices.
Fraud in the wine trade has been going on since wine became a commodity thousands of years ago. This is a bottled commodity that you cannot taste before opening the container, The consumer buys wine based on one of the following criteria – recommendation of a sales clerk, or fried, or wine writer, advertising, previous experience, based on a restaurant experience, or at a winery after tasting. The last way of buying is the most convincing, but you must also make sure that the wine is properly transported especially when you buy it at a distant location, i.e Europe to be shipped, or in your luggage.
The intensity of aromas depends on climatic conditions of the growing season, and pruning of vines, which can reduce or increase yield. In addition pressing levels, yeast strain employed for the fermentation, and aging play a role in the taste and appearance of the wine.
Chardonnay smells of green apples, lemon, pear, tropical fruits, and pending on aging, barrel wood, and toast level toasty or intense. Some chardonnays grown in calcareous soil or clay mixed with pebbles offer mineral flavours and smells.
When dead yeast cells are agitated after fermentation has been completed, buttery flavours develop.
Chardonnay musque, a sub-variety, smells of muscat like, which disappears after a few years in the bottle.
Sauvignon blanc smells pending on region, of cut grass, gooseberries (green gage), herbs, lime zest, and asparagus.
Viognier – peaches and apricots.
Cataratto – (the second most planted white grape variety in Italy after trebbiano ( a.k.a ugni blanc ) smells of peaches and nectarines.
Vidal when processed to ice wine smells of dried fruits mostly of peach/apricot and other stone fruits.
Cabernet sauvignon is well known for its black currants and/or black pepper. Pending on the toast levels of barrels and length of aging, aromas of dark chocolate, clove, cinnamon, cigar box, pencil shavings emanate.
Merlot – plums
Pinot noir – cherries, raspberries, beetroot, rotting forest leaves, barnyard and pending on toast level of barrels, tobacco and/or cigar.
Sangiovese – dark red cherries, dried orange zest
Shiraz or syrah – red berries (red currant, raspberry), black cherries, figs
Cabernet franc- raspberries, spices
There are more than 8000 grape varieties and counting., The above are the most popular for winemaking, at least in the western world.
Many winemakers bland two or more varieties to create new taste sensations. The dominant variety characteristics manifest themselves to experienced taster.
Tasting time, environment and taster’s experience, and gastronomic background play an important role in taste perception.
Experienced tasters possess sharp memories for smells and textures. They develop a jargon to express their perceptions.
It is important to remember that English, German, French, Italian, American, Australian and Latin American palates prefer different aromas and flavours.
Fruit aromas – peach, cherry, plum, pineapple, blackcurrant, apricot, raspberries, strawberries, dried fruits, apples, and pears.
Note that tropical fruits do not appear. This is because most tasters and evaluators, are citizens or long time residents of western civilizations and not familiar with tropical fruits. In essence wine and wine evaluation and description are western preoccupations.
Herbs – lavender, tea leaves, sage, marjoram, thyme, mint
Vegetables_ sweet peppers, olive, celery, cooked cabbage, truffles.
Note cooked cabbage flavours signifies faulty wine
Spice – back pepper, clove, liquorice, nutmeg, and cinnamon
Floral – lime, orange blossom, violet, clove, rose petals
Animal – leather, cat urine, damp fur, barnyard, tar,
Other favours- are toasted nuts, caramel, butter, vanilla, coffee, cocoa, smoke, dark chocolate
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Never miss a post! subscribe via RSS or subscribe via e-mail. Post writer – Hrayr Berberoglu – E-mail – Read his books? Professor B offers seminars to companies and interested parties on any category of wine, chocolates, chocolates and wine, olive oils, vinegars and dressings, at a reasonable cost. |























