Olfactory analysis is one of the most crucial and complex phases of wine tasting. It requires a refinement of the senses to identify and appreciate the variety of aromas present in each glass. This phase not only enriches our sensory experience, but also offers us valuable insights into the quality, origin, and evolution of the wine.
Olfactory Examination
The olfactory examination is divided into different components that together contribute to forming the aromatic profile of the wine.
Intensity
It measures the impact of the wine's aroma, independent of the number of scents (imagine first smelling a rose and then a bouquet of roses).
The intensity categories are:
- Poor: Very delicate, almost imperceptible scent.
- Not very intense: Delicate and barely perceptible scent.
- Quite intense: Discreetly perceptible scent.
- Intense: Strong and pronounced aroma.
- Very intense: Distinctive and enveloping aroma.
A wine with an intense (or very intense) aroma will certainly give us more satisfaction than a less intense wine.
Complexity
It is determined by the variety of odorous nuances (imagine first smelling a bouquet of roses and then a bouquet of mixed flowers). The complexity categories are:
- Poor: Very little variety of odorous nuances.
- Not very complex: Little variety.
- Fairly complex: Sufficient variety.
- Complex: Numerous olfactory nuances, often due to the evolution or olfactory personality of certain grape varieties.
- Wide: Numerous, varied and differentiated odorous nuances.
A wine with a complex (or even broad) aroma will evidently give us more satisfaction than a less complex wine.
Quality
It is the synthesis of the judgment that takes into account the intensity, complexity, pleasantness, elegance, and typicality of the wine's aroma. The quality categories are:
- Common: Poor or worthless perfume.
- Not very fine: Perfume lacking in pleasantness.
- Fairly fine: Sufficiently pleasant aroma, with discrete intensity and complexity.
- Fine: Good aroma, great intensity and a wide range of olfactory nuances.
- Excellent: Very elegant wine, great intensity and complexity, which expresses itself with class and personality.
A wine of fine (or even excellent) quality is what we hope to always be able to taste.
Description of sensations
Sommeliers often delight us with their original ways of poetically and creatively conveying the aromas of wine (since the substances that determine them have less-than-poetic names, such as acetate, butanate, benzaldehyde, etc.). Some examples include:
- Aromatic (Muscadine, Malvasia, Gewurtztraminer)
- Vinous (typical of young reds)
- Fruity, floral, herbaceous, fragrant, mineral, spicy, toasted, ethereal.
We will analyze the sensations in detail a little later.
Importance of Olfactory Examination
Olfactory examination is essential for recognizing the various aromatic nuances present in wine, which range from floral, fruity, spicy, and herbal aromas. It's important to check for defects such as mold or cork odors.
Volatile odorous particles can be perceived directly through the nose or through the nose. Testing steps include:
- First intense inhalation with the glass still to evaluate the intensity.
- Rotate the glass to release odorous substances.
- Subsequent intense and alternating inhalations between the right and left nostrils to evaluate complexity and quality.
Scent of Wine
The aroma of wine is determined by approximately 220 volatile substances, divided into three groups:
- Primary : Derived from grapes and the vine.
- Secondary : Resulting from fermentation processes.
- Tertiary : Resulting from maturation and refinement.
Examples of Aromas in Wines
- Young white wines : Fresh white and yellow flowers, white-fleshed fruit, aromatic herbs, vegetal and mineral hints.
- Evolved white wines : Yellow flowers, ripe exotic fruit, dried fruit, candied fruit and spices.
- Young red wine : Fresh red and purple flowers, red and black berries, vegetal hints.
- Evolved red wine : Dried flowers, fruit jams, spices, toasted and ethereal hints.
In order to bring order to the populous world of perfumes, they have been divided into 10 groups (9 in reality, because the last one includes all those that did not find a place in the first 9).
Floral scents
They are always present: fresh flowers in young white wines, yellow flowers in more mature white wines. Fresh flowers like red roses and violets in young red wines, red roses in Moscato Rosa, and white roses in Gewurztraminer.
Fruity Perfumes
These scents are also ubiquitous (even more so than flowers). White and yellow-fleshed fruits, berries, citrus fruits, fruit jams, candied fruit, and dried or dried fruit.
In young white wines, the fruit emerges vividly. In Moscato, it's white peach, in Prosecco, pear, in Sauvignon, grapefruit, and in Chardonnay, pineapple.
If the wine spends a period in barrels or ages in bottles, the aromas change and take on hints of ripe fruit, jams, dried fruit, walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts.
In some evolved reds you can recognize dried plums and cooked apples.
The passage in small barrels can also give off aromas of coconut and vanilla.
In dessert wines we find hints of raisins, exotic fruit, candied fruit, syrupy fruit and dried apricots.
Herbaceous scents
Also called vegetal aromas. They manifest themselves with green and unripe notes, often pungent and penetrating. In Sauvignon, tomato leaves; in Cabernet Sauvignon, green pepper; in Cabernet Franc, even more pronounced vegetal sensations.
Vegetal aromas can include: seaweed, asparagus, boxwood, grass, hay, various leaves, dry leaves, mushrooms, moss, undergrowth, truffle, and cooked vegetables.
Aromas of aromatic herbs
These are fresh aromas that are more noticeable in young white wines: sage in Moscato, thyme in Pigato, rosemary and basil in Riesling.
Others: dill, bay leaves, fennel, mint, oregano, parsley, thyme.
Mineral perfumes
At first, they're difficult to perceive, and especially to "understand." Hydrocarbons in the Riesling of the Rhine Valley, gunpowder for the Sauvignons of the Loire Valley, flint for the Chablis of Burgundy, graphite and salty notes in the Nero d'Avola.
Others: gasoline, gravel, ink, salty air… but don't be afraid, these are scents you'll eventually learn to appreciate.
Spicy scents
They are typical of the bouquet of the most evolved wines that pass through the barrel and refine in the bottle.
Sweet spices like vanilla and cinnamon, more pungent ones like cloves and black pepper.
Others: anise, star anise, curry, juniper, nutmeg, white, pink and green pepper, vanilla, saffron, ginger.
Toasted aromas
They too are linked to the evolution of wine, like cocoa, chocolate, toasted almonds, coffee, tobacco, and smoke.
There is also the “goudron” (tar) which recalls burnt shades.
Animal perfumes
Pet lovers' least favorites: hide and skin in mature wines, cat pee in Sauvignon Blanc, and "poultry shit" in Burgundy Pinot Noir.
Others: wet wool, fur, wet feather, game, wild.
Don't worry, though: these are olfactory perceptions that don't derive from the use of animal ingredients or derivatives but from the winemaking processes.
Ethereal perfumes
They are linked to a long rest in the bottle, with notes of iodine, medicines, enamels, paints
Others: wax, plastic, soap.
Different scents
They are nuances so different that they do not fit into the previous ones.
Hints of butter (barrique-aged whites), wood (reds after resting in large barrels), yeast, bread, biscuits, cheese (bottle-fermented and classic method sparkling wines), honey (passito wines), balsamic notes of eucalyptus, menthol and pine (structured and evolved reds)
Others: amaretto, biscuit, brioche, peanut butter, toffee, caramel, cinchona, powder, confectionery, crème caramel, bread crust, tea leaf, yeast, licorice, marzipan, olives, pastry, rhubarb, talc, tamarind, nougat…
Conclusion
Olfactory analysis of wine is a complex exercise that requires practice and concentration. Each aroma tells a story, and the ability to decipher these aromas enriches the tasting experience, transforming it into a fascinating journey into the world of wine.
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