Appreciation of aromas

The substances which give rise to the aromatic sensations of wines are extremely diversified and numerous. Perhaps some five hundred are known today. In the future, with the advances made in analytical methods, there may be many more.

According to their nature they can be grouped into:

• Alcohols
• Acids
• Ethers
• Carbonylic compounds
• Amines
• Terpene hydrocarbons
• Carotenes

Each compound shows its smell according to:

• Concentration
• Boiling point
• Peculiarity

The appreciation of aroma is also known as:

• Appreciation of smell
• Appreciation of aromas

The name which best responds to this activity is the "appreciation of aromas".

It is generally recognised that once the cork has been removed from the bottle, the wine should be submitted to a visual appreciation: brightness and colour. Afterwards, aroma and finally, the palate. In fact, tasting should begin with the appreciation of the aromas, for the simple reason that if there are fleeting aromas, be they good or bad, these could be lost if we take time making a visual appreciation of the wine.

Sensitivity to smell lies in the upper part of the nasal passages where volatile vapours arrive by two routes:

1. Direct, through the nose, when the wine is smelled beneath it.

2. Retronasal, or indirect, when the wine evaporates in the mouth cavity and its aroma passes behind the palate into the nasal passage.

The appreciation of aromas is a complex process.

The standard glass is useful for appreciating the aroma of wine. An open, goblet-type glass would not be appropriate.

The temperature of the wine has a great deal of influence on the appreciation of the aromas. Low temperatures attenuate the aromas and high temperatures develop the retronasal aromatic pressure in excess (not pleasant), and makes them seem sickly sweet. For this reason, there is a temperature limit for the appreciation of aromas which is estimated at 15-16° C maximum, giving aroma via the retronasal duct of 25-26° C. Above these temperatures the wine would not be pleasant to drink.

Time is equally important for the appreciation of aromas. The aroma of wine which is poured into a glass immediately after opening the bottle develops in three stages:

1. For three minutes it shows the bouquet which is developed during the time in bottle.

2. Following this, there are five minutes of neutral aroma.

3. Finally, it reveals an aroma of oak from the casks.

It should be easy now to recognise primary, secondary aromas, etc. as types of aromas. Gradually, new effects, components and reasons for taste are discovered. Their origin is very complex.

Aromas may come from:

• Grapes: Skin, and Malvasia and Muscat, the pulp.
• Processes Pre-fermentation: Transport, Sulphites, Pressing and Debourbage
• Fermentation: Vigorous, Malolactic y Carbonic maceration
• Technology: Fining, Filtration, Racking, etc.
• Ageing: Reduction process, Oak, The effects on the wine when the cork seals the bottle and Time in bottle.