Wine aromas are classified according to their origin, their chemical affinity or by association with natural smells already known.

THE AROMAS OF WINE: CLASSIFICATION

INDEX

  1. Primary aromas
  2. Secondary aromas
  3. Tertiary aromas
  4. Correct answer to the weekly quiz

1. PRIMARY AROMAS

They are also called “varietal” and are released from the grape skin which contains many organic compounds of which only a small part is made up of the primary aromas. They are perceived in the moment in which a grape is nibbled. Muscat is the aromatic grape par excellence: according to Pierre Galet it offers a texture of more than one hundred and fifty aromas. The grape skin also contains the aroma precursors, organic compounds that give off the aromas of wine after alcoholic fermentation.

2. SECONDARY AROMAS

Secondary or fermentative wine aromas develop during the alcoholic fermentation phase. During the fermentation processes, the higher alcohols and esters are essentially formed. Fermentation processes also form other metabolites, chemical compounds produced by fermentation, which can have an indirect impact on the perception of wine taste.

3. TERTIARY AROMAS

Tertiary aromas are produced during wine aging and are due to oxidation processes (which produce sulfur compounds and acetals) and to the release of certain chemical compounds (ellegitannins from oak wood and lactones) into the wine by the wood. One of the most studied chemical processes that occurs during the elevation of wine in barrique is micro-oxidation. The tertiary aromas include hints of fruit in jam, dried or withered flowers (imagine a pot-purri rather than a bouquet of fresh flowers), spices and roasts in general (ig: coffee, wood, cocoa), animal sensations like leather, hide, wet fur. The balsamic such as eucalyptus, mint, pine, camphor, musk.

4. CORRECT ANSWER

The correct answer to the weekly quiz – The aromas of wine – is number 3.

Xsperienza has created pages on the site dedicated to providing advice and suggestions for an excellent food-wine and music pairing on the occasion of particular types of events, for example a “GIFT” or a “ROMANTIC DINNER“. Consult the section dedicated to combinations to find advice from our chefs and experts.

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