Last time we looked specifically at how oak affects the flavor of wine. There we learned that oak can be used in the fermentation process and/or the aging process to add various flavors to the wine. But before you take a first sip of wine, swirl your wine in your glass and then stick your nose into the top of the glass and experience all the wonderful aromas that the wine has to offer.
First and foremost, a wine’s aroma is based on the grape that is used in the wine. So, fruity aromas are those that are up-front. In white wines these aromas can include those of tropical fruits, melons, and citrus. In red wines you’ll find red fruit, black fruit and dried fruit aromas. So, these set the foundation for a wine’s aroma.
Now, let’s take a look at how the fermentation and aging process affect a wine’s aroma. First, fermentation - the process that turns the grape’s natural sugars to alcohol. And, the key ingredient in fermentation is yeast. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the yeast is a factor in a wine’s aroma. While the yeast doesn’t play a major role in a wine’s aroma, it can give a wine hints of fresh baked bread, butter, cream and cheese.
Then there’s the aging process. And, here aging in oak can yield a variety of aromas, some directly from the wood and others from the small amount of oxygen a wooden barrel allows inside. Depending on type of oak and how the barrel is toasted, it can lead to sweet aromas that including vanilla, caramel, brown sugar and butterscotch. The introduction of oxygen in the barrel can lead to nutty aromas. And, a heavily toasted oak barrel can even introduce aromas of smoke, tobacco, cigar and dried leaves.
So, don’t forget ‘smell’ as part of the five-Ss in wine tasting. Try it with your next glass of wine and see how many aromas you can pick out. Cheers!
