You Smell! Like Wine!

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How many of you know who Dr. Ann Noble is? She was a U.C. Davis sensory chemist and (retired) Professor in the Department of Viticulture and Enology. She is widely credited with the discovery of the Wine Aroma Wheel, which as an official website. Here is the wheel:




From the Wine Aroma Wheel website:
Primary Aromas

Primary aromas are from the type of the grape or the environment in which it grows. For instance, Barbera wines will often have subtle nuances of licorice or anise. You’ll find quite a range of flavors in the Primary Aroma group including fruit flavors, herbal flavors, earthiness, floral notes and spices.
Secondary Aromas

Secondary aromas come from the fermentation process which includes yeast and other microbes. A great example of this is the sour smell that you can find in Brut Champagne that is sometimes described as ‘bready’ or ‘yeasty’. These fermentation-related aromas are present in all wines at some level and you’ll find that young wines tend to have more intense Secondary Aromas than wines that have been aged
Tertiary Aromas

Tertiary aromas (classically referred to as ‘bouquets’) come from aging wine. Aging aromas are from oxidation and resting the wine in oak or bottles for a period of time. You’re probably familiar with the vanilla aroma associated with oak-aging. Other, more subtle, examples of tertiary aromas are nutty flavors like hazelnut found in vintage Champagne or dried fruit aromas such as fig that are associated with older red wines.

But what happens when a weird smell indicates something is wrong with your wine? The aroma wheel is not help. But you know you have smelled that aroma (fragrance or smell) before? Somebody with too much time on their hands, and having drank too much bad wine, has come up with these eleven weird smells.

Wet Dog-probably the most common, in my experience. This is roughly translated to cork contamination. Your dog probably smells even worse!

Rotten Eggs-also in your car, if the catalytic converter is converting. The wine maker has been using sulfur dioxide as a preservative, to prevent oxidation. Decanting works sometime, as well as the "penny" trick.

Moldy-like a wet towel or bad sponge. It means your wine glass is not clean. Those of you who swig from the bottle should not experience this smell.

Cat pee-widely prevalent in a very high quality Sauvignon Blanc. I have never experienced this, as I have only consumed low quality (read that as heap) Sauvignon Blanc. Yes, it is both funky and tangy, what a combination!!!

Burnt rubber-If you drink wine at an auto race, it might be the tire, bot the wine. But young Syrahs do carry this odor. But if the wine tastes good, drink it. If you have a clean copper penny before 1982, drop it in the bottle or glass, it will take away the smell.

Cigar box-some of you prefer this, but I prefer to taste my wine. This is most common in Bordeaux blends, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. Most likely it is the oak barrel that was used to age the wine. Either that, or take that cigar out of your mouth when you drink your red wine!

Raw meat- again, it means a desirable smell for powerful Bordeauxs. You might as well barbecue that big T-bone or rib eye and enjoy it all.

Wet dirt-also known as forest floor, though I have never used that adjective with my red wine. But it means rich, full-bodied, and mature, much like some women I know.

Roses-certainly sounds and smells better than a stinky towel or sponge. But it is very common for grapes used to make Barolo, and Barbaresco.

Canned green beans-reminds me of my travels through Chile, the thin country. It generally means that your Sauvignon Blanc is of poor quality.

Petrol-again, do not drink your wine next to the exhaust pipe of your car or Harley. But it is common with high quality German Rieslings, but obviously the Germans who died of exhaust asphyxiation do not mind.

Actually, I really do not care about using Wine Aroma Wheel terms or any others. All I care about is whether I like the wine. Or whether you like the wine. I can take cheap or expensive wines to parties and dinners. Half of you like it and half do not, no matter the cost or aroma!!!

Those of you who order wine by the glass, here are a few secrets: Most Popular Wines by the Glass

Chardonnay: Almost half of all white wines ordered are chardonnay! The average price is $7.82 per glass.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Almost one third of all red wines ordered are cabernet sauvignon! The average price is $8.26 per glass.

Best Value Wines by the Glass

Pinot Grigio: The average price is $7.25 per glass.

Zinfandel: The average price is $6.68 per glass. Personally, I think people are moving their red wine taste to Pinot Noir, and Malbecs. White wines are moving to Sauvignon Blanc or the sweeter Rieslings. I think people are getting tired of the big Cabs and the oaky Chardonnays.

Addendum: I just finished reading "Billionaire's Vinegar", a story about ultra rich wine collectors, who bid for bottles of French wine supposedly once owned by Thomas Jefferson. One of the Forbes clan, and later one of the Koch brothers each bought some of this wine from a fraudulent dealer in Germany. Forbes paid $156,000, Koch about as much. Totally crazy, as neither planned to drink it!! None of it was authentic! Moral of the story: buy and drink what you like! Forget the price or the label.




And news flash: In case you haven't heard, 2013 was the year in which Champagne lost its top spot to Prosecco as the world's most best-selling sparkling wine. Prosecco repeated the feat in 2014. For some, the news was a punch in the gut for what is be one of the world's most recognizable brands, while others rejoiced that a cheaper, tasty European alternative was available. Could not have happened to a snottier bunch of people, in my humble opinion. I still say all sparkling wines can and should be called whatever the grower/producer wants to call it!



The French should stop hiding behind their "champagne" banner. If their product is truly superior, the buyer will know!!!

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