Breaking Down the Nose of a Wine- Part 2

After reading part 1 of this series (and practicing), you should feel more confident about identifying the nose of a wine. If you haven’t read part 1, click here. Next, I will introduce you to other aromas that you can identify.

Secondary aromas

In part 1 all of the aromas that we were seeking and identifying were primary aromas. Those aromas are products of the fruit itself. They are specific not only to the type of grape but other factors, such as the weather conditions they were exposed to, the ground in which they were planted, how much exposure to sun they had, and when they were harvested.

Secondary aromas are created based on the winemaking process. When sniffing wine to identify these aromas, we are seeking the products of three different processes:

• Exposure to oak
• Exposure to lees
• Malolactic fermentation

Let’s break each one of these down.

Exposure to oak

Wine can be both fermented and/or aged with exposure to oak. Wine also can be fermented and/or aged in cement or stainless steel barrels. The oak exposure can range from the addition of oak chips or staves to storage in an oak barrel. The oak barrels can be new or previously used. All of these variable impact the aromas you will detect.

A little research or knowledge of your wine may help determine if your wine has had oak exposure. For example, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is almost never exposed to oak, so there’s no need to seek those aromas. For wines with possible or confirmed oak exposure, you will sniff and look for these aromas. For a white wine, you are looking for the scent of almonds, walnuts, or toffee. For a red wine, the scents are vanilla, coconut, cedar, smoke, butterscotch, or coffee.

Exposure to lees

Lees are the dead yeast cells that are a byproduct of fermentation. Some winemakers leave them with the wine while it matures. Other winemakers remove them before the aging process begins. If the lees are left in the barrel or tank, you will detect specific aromas.

Unlike oak, you are less likely to know whether or not your wine was exposed to lees. Rather, you will need to have your nose help you determine this. In both red and white wines you will be seeking the scent of biscuits, bread, or toasted bread. Note, it can be a bit more difficult to find those notes in a red wine, so be patient and keep sniffing.

Malolactic fermentation

It’s a big word, but it has a fairly simple description. Malolactic fermentation (also known as MLF) is the conversion of malic acid into lactic acid in the winemaking process. Malic acid is a bit more harsh, like the acidic note in a green apple. Lactic acid is smoother, like the acid in milk.

Many red wines undergo MLF, whereas white wines are split more evenly between having MLF and not. The result of the process is the same for both red and white wines. You will note dairy aromas, such as butter, cream, or cheese. Again, it can be more difficult to detect those aromas in a red wine, so take your time and sniff deeply.

Keep on practicing

Yes, these three elements that you are seeking may seem intimidating or overwhelming. However, once you have a grasp on the aromas you actually are looking for, it’s not that bad. The best part about learning how to find these aromas is to open another bottle of wine and keep practicing!