Tastes & Aromas

What happens during the aging process?

All wine changes with age.  As wine ages the primary fruit flavours  (those directly extracted from the grapes) are usually the first to change and then a range of secondary flavours emerge (toast, wholemeal, cedar, mushroom, earth, forest floor, honey, oiled fruit characters). 

Wines that are made to be enjoyed young typically have strong characteristic primary fruit characters – our best example in New Zealand is Sauvignon Blanc- these wines from Marlborough are fruity with distinct gooseberry, passionfruit and capsicum flavours.  But given time these evolve into a canned vegetative character – canned peas/asparagus.  Some people like the strong fruit characters, others enjoy the aged characters.

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Terpenes in the Aroma of Grapes and Wine (PDF 1.4Mb)

Varietal Aroma Compounds    (PDF  185Kb)

Earthy

Mushrooms

Primary
Characteristics

Secondary
Characteristics

Grape Varieties

Earthy

Dusty

Chardonnay

Mushroom/truffle

Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo (Barolo)

Beetroot

Pinot Noir

Mouldy cork

Mouldy

Floral

Floral

Primary
Characteristics

Secondary
Characteristics

Grape Varieties

Floral

Orange blossum

Chardonnay

Rose

Gewurztraminer, Riesling

Violet

Cabernet Franc, Mouvdere, Petit Verdot

Geranium

Fault due to the presence of ethoxy-hexadiene

Fruity

Fruit

Primary
Characteristics

Secondary
Characteristics

Grape Varieties

Citrus

Grapefruit

Chardonnay

Lemons and Limes

Chardonnay, Riesling

Berry

Blackberry

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah

Raspberry

Syrah, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc

Strawberry

Pinot Noir

Blackcurrent (Cassis)

Cabernet Sauvignon

Tree Fruit

Cherry

Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo (Barolo)

Apricot

Viognier, Gewurztraminer

Peach

Chardonnay

Apple

Chardonnay, Riesling, Semillon

Plum

Merlot, Pinot Noir

Tropical Fruit

Pineapple

Chardonnay

Melon

Sauvignon Blanc,Chardonnay

Banana

Dried Fruit

Strawberry jam

Cabernet Sauvignon

Raisin

Riesling

Prune

Cabernet Sauvignon

Fig

Chardonnay

Other

Artifical Fruit

Methyl Anthranilate

Herbaceous/Vegetative Characters

Veges

Primary
Characters

Secondary
Characters

Grape Varieties

Fresh

Cut grass

Sauvignon Blanc

Capsicum

Sauvignon Blanc

Eucalyptus

Syrah

Mint

Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo

Canned/Cooked

Green beans

Asparagus

Sauvignon Blanc

Green olive

Cabernet Sauvignon

Black olive

Cabernet Sauvignon

Artichoke

Dried

Hay/Straw

Tea

Tobacco

Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

Nutty

Nuts

Primary
Characteristics

Secondary
Characteristics

Grape Varieties

Nutty

Walnut

Semillion

Hazelnut

Almond

Spicy

Spices

Primary
Characteristics

Secondary
Characteristics

Grape Varieties

Spicy

Cloves

Syrah

Black pepper

Syrah, Cabernet Franc

Liquorice

Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon

Anise

Woody

Wood

Primary
Characteristics

Secondary
Characteristics

Grape Varieties

Resinous

Vanilla

Chardonnay, Syrah,
Cabernet Sauvignon

Cedar

Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah

Oak

Chardonnay, Pinot Gris,
Sauvvignon Blanc

Phenolic

Bacon

Phenolic

Cabernet Sauvignon

Medicinal

Burned

Coffee

Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot,
Cabernet Franc

Burnt Toast

Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon

Smoky

Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Syrah