How to Identify Herbal Aromas in Wines

The aroma or bouquet of wine is an important part of the wine experience, and is the second step in a wine tasting (after color).Herbal aromas are a very important part of a wine's description, and help you to appreciate what you are smelling. These descriptive aspects are varied, capturing the many different types of herbs that exist. One of the best ways to identify what herb you're scenting is to train your nose. Just as you can recognize the smell of chocolate or coffee, with practice you can learn to recognize an herb's fragrance. You can purchase a wine education kit, which has assorted aromas in small bottles and instructions for self-teaching. Or you can use what you have in the cupboard as a starting point.Here are seven steps to train your nose.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• White wine glass
• Red wine glass
• Herbs (fresh or dried)
• Bottle of white and/or red wine

Identifying Herbal Aromas in Wine

1. Select a bottle or red or white wine for tasting. Look at the descriptive terms used on the back label, or on any accompanying literature. See what herbal aromas are mentioned. Try to choose a wine based on bouquet that includes a variety of herbs as opposed to just fruits or flowers. In many cases, what you taste and what you smell in a wine are not the same, although they can overlap somewhat.

2. Take advantage of your spice cupboard. Match the herbs listed on the wine description to those in your spice cabinet and pull out those bottles. If you don't have the spice, consider seeing if your supermarket or health food store carries it fresh so you only have to buy a few leaves or sprigs. Keep each fresh herb separate and in its own bottle or bag - you don't want to mix aromas. Some of the more common herbs you may smell in a wine include: menthol, mint, licorice, fennel, anise, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.

3. Select the correct glass for your wine. White wines use a tulip shaped glass; red wines a bowl shaped glass. This is specifically to enhance how the aromas are experienced by your nose.

4. Set up for your aroma training. Keeping them capped or bagged, place each of the herbs on your table, along with your bottle of wine and wine glass. Once you're set up, pour a glass of wine, about one-third of the glass.

5. Choose which herb you are going to test for first. Take a hearty sniff and tell yourself, "this is XYZ herb." Close the bag or bottle, and sniff a few times to clear your nose.

6. Gently swirl the wine in the glass a few times to release the aromas, and then stick your nose right into the glass - don't be shy. Take a deep sniff, with your mouth slightly open (this enhances your ability to smell). Focus on catching the aroma of the herb you just smelled. Repeat until you can smell it. You may have to smell the herb directly a second time and repeat the process. You are literally "programming" your memory.

7. Continue to do this with each herb listed in the wine's bouquet. Take a break after a point - the nose can get fatigued with this exercise, and make it harder to smell.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're suffering from allergies or a cold, wait until your nose is capable of smelling clearly.
• Don't drink coffee or soda, or eat a meal too close to smelling - your taste buds and nose are affected, and it will be harder to detect the aromas.
• Your tongue and nose's ability to function is best in the morning - for optimum learning, do your training around 10am.

Resources

• Wine Education Kit
• Wine 101 - Basics

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