Fortunately, it is very easy to train

our noses and brains to easily For the first red wine tasting choose
recognize aromas. The fastest way is wines with very different aromas
to make physical standards to such as a Pinot noir (Carneros or very
illustrate important notes in wine cool central coast area of CA, Oregon,
aroma. or red Burgundy), a Cabernet
With few exceptions, materials Sauvignon (for vegetative, get a
available from the grocery store are wine from a cooler CA region; for a
Using the wine aroma wheel all you need. One of the few less vegetative wine, try Napa,
Copyright A C Noble, 2009 standards that cannot be provided is Sonoma, Washington) and a black
ann@winearomawheel.com the floral aroma of Riesling, Muscat peppery Zinfandel (CA) or Syrah or
www.winearomawheel.com or Gewürztraminer wines. For this Shiraz .
distinct floral, citrus aroma use
The purpose of the wine aroma Lemon-grass or get handi-wipes®. Directions for making standards
wheel is to facilitate communication Put an opened Handiwipe® into an
about wine flavor by providing a empty covered glass. alternatively, Make standards in a neutral wine *.
standard terminology. Words put Froot Loops® (a breakfast cereal) For the most commonly encountered
included on the wheel are terms that into an empty wine glass. white and red wine aromas, the
are specific and analytical and not approximate recipes are provided on
hedonic or the result of an integrated WHITE WINES the next page, but they all need to be
or judgmental response. ‘Floral’ is a tweaked so the aroma is detectable
general but analytical descriptive If you are just beginning, it is easier but not overwhelming. Add more if
term, whereas “fragrant”, “elegant” to evaluate white wines; start by the aroma is not identifiable; dilute
or “harmonious” are either imprecise selecting some wines with large with the base wine if it is too strong.
and vague (fragrant) or hedonic and differences in flavor. For example, Put the standards in wine glasses,
judgmental (elegant and include an oaky, buttery Chardonnay covered with cold drink lids, plastic
harmonious). (most Australian, or California ones petri dish lids, watch glasses or even
will do), a “vegetative” wine (bell saran wrap. Covering the glass
The wheel has very general terms pepper, asparagus), a Sauvignon increases the intensity of the aromas
located in the center, going to the blanc from New Zealand or cool parts and prevents the odors from
most specific terms in the outer tier. of California and a floral Riesling or permeating the entire room.
These terms are NOT the only terms Gewürztraminer from cooler parts of
that can be used to describe wines, California (North or Central Coast), * Neutral wine” has no defects or distinctive
but represent ones that are often Oregon, Washington, Germany, aroma; you could use an inexpensive bag in the
box.
encountered. Novice tasters often Alsace (France). For a fourth wine, try
complain that they “cannot smell an unoaked Chardonnay or Viognier.
anything” or can’t think of a way to
describe the aroma of wine. RED WINES
White wine aroma standards
(in 1 oz neutral white wine* ***) SPARKLING WINES Volatile acidity (VA)
Asparagus (several drops of brine of Sparkling wines have aromas listed A few drops vinegar
canned asparagus) on the table wine aroma wheel, such
Bell Pepper (tiny piece of bell pepper; as citrus and berry, but they also Sulfur
don’t leave in too long) H2 S Hydrogen sulfide, boiled egg or
have other notes. These occur in
Vanilla (Drop of vanilla extract black sand from Japanese food store
Champagnes and sparkling wines Ethyl mercaptan Smell of natural gas
Clove (One clove))
Citrus (~ 1 teaspoon of fresh orange which are made by Méthode (tell people to experiment on their own
and grapefruit juice) Champenoise and aged on the yeast carefully)
Peach (several teaspoons of peach before being disgorged. S02 Sulfur dioxide Dried apricots
or apricot puree or juice ) (which were treated with sulfite)
Pineapple (1 teaspoon juice) Sparkling wine aroma standards Caution: Many asthmatics are very
Honey (1 – 2 Tablespoons (In 1 oz neutral white still wine**) sensitive to it!
Lime (A few drops of Rose’s lime
Having an unspiked wine makes it Juice or squeezed lime juice) Brettanomyces (A wild yeast)
easy to identify the spiked aromas by Drop of creosote or piece of old
Apple (Sniff freshly cut apple)
contrast. Smell the standards first, fashioned Band-Aid (a horsy, sweaty
Toasted hazelnuts (Crushed nuts saddle, barnyard smell)
smell the wines. Which terms alone) To obtain a colored, laminated
describe each wine? If you come up Sour cream/yogurt (1Tbsp. in empty plastic version of the wine aroma
with NEW aromas such as glass) wheel in English, French, Italian,
lichee/lychee—make a standard! Vegemite (Vegemite® or marmite®) Spanish, Danish, Norwegian and
Cherry/strawberry (Few drops of Swedish) or Sparkling wine aroma
Red wine aroma standards flavored juices or extracts)
(in 1 oz neutral red wine**)
wheel in English and wine aroma
Nutmeg (few grains) tee shirts, go to
Asparagus (several drops of brine of Caramel (crush one Kraft® caramel)
canned asparagus) www.winearomawheel.com
Vanilla (as for table wines). ann@winearomawheel.com
Bell Pepper (tiny piece of bell pepper)
Vanilla (Drop of vanilla extract A. C. Noble, Box 72239,
Clove (One clove) DEFECTS
Davis, CA 95617-6239 USA
Soy sauce (few drops, great for older Some of the commonly encountered
wine defects can also be illustrated by
FAX 484 233 3149 Email
reds) See video at
Berry (Fresh/frozen berries and/or jams) making standards.
www.winearomawheel.com/how-to-
Berry jam 1-3 tablespoons strawberry
Moldy Cork the BEST standard is the use-it
jam)
Black pepper (few grains black pepper) actual example of the defect. Save a
Anise, black licorice (use few drops of spoiled wine which has a moldy odor,
anise extract) produced by TCA (trichloroanisole).

*”Neutral wine” has no defects or distinctive aroma Oxidation