Wine aroma

Wine aroma is the mixture of volatile compounds released from wine that contributes to its smell. It arises from grapes, fermentation, maturation, and interactions among aroma compounds.

Volatility: Volatility is a substance’s tendency to enter the gas phase from a liquid or solid. It governs how readily wine aroma compounds leave the glass and enter the air.
Grape aroma: Grape aroma is the smell contributed by volatile compounds present in grapes or released from grape precursors. It supplies compounds and precursors that can persist or change during winemaking.
Wine tasting: Wine tasting is the sensory evaluation of wine using sight, smell, taste, and touch. Smelling wine is a central way to assess its aroma and condition.
Wine aroma reconstruction: Wine aroma reconstruction is the experimental recreation of a wine’s smell using selected aroma compounds in a model mixture. Reconstructed mixtures test whether known odorants can reproduce a wine’s aroma.
Olfaction: Olfaction is the detection of airborne chemical molecules by sensory receptors in the nose. It turns volatile molecules above wine into perceived smell.
Fermentation aroma: Fermentation aroma is the smell produced by volatile compounds formed during alcoholic and other wine fermentations. Yeast and bacteria create many of wine’s characteristic volatile compounds.
Wine fault: A wine fault is an undesirable sensory or chemical characteristic caused by spoilage, contamination, or a winemaking problem. Specific off-odors can reveal faults such as oxidation or cork taint.
Wine aroma precursor: A wine aroma precursor is a nonvolatile grape or wine compound that can release an odorant through chemical or enzymatic change. Precursors may become aromatic only during fermentation, aging, or other transformations.
Odor threshold: An odor threshold is the lowest concentration of a substance detectable by smell under specified conditions. It helps explain why trace compounds can shape wine aroma.
Wine aging: Wine aging is the development of wine’s chemical composition and sensory properties during storage after fermentation. Storage reactions can create, transform, or diminish aroma compounds.

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