Wine lesson: bouquet

The editors of FavorFlav love wine, but as soon as it comes to terroir, tannins and sulfites, their attention starts to wane a little. Because what exactly does that sommelier mean? Miss WineLane comes to the rescue and guides you through the wild world of wine terminology. This week: the bouquet, or the nose.

What is it?

The bouquet of a wine refers to the total of subtle aromas of more mature wine. The bouquet goes beyond aroma alone. Aroma refers to the pure scents from the grape juice. A simple wine has at most one or two of these characteristics. A young sauvignon blanc, for example, has distinctive, fresh aromas of citrus and gooseberry. A wine like that does not really have a bouquet. A classic, oak-aged chardonnay from Burgundy does. A wine like that smells more refined, with more aromas than those of the grape itself. Vanilla, dried fruit, brioche, herbs and nuts. Full yet delicate at the same time. Every time, you discover something new. Typically a wine you would describe as complex and layered.

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How does the bouquet develop?

Wine aromas develop during the fermentation of the grapes. During fermentation (when the must—the pressed grapes—is turned into wine), not only alcohol but also these aromas are created. Most bouquet aromas actually develop later, during the wine’s maturation. These are mainly the so-called tertiary aromas. Tertiary because wine aromas are divided into three groups: primary aromas from the grape itself (such as fresh fruit and flowers), secondary aromas that develop during winemaking (such as toast, honey and herbs), and tertiary maturation aromas (stewed fruit, caramel, spices, etc.). A good bouquet also contains some primary and secondary aromas, by the way; otherwise, the wine is unbalanced.

Is the bouquet always the same?

The bouquet is extremely sensitive to external influences. All those subtle, volatile aromas are released through the evaporation of alcohol. Temperature and the type of wine glass are therefore very important. The colder the wine, the less aroma. The warmer it is, the sharper the smell of alcohol. Once poured, all kinds of other changes also occur through contact with oxygen. That is why a glass that is too small or too full also affects the bouquet.