Peaches in my Wine?!

Every so often at events we get asked: “so how many apples are added to make this wine apply” or “at what stage do they add the blackcurrants to the Cabernet”.  While seasoned wine drinkers may smile, it’s not surprising that a novice taster might pose such a question.  Confronted daily by newspaper wine columns, magazine food & drink sections and various online resources that introduce colourful and descriptive adjectives, it is reasonable for a novice wine drinker/taster to conclude that somewhere along the way the winemaker might be adding tobacco, leather, strawberry or some other ingredient to their grape juice, depending on the aromas detected and described.

Don’t fear this is certainly not the case!  What we do know is that in certain native plants, fruits and vegetables share certain components.  Some grapes contain components of peach for example, this is reflected in the Viognier grape which can often be described as producing a ‘peachy’ or fruity apricot style wine.  In fact viognier and peach share a compound called ‘Linalool’.  This compound is also shared by Muscat, Riesling and Gewürztraminer and is in fact in some soap & perfume products too!  The cosmetic company LUSH describe it as follows: Linalool is a colourless liquid with a soft sweet odour. It occurs naturally in many essential oils such as Tangerine, Spearmint, Rose, Neroli, Mandarin, Lemon, Lime, Lavender, Cypress, Grapefruit, Cinnamon, Chamomile, Palmarossa, Ho Wood and Ylang ylang.  All grapes contain varying percentages of similar compounds.

Overall however the flavour of a wine is affected by two factors: 1. Nature, 2. Winemaker.

The natural climate plays a major role in determining the characteristics of a wine made from a particular grape variety.  A cool climate results in grapes (and eventual wine) at the lower end of the ripeness scale.  These would share earthy, ‘green’, vegetal and herbal characteristics while being high in acidity.  Warm climates will result in wines of riper flavour, fruitier with softer acidity.  Sauvignon Blanc is a good example of this.  It shares a compound called ‘pyrazine’ with bell peppers and asparagus.  Sauvignon Blanc produced from a cool climate at the lower end of ripeness produces a wine where the pyrazine characteristics are very noticeable.  At warmer regions the fruit becomes riper and the pyrazine begins to take a back seat versus the developing compounds associated with riper fruits.  Therefore as an aside tip we can also deduce that herbaceous ‘green’ wines come from cooler climates or have been produced with grapes picked early.  A good example of this would be a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.  Warmer climates will reveal only slight grassy notes with riper melon and apply styles, on the highest end of the ripeness scale intense and luscious tropical aromas will be present overwhelming and covering up any traces of herbaceous characteristics.

So just as we explained how nature - climate, temperature and ripeness will affect the flavour profile of a grape, so too will the winemaker’s interaction with the fruit in the winery.  Oaky aromas, creamy/buttery characteristics and toasty nuances all imply that the winemaker has played further with the fruit during the wine making process.  But remember at no stage will apples/cherries/gooseberry/spice be introduced, these aromas are all naturally occurring and easy reliable triggers for us to use when describing a wine to friends or seeking assistance in the wine shop.  We’ll chat about these additional winemaker induced characteristics soon.

Tags: aroma, climate, linalool, pyrazine, tasting, Wine Basics

Here we go!

Hi all,

 

Just penning a brief note to get the ball rolling with our new blog!

Bear with us while we get comfortable with this new addition to the website.  If you have been clicking onto the site occasionally you will notice some new features and additions have also been added.  We have created some new sections for you to explore. 

 

The very fact you’re reading this means you have discovered the first of our new additions: Our blog!  As time goes by we will be updating this blog frequently with a whole host of info on various wine related topics.  I have a few ideas my self to begin with but if there are any questions you might have or advice you might need please feel free to post them right here on our blog.

 

In the main body of the website we have freshened up our appearance and introduced some new pages – “Upcoming Tastings” & “Wine Basics”. 

 

Upcoming Tastings

In the near future WineCourse.ie will be bringing you information about wine tastings in your area.  These will range from casual wine club tastings and discussion through to tutored tastings & wine dinners hosted by winemakers and importers.  (If you are involved in a wine club or associated with an upcoming event please drop me a note, info@winecourse.ie, and allow WineCourse.ie to help promote it for you).

 

Wine Basics

Maybe you haven’t had a chance to come along to one of our wine courses or wine tasting sessions yet.  Click on ‘Wine Basics’ over the coming weeks and we will provide you with some of the essential basics to allow you enjoy your wine further and develop some wine tasting technique!

 

Like I said at the start, we are eager to share info with you about wines in Ireland, wine education opportunities and any other info that might come our way.  We’ve lots of exciting ideas so remember this page and come back to visit soon!!

Tags: tasting, Wine Basics