Are Wine Aromas Real?

Chris Stines
3 min readApr 9, 2024
This image is the chemical structure of Linalool, an organic compound classified as a terpene alcohol. Linalool is widely present in nature and is a key component in the scent of many flowers and spice plants, including lavender, mint, cinnamon, and coriander. It’s also found in some fruits, giving them their distinctive fragrant notes. Image source: Wikipedia.

Wine tasters sometimes scoff at wine tasting notes, suggesting they’re over-embellished. Is it actually possible to detect hints of grass, grapefruit, rose petals, and even white pepper swirling in your glass?

Yes, actually. It turns out that the aromas you sense in wine are actually in the wine.

In a recent episode of the GuildSomm Podcast, Chris Tangy delves into the fascinating world of wine chemistry with Professor P.J. Alaimo, a professor of chemistry at Seattle University.

The conversation uncovers the intricate and fascinating chemical dance that creates the myriad flavors, aromas, and textures we experience in wine. Here are some of the key takeaways:

The Basics of Wine Chemistry

Composition

Wine is primarily water (about 85%) and alcohol (about 12–15%). The magic, however, lies in the 1–3% of “everything else” — these tiny amounts of various molecules are responsible for wine’s aroma and mouthfeel.

Sensitivity to Aromas

Our ability to detect different aromas varies by molecule, influenced by our olfactory receptors. Interestingly, while there might be differences in sensitivity among individuals, these are usually not drastic. The capacity to identify specific aromas, such as the…

--

--

Chris Stines

I write about the wine & sprits industry, technology, artificial intelligence and travel.