Smells like middle-aged spirit

So, as I was doing some internet sleuthing for this very post...I asked the oracle (Google) for some info. 

I copied and pasted this for your entertainment and I hope it made you laugh as much as it did me...which incidentally, left me with a room full of teenagers staring at me and my my maniacal laughter-

(I wrote it in my 6th hour independent study supervision shift)

Here you go:

Me: Where does wine get its smell and taste from? 

Google: Wine Gets Its Smell from the Grape

Lordt. 

Is it me? Or is the internet getting dumber? I mean...is it dumbing itself down to the level of average intelligence? Does it burp out information based on what it assumes we can handle? I cannot. 

Wine gets it smell and taste from grapes. 

Wow, I never would have known that without consulting you-oh wise and powerful oracle. 

Anyway, to that end-I did find some worthwhile info-eventually, and with much more specificity. Strangely enough, I did find some things I didn't already know-and that was a slim margin considering I have taken a lot of random wine courses here and there. 

But look-I'm no sommelier-I'm still learning. I consider myself a lifetime learner -so the purpose was to learn some details I didn't before, and I did. 

Cool. 

My husband, however- is a certified interprener. (don't know what it is, eh?) 

I'm ahead of the curve, babies. Buckle in-I'll actually explain myself without jest. 

For once. 

An interprener is a card-carrying cannabis sommelier. Yep. A "pot expert". 

Don't scoff. It's a legitimate thing. And make no mistake-he IS an EXPERT. And not just in the way of he can kill a 12-foot Grafix bong OR has a resin ball that he has been saving since 1985. 

(He doesn't-it's an example, um duh)  

It's a little a LOT more than that. I'm not exaggerating when I say that he borders on scientist/chemist with this stuff. 

These days, he still says words like wicked and gnarly, but it's always in relation to how awesome plant life is, in general while looking through a microscope. 

Why is this relevant? Well-I'm about to tell you-

It's relevant because of the expertise, which happens to center in flower (trees- actual plant cannabis and not oils, chemical derivatives, or vapes) and even more specifically-the thing he studies about the flower itself- is terpenes. All plants have them. But, cannabis has specific ones, and he can tell you all about their chemical makeup and structure, and also what each different strain of plant does-(the effects of) on each individual smoker. 

So you are asking-what could this possibly have to do with wine? 

Aha! Elementary my dear Watsons! 

Wine is grapes, grapes is plants...

NOW you get it!

So, this was why I decided to spend a few days researching wines and more importantly-their common aromas-which are due to...

Say it with me-TERPENES! 

I'll educate you, yet. And I'm planning on doing a better job than our old Oracle-Google. 

The pleasure of drinking wines come in many forms, but the taste of the wine is almost solely derived from the scents you pick up-as you sip. So, it makes sense that we understand more about those smells-those "notes" your brain catches on to first- when you imbibe in a great French Cabernet. 

If you smell flower petals or citrus in your wine-it's all due to terpenes, which settle on the grape skins. 

There are more common terpenes in every kind of wine, which creates the aroma. 

Terpenes:

Linalool: lavender, orange blossom, lily and bay leaves. 

Geraniol: rose petals.

Nerol and Citronellol: floral and citrus. 

Limonene and citral: citrus peel.

Hotrienol: linden blossom, and elderflower. 

Cineole and alpha-pinene: Eucalyptus, juniper, rosemary. 

Rotundone: Peppercorn. 

You had NO idea that this was so complex, I know. 

But wait-there's more!

There are a veritable slew of kick ass chemicals in wine-that occur through the making process. 

Here's where it gets kinda complicated.

Don't worry...break it all down for you. 

One major chemical compound found in wine that creates smell and aroma are called Aldehydes. Yes, JUST what you are thinking-Formaldehyde is an aldehyde. What gave it away, Google? 

These are compounds that form when alcohol oxidizes, and they lend to flavor by passing through the nose first-just like the above terpenes. 

Aldehydes:

Hexanal and hexenal: Freshly cut grass and tomato leaf. 

Vanillin: This one is derived from the fermentation process of aging in oak barrels and is also the chief flavor of vanilla beans. 

Benzaldehyde: Bitter almond or marzipan. These flavors are found in a great deal of pinot gris varieties. 

Furfural: Reminiscent of dried wood, caramel, and wheat-this chemical often occurs in oak aged wines. 

The third aroma and taste producer are called Pyrazines-These are super stable compounds found in wines that give them yet another shade of varietal character. 

Pyrazines: 

Methoxypyrazines: hints of green bell pepper, leafiness, petrichor-these smells and flavors live in Sauvignons and Carmenere wines. These are sometimes a sign of being under-ripened in some wines where they can taste acrid or overly herbaceous. It makes sense, however-because green bell peppers are just under-ripened red and yellow peppers. 

Another tasty chemical you'll taste without even knowing it are Esters. 

Esters are volatile flavor compounds created by reactions between alcohols and acids. These are responsible for most primary fruit flavors. 

Esters: 

Isoamyl acetate and ethyl acetate: Mostly in VERY young white wines. Pears and bananas specifically. 

Octyl acetate: Orange and citrus. Pinot Grigio's are heavy with these O.A's. 

Butyl acetate: Red delicious apples. 

Next on the list-Mercaptans. These are the stink bombs of wine. Heavy sulfur compounds that are released during the fermentation process. 

Mercaptans:

3MH (3-mercaptohexan-1-ol) Intense or rotten passion fruit. 

3MHA (3-mercaptohexyl acetate) Guava and gooseberry aromas-sour and puckery on the finish. 

4MMP (4 mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one) Dead leaves, black currant-very present in most cab savs. 

And lastly-but never least (and I'll totally sound like I'm introducing a 50's doo-wop band) The LACTONES. 

I told you. 

Lactones: Do wah, do wop diddy do

Sotolon: These are the old ladies. Aged wines. Sauternes and Madeiras. These are warm, colder weather apropos wines-with notes of Curry spice, nuts, toast or maple syrup. 

Octalactone: Aging oak and coconut notes-that come from the oak barrels themselves. 

And that-is chemistry 101-with booze. Which would have made high school science so much more fun. I mean, it would have made all of high school more fun. But, I digress. 

This is a pretty comprehensive list of why you smell and taste specific flavors and smell specific scents in wine. 

I'll look really wicked explaining that to a non-wine drinker. 

Or gnarly. Whatever. 

Until next time, (and apologies for the long gap...stuff was happening and I'm responsible and shit now-being back to school. )

I'll try to be more attentive. 

LOL

Sure. 

Have a great month. What? I mean week. No cap. 

Go have a glass of wine and notice stuff-and stop pressuring me. 

XOXO,

T