Wine aromas

Tap a family on the wheel: its aromas, where they come from and which wines to look for them in. Then see those of Négrette.

Red fruit Négrette

Examples: Cherry, strawberry, raspberry, redcurrant
Where they come from: Aromas of the grape itself, known as primary.
Where to look for them: Young, fruity red and rosé wines.

Black fruit

Examples: Blackcurrant, blackberry, blueberry, plum
Where they come from: Primary aromas, more present when the grapes are very ripe.
Where to look for them: More concentrated reds.

White and yellow fruit

Examples: Apple, pear, peach, apricot
Where they come from: Primary aromas of white grapes.
Where to look for them: White wines and sparkling wines.

Citrus fruit

Examples: Lemon, grapefruit, orange
Where they come from: Primary aromas, often linked to the wine’s crispness.
Where to look for them: Crisp whites and sparkling wines.

Flowers Négrette

Examples: Violet, rose, acacia, hawthorn
Where they come from: Primary aromas, among the most delicate.
Where to look for them: Violet is the signature of Négrette; acacia and hawthorn are found in whites.

Spices Négrette

Examples: Pepper, liquorice, clove, cinnamon
Where they come from: From the grape for pepper and liquorice; from barrel ageing for clove and cinnamon.
Where to look for them: Reds, young or barrel-aged.

Vegetal notes

Examples: Cut grass, green pepper, blackcurrant leaf, mint
Where they come from: Primary aromas; green pepper is typical of cabernet franc.
Where to look for them: Some whites, and cabernet franc reds.

Oak and toast

Examples: Vanilla, toast, smoke, coffee
Where they come from: Ageing in oak barrels whose wood has been heated: these are secondary aromas.
Where to look for them: Barrel-aged wines.

Pastry and dairy

Examples: Butter, brioche, breadcrumb
Where they come from: Malolactic fermentation gives the butter; ageing on the lees, the brioche.
Where to look for them: Some aged whites, and sparkling wines.

Evolved aromas

Examples: Leather, undergrowth, mushroom, dried fruit and nuts
Where they come from: Bottle ageing: these are the tertiary aromas.
Where to look for them: Wines that are several years old.

Note what you smell

Primary, secondary, tertiary

Primary aromas come from the grape: fruit, flowers, vegetal notes, some spices. Secondary aromas arise during fermentation and ageing: butter from malolactic fermentation, brioche from ageing on the lees, vanilla and toast from the oak barrel. Tertiary aromas appear with time in bottle: leather, undergrowth, dried fruit and nuts.

How to recognise them

Smell the wine once without swirling it, then swirl it in the glass: air releases the aromas. Look for the family first, fruit, flower or spice, before the precise aroma. Putting a name to what you smell is something you learn: smelling the fruit, flowers and spices in your kitchen helps a great deal.

The aromas of Négrette

Violet is the signature of Négrette. Next come red fruit and spicy notes. It is a low-tannin wine with a deep colour, whose aromas show best when it is young.

Your questions

Frequently asked questions

Why do some wines smell of vanilla?

Because of ageing in oak barrels: the wood, heated when the barrel is made, gives the wine aromas of vanilla, toast or smoke.

Where does the buttery aroma in some whites come from?

From malolactic fermentation, which turns malic acid into lactic acid and produces a buttery note along the way.

Which aroma is typical of Négrette?

Violet, along with red fruit and spices.

Can a wine smell of leather?

Yes, with age: it is an evolved aroma, known as tertiary, found in wines that have spent several years in bottle.

The Wine Workshop

Sources

Négrette grape variety sheet Plantgrape