Wine Dimensions April 2006 |
Dear Friends of Monolithos, |
| Our sense of smell is the most important faculty we employ in perceiving a wine's character. Smell is the most acute of our five senses. It is approximately 1,000 times more sensitive than the sense of taste. |
| Odours are only detected in a gas state whilst tastes are perceived in a liquid state. Our nose and nostrils provide the channel through which odours are guided to the organ of smell (olfaction) located in the upper part of our nose. When we sniff a glass of wine, the volatile essences of the wine are carried by thousands of nerve endings in our nasal cavity to the olfactory bulb. Aromas can also be perceived through the mouth via the retronasal (oronasal) passage connecting the back of the mouth to the nose channel. As a result, what is termed "flavour" is influenced by roughly 75% of smell (olfaction) and 25% of taste in healthy individuals |
| In effect, flavours are odours in our mouth. Consequently, the sense of smell and the sense of taste are so closely intertwined that one could not exist without the other. For this reason, our nose can tell us a great deal about a wine before we even taste it. Scientists have proven that the nose can detect and distinguish between thousands of different smells, depending upon individual aptitude and training. To date, scientists have catalogued over 17,000 different smells. About 10,000 can be distinguished by humans. |
| Everyone has a personal perception when tasting a wine. Hundreds of aromas and flavours can be found in red and white wines. Over 300 different chemical compounds have been so far identified, many of which are identical or similar to those found in fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, and other substances. That's why we tend to describe a wine’s aromas in terms of various fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices (e.g., apple, melon, citrus, cherry, berry, honey, peach, mint, pepper, grass, green olive, clove, cedar, etc.). By developing your sense of smell, you become capable of associating these aromas to the smell of wine. |
| The sweet taste of wine is due to sugars, alcohol and glycerol. Sugar is an essential component in the production of wine. Grapes grown in warm climates, such as Cyprus, normally have a higher sugar content than grapes from cooler climates. During alcoholic fermentation, yeast feeds on the sugar found in grape juice and converts it into ethyl, alcohol and carbon dioxide. |
| Glucose and fructose are the main fermentable sugars in grape juice. There are approximately equal amounts of glucose and fructose in wine, but fructose is roughly twice as sweet as glucose. The amount of sugar fermented determines the wine’s alcohol level, and any glucose and fructose sugars remaining in the wine at the end of fermentation contribute to residual sugar. The latter is usually measured in grams of sugar per litre of wine. The most commonly used terms to indicate the level of sweetness and the associated residual sugar in wines are the following: |
| The smell of a wine is described in a general sense as its "nose". The terms "aroma" and "bouquet" are also used to denote a pleasant smell given off by wine. The nose of a wine will vary in intensity and distinction according to its age, grape variety, origin, storage conditions, temperature and quality, but it should always be free of unpleasant odours. |
| Wines exhibit "primary" and "secondary" types of aromas. Primary aroma is extracted from the grape variety. It is the scent of the fruit itself. The secondary aromas are caused by factors such as yeast and fermentation process, oak barrel, ageing, alcohol etc. Generally, the term aroma is associated with young wines, whilst the term bouquet is used for the smells acquired through ageing. |
| While smell is the most easily stimulated of the human senses, it is also the most fragile. Remember what happens to our sense of smell when we catch a cold. Also, most of us have experienced detecting the aroma of cooking, maybe even from outside the house. However after a few minutes, the cooking odours may no longer be noticeable. This fatigue of the sense of smell is part of sensory adaptation. Furthermore, strong smells around us e.g. a perfume, may mask other more delicate ones. Fortunately, we can regulate the perceived intensity of smell by controlling our breath. When inhaling deeply we increase the intensity, and by slowing our breathing we can reduce it. We can even protect ourselves from foul smell by holding our breath. Consequently, there are a few very important things to note when we "nose" a wine. |
| To fully appreciate a wine's aroma, it is important to make sure your nose is clear. Then, hold the glass by the stem and gently swirl the wine in slow, steady circles. Swirling exposes the wine to air and volatilizes the wine's aromas. Next, sniff the wine. Start by smelling the wine a few inches above the rim of the glass. Sniffing draws the aromas into the olfactory bulb, which "interprets" them – i.e. compares them to other familiar smells. |
| The aroma should be clean and fresh, with the characteristic scents associated with the variety (e.g., apple with chardonnay, apricot with Riesling, cherry, plums and blackcurrant with cabernet sauvignon, blackberry and black pepper with shiraz, etc.), perhaps accented by the toasty, vanilla-y, or spicy scents imparted by the barrels it was aged in. If the wine is older, it may have a less fresh and fruity aroma, but one with more complexity. |
| There are also smells associated with spoilage in wine. A vinegary smell is caused by acetic acid, while a nail polish aroma reflects the formation of ethyl acetate. Rubbery, rotten egg or garlic/onion aromas are by-products of sulphides, while a barnyard aroma results from a yeast spoilage organism. Faulty corks can cause a mouldy or wet cardboard aroma, while a sour milk aroma is due to another spoilage organism called lactobacillus. These organisms won't hurt you, but if they're in high enough concentrations to notice, the wines they mar are probably not worth drinking, and you should return them to the retailer or restaurateur from whom you purchased them. Given modern wine technology, you should not encounter flawed wines very often. |
| Concluding this short briefing on smell, there are a few very important things to note when we "nose" a wine. First smell the wine before swirling, noticing the delicate aromas. Next, swirl the wine and smell again after it is at rest. Depending on the bouquet, you may then notice a profound difference in the odours emerging. |
| Aroma is a smell that originates from the actual grape with very clear cut characteristics. Aroma is most prevalent in young wines. |
| The bouquet of a wine refers to smells generated as a result of ageing, smells found particularly in mature wines that were aged in a bottle. The bouquet generally has much softer and complex characteristics than aromas. |
| Identifying what you smell is usually the most challenging part in wine tasting. |
Wine News and Information |
| Americans will replace the French as the world's biggest wine drinkers within three years, according to new research. Consumption in the United States grew 3% in 2005 and if this trend continues, the US will oust France from the top spot within three years. |
| Global consumption grew by 0.1% to 23.56 billion litres between 2004 and 2005. Americans drank a record 243 million cases of wine in 2004, and the average per capita consumption hit a record 2.77 gallons (10.5 litres). |
| The study highlights sudden growth in the popularity of imported wine amongst drinkers in their 20's and heightened recognition of the health benefits of drinking wine as the primary cause for the increase. |
| European wine authorities have decided to authorize the use of oak chips and a host of other winemaking techniques previously derided by many as irremediably New World. For years, many of Europe's more traditional winemakers and wine drinkers were fiercely opposed to the use of oak in winemaking in any form other than a barrel. But, much to everyone's surprise, just before Christmas last year, the Italians forced through a change in European Union rules allowing winemakers to use what are called "oak alternatives". |
| These include fragments of oak, called oak chips in English and copeaux in French, as well as pieces of oak as large as barrel staves, called barrel inserts or, more prosaically, "planks in tanks". They are generally added to large volumes of wine before fermentation, although they may remain suspended in the wine for some time afterwards. In the case of oak chips, they are often placed in permeable sacks, sort of like giant teabags. |
| Oak does two things to wine, or at least two main things that are so far understood. |
| … It helps stabilize it and smoothes its texture, encouraging the phenolics in wine, especially tannins, to polymerize and create a much more flattering "mouth-feel". |
| … Oak can also deepen flavour by encouraging the formation of complex compounds of flavours. |
| Perhaps the most surprising aspect of oak alternatives is that it allows skilled winemakers more flexibility about how long they keep the wine in contact with oak. The world's leading coopers, those who until now have made fortunes supplying winemakers with millions of hand-crafted barrels made from French, American and, increasingly, eastern European oak, have quietly been investing in researching and developing their own oak alternatives. This is surely a sign that they recognize there is a healthy commercial future for oak chips and inner staves. |
| What is a worry, however, is the extent to which this globalization of winemaking techniques may lead to a globalization of wine styles, at least at the bottom end of the market. Until now, there has been a very distinct difference between basic European table wine and the cheaper varietals of California, Australia and South Africa – with the differences between these last three eroding over time. Will they all eventually end up tasting the same, wherever on the globe the grapes were grown? |
Monolithos Monthly News |
| During May the vines begin to flower, the shoots are thinned and the best ones are tied to supports. The soil is cultivated for the second time and weeding and care of vines continues. With summer on the horizon, the vineyard must be sprayed with powdered sulphur in order to protect the vines from conditions that can give rise to the growth of unwanted mycological villains. We also protect against powdery mildew by use of ordinary powder sulphur which we dust on the vines. Without sulphur, a naturally occurring element, you wouldn’t have wine. |
| Bottling of the Ayios Stephanos Red 2003 wine was completed in the first week of June. This wine will be on the market early in winter. |
| The winery is open for visitors and friends most weekends. However If at any time you are passing near the village of Pachna and wish to visit the winery or purchase any of our products, Martin Wood will be pleased to meet and assist you at his "Fig Tree Villa" in Pachna, so do not hesitate to phone him at 25-816212 or 99-165995. |
| We thank you for your continued support. Take care, and always remember: |
| Old books are to be read, old wood is to be burnt, old friends are to be trusted – and old wine is to be drunk. |
| Regards from all of us here at Monolithos. |
