🍷 Primary aromas
Also known as: primary aromas, varietal aromas, grape aromas, primary aroma, varietal character
Primary aromas are the smells of wine that come from the grape itself: terpenes, norisoprenoids and methoxypyrazines, set by variety and growing conditions.
Primary aromas (varietal aromas, grape aromas) are the smells of wine that come from the grape itself. They form in the berry while it ripens and depend on the variety and the conditions the vine grew in. The chief compounds are terpenes, norisoprenoids and methoxypyrazines.
Not all of them smell straight away. Some compounds sit free in the berry, so you can smell them. Others are bound to other molecules and are let go only during fermentation or ageing. So you cannot smell them in the juice, but you do in the wine. Volatile thiols, terpenes and esters can also be formed or released in fermentation from odourless precursors. And some thiols are lost to oxidation before fermentation even starts.
Wine smells are usually sorted into three groups. The berry gives the primary ones, yeast and fermentation the secondary, and ageing the tertiary. Researchers regard the primary group as the one that defines a wine's typicity. The mix depends on surroundings: the soil and climate of the place where the grapes grew.
For the other groups read Secondary aromas and Bouquet (wine). The overall picture is in Wine aroma, and the link between smell and plant in Grape variety.
Facts
| Botanical origin | Grape berries themselves, during ripening 12 |
|---|---|
| Taste | Main compounds: terpenes, norisoprenoids, methoxypyrazines 1 |
| Main use | Help define a wine's typicity; mix depends on variety and environment 1 |
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Primary aromas → kind of → 🍷 Wine aroma → kind of → 🍷 Wine taste and composition → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Next step
- 🌿 Grape variety
- Part of
- 🍷 Wine aroma
Frequently asked questions
What are primary aromas in wine?
Smells that form in the berry while it ripens, also called varietal aromas [1][2].
Which compounds make primary aromas?
Mainly terpenes, norisoprenoids and methoxypyrazines [1].
Can a smell appear in wine that was not in the juice?
Yes. Bound compounds are released only in fermentation or ageing, so they show up later [2].
Do thiols survive winemaking?
Not always. Volatile thiols are sensitive to oxidation before fermentation [2].
Is it true that all wine smells come from the barrel?
No. Primary aromas come from the grape, and oak gives only some of the tertiary ones [1][2].
Similar
🍷 Secondary aromas · 🍷 Bouquet (wine) · 🍷 Wine aroma wheel · 🍷 Minerality · 🍷 Ampelography
Sources
- P. Romano et al. Role of Yeasts on the Sensory Component of Wines. Foods 11(13), 2022
- C. van Leeuwen et al. Recent advancements in understanding the terroir effect on aromas in grapes and wines. OENO One 54(4), 2020