Sensory Experience
Welcome to the sensory display experience at Valdemar Estates.
Plaque #1
Smell Enhances Flavor
Did you know your sense of smell is the most acute sense you have? Whereas your taste buds can only sense five components—sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami-- it is estimated that humans can identify over 10,000 unique smells. Your sense of smell is 1,000 times stronger than your sense of taste! Aroma is without a doubt the most diverse aspect of wine tasting. Science estimates there to be more than 700 detectable smells across the spectrum of grapes used for wine. Aromas can be floral, citrus, fruity, vegetal, earthy or any number of familiar scents. When you smell a wine, you are preparing your brain for the wine you are about to taste. Our sense of smell has a profound effect on the way our brain processes flavor.
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Sense & Memory
The processing of smell is related to an area of the brain called the limbic system, which deals with both emotion and memory. When an aroma is perceived, the brain begins to make connections relating the odor to the feelings and events the person is experiencing. Sometimes, the brain connects the aroma to an event or feeling experienced in the past, effectively transporting a person back to that time and place via smell. Have you ever put your nose in a glass of wine and found yourself suddenly overtaken by a rush of nostalgia? Have you ever smelled a wine and vividly recognized the smell from another time or place? Smell and memory are closely linked. Your brain is effectively cataloging smells all day long, storing those aromas away along with the sights, sounds, memories, and emotions experienced at the same time for future access. The brain “creates” the aromas and tastes in a wine as well, which is why two people can experience the same wine in completely different ways.
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How Smells Manifest in Wine
How do these aromas get in the glass? Wine gathers aromas that are similar—if not identical—in their chemical composition to those found in pretty much any variety of fruit, but also nuts, herbs, spices and even dairy products, mineral or even animal! The aromas and flavors found in wine are grouped into three major categories –primary, secondary, and tertiary aromas. Primary aromas are those specific to the grape itself. Different grape varieties have inherently different aromas. If you were to taste the grapes in the vineyard, you would find scents reminding you of other plants. Secondary aromas are those acquired through the winemaking process. The natural flavors in the grape combine and interact with yeasts and bacteria during fermentation to create further aromatic complexity. Other winemaking processes such as oak aging and lees stirring can add secondary aromas. Tertiary aromas are those which develop over time through aging in barrel or bottle. As the wine’s molecules interact with each other and with oxygen, their aromatic profile changes.
Dried Black Currant
Red Pepper Berries
Dried Flowers
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Primary Aromas
Primary Aromas are the smells that come from the grape itself. These smells are often the strongest smells you find in wine, such as flowers, herbs, and fruits. Remember that grapes are fruit, so most primary notes will be fruity in nature and easier to recognize. For white wines, aromas can be citrus, tree fruits, stone fruits, or tropical fruits. Think pears, apples, peaches, melons, and pineapple. For red wines, red fruit, or berry aromas, like raspberry or currants, are common. Some primary aromas are herbaceous due the fact that grapes grow on a vine plant. For example, Cabernet Sauvignon often displays notes of green bell pepper. Other herbal notes can be anything from eucalyptus to mint to fennel. Floral is also a common primary note and can include roses, violets, or carnations
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Secondary Aromas
Secondary wine aromas are those related to human intervention. If an aroma reveals itself as something not found in nature, it’s likely a secondary characteristic. Oak aging is one of the most common methods used to integrate secondary aromas into a wine. The type of oak and the length of time a wine spends in a barrel can impart various aromas and flavors. These range from vanilla to toast, smoke, cedar, and baking spices.Both French and American oak are commonly used in the maturation of wine. Flavors and aromas associated with French oak include cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and dark chocolate. American oak can impart flavors of coconut, vanilla, and dill.
Plaque # 6
Tertiary Aromas
Tertiary aromas come by way of wine maturation. Because most wines for sale are meant for early consumption, few drinkers get to experience tertiary qualities. Extended periods of time in bottle are where tertiary notes are born. In white wines, fruit development sees a transition from fresh to dried fruits. With even more time, new notes appear-- warm spices, nuts, and hints of honey. Red wine is similar and can display cooked or stewed fruits as well as jammy qualities. Red wines often see an earth-bound evolution with forest floor and vegetal aromas or even the classic smell of a barnyard.
