When we drink grape juice, we say it tastes like grapes. So, why can’t we say wine tastes like grapes? We will explore this dilemma today. Thank you to WSET and Strong Coffee to Red Wine for their help with this article.
What Impacts the Taste of Wine?
Fermentation and maturation.
What happens in fermentation? The sugar in the grape juice is converted into alcohol because of the addition of yeast. How does this impact the taste of wine? Many of wine’s aromatics are created during this process. Of course, we know that wine tasting is probably 80% smell and 20% taste. So this phenomenon is very important.
What happens in maturation? When the wine is bottled, its aromatics continue to change due in large part to exposure to oxygen, heat and light. Typically, the fresh aromas it had in youth lose their intensity.
More Details on Aromatics
WSET tells us that many “aromas are created not from the grapes themselves, but from the many complex reactions that occur between certain acids and alcohols as fermentation progresses. The resulting fruity ‘esters’ give us aromas akin to apple, pineapple and banana, commonly found in young wines.”
Wine aromatics can be clustered together into the following groups:
- Esters are responsible for primary fruit flavors we get in young wine.
- Pyrazines contribute the many “green” aromas we experience in wine: bell pepper, jalapeño, grassiness, and earthy or herbal aromas.
- Thiols are responsible for the tropical and citrus aromas in Sauvignon Blanc.
- Lactones provide a pleasant-smelling compound found in apples, orange juice, grapefruit juice, orange essential oil, clementine peel oil and various grape wines.
What Wine Can You Say Tastes Like Grapes
The one wine for which it’s acceptable to say the wine tastes like grapes is Muscat, which is known for its musky taste. Of course, you should feel free to say that every wine tastes like grapes – and happily ignore the people who make fun of you.
