How does wine produce a wide variety of flavor descriptions like berries, apples, grass, wet stone, etc..?
In: Chemistry
The variety of the grape produces the most substantial difference in taste. For example, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinor Noir taste completely different. Second, the soil the vine is in plus the fertilizers can influence the taste. Finally, the growing conditions factor in – grapes grown under “stress” (like windy, a little cold, minimal water, etc) are more highly prized for their flavor.
As to the descriptions you mentioned – this is how people who are “into” wine try to describe the taste of the end product. It’s usually done in terms of other tastes that people are familiar with.
Your post is marked Chemistry. I know that people have run wines and liquors through liquid chromatography and other analytical tools. I don’t know whether or not you can compare a wine to blueberries or wet flint. I suspect that would be a major math issue.
In short, this is really around people trying to relate tastes in terms of other things people might know.
Latest Answers