Wine Aroma Kits: Enhancing Palates, Worth The Investment?

Wine aroma kits are designed to help build your memory bank and vocabulary of aromas. They can be particularly useful for identifying notes you may have never experienced before, such as wine faults. For example, the wine contaminant TCA might be described as damp cement, wet cardboard, or musty. Once you get that aroma in your head, it's much easier to pick out when you come across it later. However, some people find that their own memories and associations with actual things like herbs, flowers, fruits, and spices are more effective for developing their palate. Additionally, some aroma kits can be pricey and may have faint, barely discernible aromas.

Pros: Training and vocabulary enrichment

Wine aroma kits can be a great way to train your memory and enrich your vocabulary of aromas. They can help you associate an aromatic perception with a descriptor, boosting your sensory training. The kits can be particularly useful for identifying notes you may have never experienced before, such as wine faults. For example, the contaminant TCA might be described as "damp cement", "wet cardboard", or "musty". Once you familiarise yourself with a particular aroma, it becomes much easier to pick out in wine.

Wine aroma kits can also be useful for those who don't have access to a wide variety of fresh produce or spices, which can be used as an alternative to kits for sensory training. However, some aromas are difficult to reproduce without a chemistry lab, which is where kits can be very handy.

The quality of the aromas in the kits can vary, with some tending to smell very artificial or chemical. This may be due to the high concentration of volatile compounds in the flasks. One way to address this issue is to dilute one or two drops in a non-aromatic white wine or use blotting paper. It's also important to note that some aromas are very volatile and require proper storage to preserve their initial quality.

Overall, wine aroma kits can be a valuable tool for training your senses and enriching your vocabulary, especially if used in conjunction with tasting and smelling a variety of herbs, flowers, fruits, and spices.

Cons: Pricey and faint aromas

Wine aroma kits can be expensive, with some kits costing well above $100. For example, the "Le Nez du Vin" kit is a premium option that does not include wine fault scents. The "Aroma Bar" kit, on the other hand, offers a full set that includes wine fault scents at a more affordable price. However, it is important to note that the quality of the aromas may vary between kits, and some cheaper options may have inaccurate scents and leaking bottles.

Some users have complained that certain wine aroma kits have faint, barely discernible aromas. This can be a significant drawback, as the main purpose of these kits is to help individuals identify specific aromas in wine. Additionally, some kits may have issues with the packaging, such as leaking bottles or strong odours from the box itself, which can affect the overall experience and make it difficult to identify the individual scents.

To address the issue of faint aromas, some individuals choose to dilute a drop or two of the aroma solution in a non-aromatic white wine, as suggested by a user. This can help create a more distinct aromatic reference. Alternatively, individuals can create their own aroma kits using common household spices and ingredients, which can be a more affordable and customizable option. However, some aromas may be difficult to reproduce without access to a chemistry lab, in which case a commercial kit may be more suitable.

DIY kits: Using household spices

Wine aroma kits can be expensive, often costing $200 or more. However, you can make your own wine aroma kit at home using household spices and other easily accessible ingredients. Here is a guide to creating your own DIY wine aroma kit:

Ingredients and Materials

You will need a variety of spices, herbs, and other aromatics that are commonly found in wines. Here is a list of suggested ingredients:

• Black peppercorns (Tellicherry, if possible)
• White pepper (optional)
• Black cardamom (optional)
• Dried tobacco (optional)
• Cedar chips (optional)
• Anise
• Allspice
• Oregano
• Vanilla
• Nutmeg
• Dill
• Dirt
• Dried mushrooms

In addition to the spices, you will need some small glass or metal jars to store them in. You can find jars at most home goods stores or online. It is also helpful to have a tray to organize your jars and a wine glass for blending and smelling.

Preparing the Kit

Once you have gathered all your ingredients and materials, it's time to assemble your kit:

• Put a teaspoon of each spice into a small, air-tight container.
• Label each container with the name of the spice.
• Place the containers in a tray for easy organization.
• If you are using any fresh ingredients, like herbs or fruit, it is best to store them in the refrigerator.

Using the Kit

There are two main methods for using your wine aroma kit:

• Blend with Wine: Add a small amount of each aroma kit ingredient to a wine glass containing an ounce of wine. This will allow you to understand how the aromas interact with the wine's volatile compounds (alcohol). This method works particularly well with spices like anise and green peppercorn.
• Smell Aromas: Start by smelling an aroma from the kit, then smell a wine. This technique will overload your senses with the selected aroma and enhance your ability to smell the wine in a different context. By smelling the aroma from the kit first, you will effectively remove that scent from your sense of smell for a short period, allowing you to detect other aromas in the wine that may have been less obvious before.

Tips

• Spices need something to volatilize their aromas into the air. By crushing, cutting, or rubbing the spices, you can release their scents more easily.
• Professional tasters often use a technique of taking two short sniffs followed by a longer, slower sniff. The initial short sniffs help to 'prime' the nose, and the longer sniff helps with 'observation' of the aroma.
• Coffee is known to be an effective way to "reset" your sense of smell between different aromas.

Buying tips: Check aroma quality and stability

When buying a wine aroma kit, it is important to check the aroma quality and stability. Each flask in the kit contains an aromatic solution made of natural or synthetic aromatic compounds to evoke a specific aroma that you can perceive in wine. These solutions are usually made by flavorists, who, like perfumers, blend scents to create new flavors. For example, one flavorist mentioned that the strawberry aroma can be made by blending six different chemical compounds.

Some of these aromas tend to smell very artificial or chemical; they rarely match the perceptions you have of wine. This may be due to the high concentration of volatile compounds in the flask. One way to address this is to dilute one or two drops in a non-aromatic white wine. This can help create a good aromatic reference, and you can also use some blotting paper like the kind found in perfumeries.

Some of these aromas can be very volatile (e.g., sulfury faults) and require proper storage to preserve their initial quality. This means storing the kits in a dark, dry, and cool place. Do not store them in your family fridge! As soon as you start using the kit, open and close the flasks, and somehow the volatile compounds will stick to the box, and your fridge will become very smelly very fast. One solution is to store the individual flasks in an airtight plastic box.

Additionally, it is worth noting that these kits can be pricey, and some of them have very faint, barely discernible aromas. However, they can be fun to use while nosing a wine glass to see what new aromas you can discover.

Alternatives: Taste and smell real herbs, flowers, fruits and spices

Wine aroma kits can be a fun and helpful tool to train your memory and vocabulary of aromas. However, it's important to note that they might not be as effective as building associations with actual herbs, flowers, fruits, and spices. Here are some alternatives to consider:

Taste and Smell Real Herbs, Flowers, Fruits, and Spices

Instead of relying solely on wine aroma kits, why not explore the real thing? Get your hands on some fresh herbs, flowers, fruits, and spices, and take the time to taste and smell them. This sensory experience will create stronger and more meaningful associations in your memory. For example, if you want to familiarise yourself with the difference between raspberries and blackberries, go out and buy some of each, and take the time to examine their unique characteristics. That way, you'll be better able to identify their nuances in a wine.

Creating your own herbal infused wines is another fantastic way to educate your palate. Start with a basic recipe that involves infusing herbs, spices, or other natural ingredients into a bottle of wine. You can use store-bought or homemade wine, and experiment with both red and white varieties. The process is simple: combine your chosen ingredients with the wine in a sterilised jar or bottle, seal it tightly, and shake well. Store the infusing jars in a cool, dark place, shaking them every day or so for 1-3 weeks. The result is a subtly-flavoured beverage that can be adjusted to your taste preferences.

• Vanilla Rose Infused Wine: Combine sweet white wine (such as Riesling or Sparkling Wine) with organic rose petals and vanilla pods.
• Spicy Red Infused Wine: Infuse a full-bodied red wine (Cabernet, red blend, or Syrah) with cinnamon chips, ginger root, allspice, juniper berries, cloves, and dried orange peel.
• Honeysuckle, Yarrow & Boneset Infused Wine: Blend dry white wine (Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio) with honeysuckle flowers, yarrow leaf and flowers, boneset, and blue vervain.
• Delectable Cacao Infused Wine: Experiment with dry or sweet white wine, roasted cacao nibs, cardamom pods, and dried orange peel.

By creating your own infused wines, you'll develop a deeper understanding of how different herbs, flowers, fruits, and spices interact with the characteristics of various wines. This hands-on approach will enhance your sensory training and improve your ability to identify and describe the complex aromas and flavours found in wines.

Frequently asked questions