The Olfaction Workshops

1
The Olfaction Workshops

• To structure and to develop our smelling universe
• To describe aromas in wine with an accurate use
  of the rich vocabulary at our disposal.
• To increase the confidence in ourselves during
  the wine tasting.

2
The Woody Universe in Wine

• 3 aromatic types
• The woody notes
• The resiny notes
• The balsamic notes

3
Sensation and Perception

• The sensation
• The analytical or objective perception
• The syncretic or subjective perception

4
The Sensation

• To experience the sensation of an odor, one needs
  the action of an olfactive stimulation which, by
  causing a local, momentary but effective
  modification, determines an excitation of the
  receiving cells of the sense of smell. This
  reaction must be translated, then transmitted by
  a nervous message to the medulla and to the
  various higher centers of the brain. This process
  operates almost instantaneously.

5
The analytical perception

• Perception is the mental interpretation of the
  sensation. This is an active process, successive
  to the feeling, and so must be considered
  separately. It is an intellectual act, it brings
  into play high functions of the conscience,
  connexions with the memory, associations of
  images, and is tributary of the personal
  experience and upbringing.

6
The syncretic perception

• Confused and total impression where one does not
  distinguish any element in particular.
• The odor or the perceived aroma brings us back
  with force to one precise moment of our life. It
  has the odor of it, so to speak. What we perceive
  initially is the context of this memory. The
  image which comes to mind is the total vision of
  an ensemble, before any distinction of olfactive
  elements.

7
The Woods

• Warm caracter, drying effect, dusty, old
  newspaper, shavings of wood, sawdust, pencil
  shavings, planks
• The drying during months lets appear the woody
  caracter

8
The cedarwood

• Juniperus Virginia
• Cedrus Atlantica
• Cedrus Libanum

9
The Resins

• Fresh caracter, volatile, sometimes camphor-like,
  waxy, sapy, turpentine, painting solvant,
  varnish, green wood
• Fresh cut wood

10
The Siberian Pinetree
11
The Balsamic notes

• Warm caracter, round, syrup-like, alimentary,
   gourmand , vanilla, exotic, pharmaceutical,
  sometimes spicy (most of the time cinnamon-like)
• Origin of the word basm, balsamum
• The balsamic vinegar
• Confusion between balsamic smell and balsamic
  property

12
The Tolu Balsam
13
The Woods, the Resins and the Balsams

• The Cedarwood, the Sandalewood, the Guaiacwood,
  the roots of Vetiver, the Oaktree
• The Siberian Pinetree, Juniperberry, Cypress, the
  Ciste (Cistus Labdaniferus), Incense, the
  Cedarwood leaves, Conifers
• Perou and Tolu balsams, the Benzoin

14
Two types of languages to describe the wine

• The aromatic descriptors of wine
• The molecules of wine

15
Exemple of Chardonnay

• Floral possible descriptor
• Rose
• Litchi
• Possible molecules
• Linalol
• Geraniol
• Citronellol
• Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol
• Ho-trienol
• Nerol
• Rose oxide

16
Another exempleThe vanilla note in wine

• Vanilla from Madagascar/ Vanilla beans/ Vanilla
  extract
• The Vanillina/ Synthetic Vanilla

17
The Vanilla from Madagascar

• Warm aroma, complex, chocolate, cocoa, powdery,
   gourmand , balsamic, coffee, rum, woody, old
  newspaper, round.

18
The Vanillina 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde

• Sucre vanillé, Jordan almonds,
• powdery, linear, monolithic, simple, drying

19
Wines in Barrels/ The aromatic categories

• Gourmande or Balsamic notes
• Vanilla
• Caramel
• Coconut
• Jam
• The spicy notes
• Clove bud
• Smokey/Tar/Burnt/Toasted
• Licorice
• The phenols

20
Molecules identified in wine after months in
barrels

1. Vanillina
2. Maltol
3. Cis-oak-lactone and Trans-oak-lactone
4. Cycloten
5. Meta / Ortho / Para-cresol
6. Furaneol
7. Eugenol and Isoeugenol
8. Guaiacol and 4-methyl-guaiacol
9. Furfural

21
The aromas of oak

• Difficulties to harmonize the aromatic
  tendencies (dominant characteristics)
• How to classify aromas?
• The knowledge of the aromatic facets

22
The different toasts of barrels

• The light toast
• The medium toast
• The strong toast
• The very strong toast

23
Eugenol

• 2-methoxy-4-prop-2-enyl-phenol
• C10H12O2
• Spicy, smoky, pharmaceutic, dentist, carnation,
  gourmand, slightly vanilla-like,

24
Trans-oak-lactone

• Beta-methyl-gamma-octalactone
• C9 H16 O2
• Coco, celery, slightly woody, milky

25
Cycloten

• 2-Hydroxy-3-methyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one
• C6H8O2
• Licorice, tar, toasted, vanilla-like, gourmand

26
Le para-cresol

• C7H8O
• Stables, Ecurie, musky, phenol-like, band-aid,
  gouache, toasted, burnt

27
Thank you

• Wine Olfaction Consulting LLC
• www.wine-olfaction.com
• schmitt_at_wine-olfaction.com
• veronica_at_wine-olfaction.com
• [phone]