When temperatures drop and autumn approaches, red wine naturally becomes the star of our tables once again. It’s the season of convivial dinners, rich and enveloping dishes, but also of slow reflections in front of a glass. In this context, the pleasure of red wine expands not only through taste but above all thanks to its aromas, which in autumn reveal themselves as particularly fascinating.
Training the nose to recognize the typical aromatic families of autumnal red wine means deepening the tasting experience and living it more consciously. In this article, we’ll explore the most common and significant notes: fruity, spicy, and tertiary.
Red wine is not just a drink: it’s an ideal companion for the colder seasons. If in summer we prefer lighter, fresher wines, in autumn the desire grows for warmth, structure, and complexity. It’s no coincidence that in this season we rediscover fuller-bodied labels, often characterized by a deep aromatic profile.
The sensation is almost ritual: ruby color in the glass, intense aromas rising and enveloping, mature scents recalling fruit, spices, and evolved notes. It’s a moment when red wine becomes a mirror of the autumn landscape: warm colors, enveloping aromas, an invitation to slow down and savor.
The hundreds of aromatic molecules present in red wine come partly directly from the grapes (primary aromas), others develop during fermentation (secondary aromas), and still others appear with aging in wood and bottle (tertiary aromas). Below are the three aromatic families that characterize the most interesting tastings:
-
Fruity aromas
Fruity aromas are the most immediate and recognizable base of many red wines.
-
Plum: typical of wines obtained from international varieties such as Merlot, but also present in many Italian reds. Plum gives smoothness and a sensation of sweet maturity.
-
Blackberry: darker and more intense, blackberry introduces wild and vigorous notes. Often found in wines from grapes such as Syrah or Aglianico.
-
Black cherry: one of the most classic aromas of red wine, which can take on different shades: fresh and crisp in young wines, more syrupy and sweet in mature ones.
These fruity notes are particularly evident in red wines, which are often paired with rich dishes: red meats, game, aged cheeses.
-
-
Spicy aromas
With the arrival of autumn, the spicy aromas of wine become more charming and suited to the climate.
-
Black pepper: one of the most recognizable, it gives liveliness and a pleasant pungent sensation. Typical of Syrah and some central Italian reds.
-
Cinnamon: a sweet and enveloping spice that appears in wines aged in wood. It immediately recalls autumn desserts and festive atmospheres.
-
Cloves: a warm and persistent aroma, often linked to long aging and complex varieties such as Nebbiolo.
Spicy notes develop in part thanks to maturation in oak barrels, which release characteristic aromatic molecules into the wine. These are what transform wine from a simple drink into a multisensory experience.
-
-
Animal and tertiary aromas
Finally, we come to the tertiary aromas, those that make a great mature wine unique.
-
Leather: elegant and enveloping, a scent that conveys evolution, complexity, and depth.
-
Tobacco: a dry and aromatic note that enriches structured and long-lived wines.
-
Cocoa: smooth and deep, often present in reds aged in wood, giving a warm and velvety dimension.
These aromas are typical of more complex wines and represent a sensory milestone: perceiving them requires some experience and a trained nose.
-
___________________________________________________________________
Training the sense of smell
Recognizing aromas is not an innate talent, but a skill that develops with practice. Here are some tips for training your sense of smell during tasting:
-
Choose the right glass. Pour a small amount of wine into a large glass. You don’t need to fill it: just enough to release the aromas, leaving empty space above the wine to allow concentration.
-
Start smelling without swirling. Bring the glass close to your nose and inhale gently. This first sniff (called “first nose”) allows you to catch the most volatile aromas, offering a first impression of the bouquet’s intensity and evolution.
-
Swirl the wine and smell again. Gently swirl the glass and sniff with short, decisive breaths. Repeat this several times: with each pass your nose will perceive new aromas, enriching the aromatic profile.
-
Create sensory connections with real experiences. To recognize and memorize an aroma, it’s useful to associate it with a concrete personal experience. Don’t just think “fruity” or “spicy”: imagine which fruit or spice. For example, if you perceive a sweet and enveloping note, ask yourself: “Does it resemble the smell of a plum jam from my childhood? Or of a freshly baked cinnamon dessert?” The more precise and memory-linked the mental image, the easier it will be to fix that aroma.
-
Train your nose separately as well. The use of aromatic samples is the most effective way to learn to recognize odors without interference, creating a true “olfactory library.”
The red wine aromas collection is the most effective choice for improving your olfactory ability. The set contains selected essences that faithfully reproduce the main aromas of red wine: it allows you to systematically train olfactory memory; it helps connect the pure aroma to the one perceived in the glass; it is an ideal tool for both enthusiasts and wine students and sommeliers.
👉 Discover the red wine kit by TasterPlace
___________________________________________________________________
Autumn wines to train with
Autumn is the perfect time to get closer to the scents of red wine. You can immediately put these concepts into practice by comparing three wines that in autumn offer ideal aromatic profiles for training the nose:
-
Chianti Classico (Sangiovese) – black cherry, violet, leather
-
Syrah from the Rhône or Sicily – blackberry, black pepper, cocoa
-
Barolo (Nebbiolo) – withered rose, tobacco, cloves
Use the aroma samples as a reference: it will be an extremely educational and enjoyable exercise!
👉 And now… put yourself to the test with our quiz on wine aromas. Have fun!
How much do you know about red wine aromas?
Question 1
Which fruity aroma is typical of Merlot?
a) Lemon
b) Plum
c) Green apple
d) Pear
Question 2
Syrah often stands out for a distinctive spicy note. Which one?
a) Black pepper
b) Cinnamon
c) Vanilla
d) Cloves
Question 3
A mature red wine, with long aging in wood, may develop notes of:
a) Leather and tobacco
b) Strawberry and raspberry
c) Banana and pineapple
d) Basil and mint
Question 4
Black cherry is an aroma that can mainly be found:
a) In rosé wines
b) In young red wines
c) Only in sparkling wines
d) In sweet wines
Question 5
Which of these does not belong to the world of red wine aromas?
a) Blackberry
b) Chocolate
c) Black pepper
d) Ginger
___________________________________________________________________
Check our Instagram stories to see if you answered correctly or write us at info@tasterplace.com