How smelling my backyard helped me understand Syrah

I often got confused by tasting notes like 'earthy' or 'mineral'. Last week, I had a glass of Syrah and it hit me, that smell was just like wet leaves after rain. I started thinking about scents I know from my garden or kitchen. Now, when I taste wine, I skip the fancy words and just ask myself what it reminds me of. It made tasting way more fun and less stressful. I even nailed the black pepper note in a Zinfandel by remembering the spice rack. Who knew it could be so easy?

3 comments

3 Comments

margaretwalker1mo ago

Actually that whole thing about smelling your backyard is a perfect example of how we learn anything real. People try to turn stuff like wine or coffee or whatever into a special language you have to study, but the best way is just connecting it to what you already know. It's like how a mechanic might say an engine sounds "off" because it reminds him of his lawnmower last summer. We make sense of new things by linking them to old memories, that's just how brains work. Getting hung up on the "right" words can totally kill the fun of noticing stuff.

cole_patel141mo ago

Rhone Valley Syrah does have a black pepper thing going on. But linking wine smells to your garden feels like overthinking it. Tasting notes are already pretty vague without adding personal memories into the mix. Sure, if it makes drinking wine more fun for you, go ahead. I just don't get why people make such a big deal out of noticing basic smells. It's just fermented grape juice after all.

laura5391mo ago

Ever see a friend totally dismiss wine smells? He mocked tasting notes until a Shiraz hit him with a specific memory of falling into a hedge. Now he won't stop talking about the psychology of scent.