In Vino Elit (In Wine There is Chemistry, Part 1)

Yes, I know. You saw the first two words and you were waiting for veritas.Pliny the Elder is purported to have said that in wine there is truth except he didn't say it in English. But he might as well have used the title of today's post -- in wine there is chemistry.

If you drink alcohol and you loved chemistry lab, you just have to drink wine. It should be a rule. I'm sure you think I've lost my mind. And, in fact, you probably think that most every day. But, I'm going to get you there.

It starts in the nose. When you're in a chemistry lab, you smeel stuff. Some of those smells are really pronounced. One of the first that made a big impression on me, at least that did in a good way, was benzaldehyde. I can't recall what we were using it for, but we had it in a lab that I worked in. Benzaldehyde has that sweet smell of almond oil. 

How pronounced is is? Well, find an almond scented product. Food. Cosmetic. Look at the ingredients. Benzaldehyde is going to be in there and it is not at the bottom. It's likely not even near the bottom.

But, there aren't a whole lot of wines which most pronounced aroma is almonds. Curiously, though, there is a stage in the winemaking process where aromas of almond might be quite present. During carbonic maceration and while wine is stirred on lees, the yeast will react to form benzaldehydes. Because of the particular methods of fermentation in methode champenoise, those benzaldehydes often stay in solution and result in a number of the best Champagnes and Cemants having significant almond notes.

Now, I think that's pretty cool. Had I known that way back when, perhaps I would have spent more time in chemistry.

I chose almonds because the smell is so pronounced. Tomorrow, we'll continue to explore with some other aromas that are so distinctive to particular wines that they are telltale in blind tastings.

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