All wines have color, and acid and fruit sugar are converted to alcohol through fermentation. What, then, makes the taste and smell of wine different from one to the other? Â Â Â
Flavor Compounds.
Yes, flavor compounds unique to each subspecies or type of grape occur in tiny concentrated amounts and are found in the juice and on the grape skin’s inner lining, right next to the pulp. These intricate compounds’ concentration is measured in parts per million, billion, and even parts per trillion! Although occurring in such small quantities, they are potent, so our noses and taste buds can detect them.
The Crossing.
Almost all wine grapes come from one species of grape plant, Vitis Vinifera. The most common wine grapes we know and love are subspecies of the one Vitis Vinifera species. So that you know, the hierarchy from greater to lesser is genus -> species -> sub-species. For example, in the wine grape world, the genus is Vitis, the species is Vitis vinifera, and an example of a subspecies is Syrah.
Let’s take three related grapes that are very different in taste and expression. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Sauvignon Blanc grapes are related in that Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc are the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon!
Yep, it’s true. Long ago, in France, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc had a love child named Cabernet Sauvignon. FYI, when two subspecies create a new subspecies, it is called a cross; in this case, it happens naturally.
Related but Unique
Papa Bear – Cabernet Franc can have cranberry, strawberry, tobacco, mushroom, bell pepper, tea, raspberry, and violet.
Mama Bear – Sauvignon Blanc can have grass, hay, grapefruit, green pepper, asparagus, melon, flint, and gooseberry flavors.
Baby bear – Cabernet Sauvignon can have black currant, black cherry, eucalyptus, mint, and bell pepper flavors.
Maximizing flavor
Although related, each subspecies has its unique set of flavors, so to extract flavors, winemakers soak the skins with the juice for some time during the maceration process. Controlling the temperature during maceration is crucial in flavor extraction; lower temperatures extract more delicate flavors from white wines’ skins and juice. For reds, the skins and stems are soaked with the juice for extended periods at higher temperatures than whites.
Great wines
Great wines are produced from the best grapes grown in the best vineyard sites. Because of this, research is concentrating on viticulture (grape growing and harvesting) to understand and improve its impact on flavor compounds. For example, studies now link high-quality wine with viticulture practices such as canopy management, removing just the right amount of leaves from a vine to maximize healthy growth while producing quality grapes.
