🍷 Wine aroma wheel
A circular chart of wine aroma names, created at the University of California, Davis.
The wine aroma wheel is a circular chart that gathers the names of wine smells. It was devised by researcher Ann Noble at the University of California, Davis, in the 1980s. The chart helps find words to describe what a person senses in the glass. The wheel is built like a target. In the centre are the most general groups: fruity, floral, spicy, woody, earthy and others. Next comes a finer division, such as "citrus" or "berry", and the outer ring holds specific smells like lemon, raspberry, vanilla or black pepper. The chart is used in wine tasting. A beginner can start with the general group and refine it gradually. This makes conversation easier: all tasters get a shared vocabulary. Many professionals also check against the wheel. The aroma wheel is tied to the aroma of wine itself, which is made up of the smells of the grape, fermentation and ageing. It does not rate quality; it only helps to name the smells.
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Wine aroma wheel → then → 🍷 Wine tasting → works with → 🍷 Sommelier → works with → 🍷 Wine
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Frequently asked questions
What is the wine aroma wheel?
A circular chart that groups the names of wine smells, from general groups to specific ones.
Who invented it?
Ann Noble at the University of California, Davis.
What is it for?
To find words for the smells of wine and to talk about them in a shared language.
Similar
🍷 Primary aromas · 🍷 Secondary aromas · 🍷 Bouquet (wine) · 🍷 Minerality · 🍷 Finish (wine) · 🍷 Blind tasting