Identify wine FAULTS Flashcards
Learn to organoleptic identify wine faults
Excessive herbaciousness, Old asparagus water, Mushy steamed green pepper.
Pyrazine
The presence of pyrazines in wine aren’t necessarily a fault, they can contribute to the complexity of a great wine and yield charming, complex flavors that add the signature identity to these grapes. In fact, the bitter, herbal flavors that are disliked in the first few years often change with time, integrating with the overall aromatic profile of the wine. Sauvignon Blanc when done right offers a fresh herbaceous quality of chocolate mint, tarragon, fresh parsley or sweet basil. The red Bordeaux varieties, have positive attributes such as fire-roasted red pepper paste, green peppercorn, green olive tapenade, and mint.
Different (red Bordeaux) varieties have inherently higher and lower concentrations of pyrazines. Carménère and Cabernet Franc have the highest, followed by Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec has the lowest. The levels vary based on climate and cooler regions (and vintages) will always have higher levels of pyrazine.
The presence of methoxypyrazine can be reduced or altered with more attentive vineyard management. By controlling the leafy part of the vines, growers can tweak what sort of aromas the vines generate in their grapes. In other words, pruning has a big role in how these wines develop flavors.
Geranium leaves or Lemon grass
Geraniol
Geraniol is a by-product of potassium sorbate, which is very occasionally used by winemakers as a preservative. It is important to use only the required quantity or the geraniol defect can arise. Geraniol can also impart a positive rose-like varietal flavour note to certain white wines. It is present in grapes in a bound form and released by enzyme during fermentation. The amount formed depends on the variety of grapes used, their growing conditions, how there were extracted to form the must, the yeast strain, and the conditions employed during fermentation.
Damp cardboard, wet newspaper, intense mushroom, wet library book.
TCA - Trichloroanisole
At low levels the taint can be hard to identify, but fruit aromas in particular will be muted and the wine will appear less fresh. This kind of fault can be due to a tainted cork (in which case a replacement bottle is unlikely to be affected), or due to tainted winery equipment, such a barrels (in which case a whole batch may be faulty). Because the origin can lie in the winery, this problem is not limited to bottles closed with a cork. If the wine is tasted, it will be dirty, fusty and earthy – rather like biting into a rotten apple. The fault is particularly noticeable on the back of the mouth.
Rancid butter, Baby vomit
Butyric acid
The origins of butyric acid in wine are unclear. It may be associated with bacterial growth on grapes prior to pressing. The flavour has also been associated with over-vigorous malo-lactic fermentation. Butyric acid shall not be mistaken for butanedion, a diacetyl that comes from oak aging and malolactic fermentation and tastes like butter.
Manure, Sweaty horse, Sticky plasters, Farmyard, Baked orange, Cheese, Hot vinyl
Brettanomyces - ‘Brett’
Brettanomyces are yeasts that resemble Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but which are smaller. They are often present in the skins of grapes and cause a wine defect that is identified on the nose. The main compound responsible of imparting the farmyard or manure aroma is 4-ethylphenol. Other compounds are also present including 4-ethylguaiocol and isobutyric acid, the latter being responsible for imparting cheesy aromas. Brettanomyces contamination is often a result of careless winemaking and, particularly, poor hygiene management. They are very sensitive to sulfur dioxide and can be inhibited in winemaking by its careful use. Barrels can become impregnated with Brettanomyces and thus contaminate wine during maturation. Indeed, whole cellars can be contaminated, a situation that is very difficult to rectify.
Dull, Stale, Lost freshness
Out of condition
These wines have lost their vibrancy and freshness, and may taste dull and stale. This is either because they are too old or have been stored in bad conditions (too hot, too bright, too variable). There may be elements of oxidation too.
Dry straw, Vin jaune, Burnt aromas
(Excessive) Acetaldehyde
Acetaldehyde, formed by the oxidation of ethanol, is present in all wines in small amounts. In high amounts it imparts aromas similar to some deliberately oxidised wines such as Vin Jaune, and when in excess it gives very burnt aromas.
Nail varnish remover, Glue
(Excessive) Ethyl acetate
Ethyl acetate is recognisable on the nose. It occurs when ethanol reacts with acetic acid to produce ethyl acetate and water. The usual cause is a prolonged exposure of the wine to oxygen or the inadequate uses of sulfur dioxide during winemaking processes. It is present in low concentrations in all wines, and can be beneficial to aromas, especially in sweet wines. However, any excess, that is a concentration above the sensory threshold, is considered a major fault.
Burnt ash, Smoked salmon or Ashtrays
Smoke taint
This is a problem found very occasionally in wines from Australia and South Africa as a consequence of bushfires or controlled burning taking place near vineyards. High concentrations of the compounds guaiacol and 4-methyl-guaiacol are found in tainted wines, but it should be pointed out that wines may contain low concentrations of these as a result of oak maturation or treatments. Of course, grow- ers are aware if their grapes have been affected by smoke, but the fruit is usually harvested even if the wine made is considerably devalued.
Toffee, Walnut, Honey, Fennel, Caramel or Coffee
Oxidized
This is the opposite of reduction. It is typically caused by a failure of the closure allowing unwanted oxygen to interact with the wine. Oxidation is a fault that is often apparent on appearance and certainly detectable on the nose of a wine. A white wine will look ‘flat’ – not at all bright, and in severe cases will deepen considerably in colour and start to look brown. A red wine will also look dull and take on brown tones. On the nose the wines will smell burnt, bitter. If the wine is tasted, it will be lacking in fruit, bitter, very dirty and short. Note that some wines are made in an oxidative style and in these cases it is not a fault.
Rotten eggs, Blocked drains, Boiled cabbage, Garlic, (Burnt) Rubber
Reduction
Very low levels of reduction can be surprisingly pleasant, adding character and complexity. In some cases the stinky aromas will dissipate once the bottle is open. Reductive faults comprise hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans and disulfides. All are recognised on the nose and all are the result of careless or uniformed winemaking. Hydrogen sulfide has a pronounced smell of rotten eggs or drains. Mercaptans can have an even more severe smell, where the odours are those of sweat, rotten cabbage or garlic or even skunk. Disulfides impart a smell of rubber or even burnt rubber.
Extinguished matches
Excessive Sulfur dioxide
This is added to almost all wines, but levels tend to be highest in sweet white wines. Excessive sulfur dioxide can be detected on the nose – that may drown out much of the fruity nose of the product. A prickly sensation will often be felt at the back of the nose or in the throat. The taster may even be induced to sneeze. At lower levels, it can mute fruit aromas in a wine. Insufficient sulfur dioxide can lead to oxidation.
Vinegar or Nail polish remover
Volatile acidity - VA
All wines have some volatile acidity, and at low levels some feel that this helps make the wine seem more fragrant and complex. However, high levels of VA give the wine unappealing aromas. As the name suggests, volatile acidity is the wine acid that can be detected on the nose. All other acids are sensed on the palate. On the palate the wine will exhibit a loss of fruit and be thin and sharp. The finish will be very harsh and acid, maybe even giving a burning sensation on the back of the mouth.
Artificial banana
Amyl-acetate
Tiny bubbles, Spritz
Petillance
Tiny bubbles in your wine where there shouldn’t be any, especially in a young bottle of red wine. This usually happens when the wine is accidentally bottled with a few grams of residual sugar and then re-ferments. This most frequently occurs in low-intervention winemaking when no sulfites are added. Wines usually smell yeasty. They taste zippy.
Not all secondary fermentation is on accident though. Some winemakers embrace it to add a little kick to their wines, and some traditional styles of wine are naturally frizzante such as Vinho Verde, Italian Bonarda (a red), and some Grüner Veltliner.
