The profile of an aromatic wine comes from three types of aromas: primary aromas (grape aromas), secondary aromas (fermentative aromas) or tertiary aromas (aromas resulting from maturing).
Primary aromas are typically described as floral or fruity. The floral aromas that are typical in grape varieties with high levels of terpenes, such as Moscatel or Alvarinho, and the fruity aromas range from white fruit such as apples and white plums, to tropical such as pineapple or passion fruit.
The secondary aromas come from the fermentation process, giving rise to notes of yeast, marzipan or brioche, typical in sparkling wines, due to their second fermentation in the bottle.
Tertiary aromas depend on the maturing process, which may be in stainless steel (no aromatic influence), wood (toast and spice notes), cement (stone notes) or amphora (clay notes).
A wine's aroma is detected through the nose, since aroma molecules are volatile.
Aromatic wines have a higher concentration of molecules. Due to their unique composition, these wines may present an intense and complex profile, but are usually marked by a single dominant aroma.
Floral aromatic wines are the most common, they are typical in vinho verde regions (Alvarinho, Loureiro) and in wines made from grape varieties with high levels of terpenes such as Moscatel.
A wine is said to be more or less aromatic according to its bouquet.
Wine is said to be aromatic when its aroma is very rich or intense. We detect scents through our sense of smell. This smell is called aroma and can be felt directly (inhaling through the nose) or indirectly (in the nasal passage when we swallow the wine and let some air enter the mouth).
The three aromatic wine types are white aromatic wine, red aromatic wine, or rose aromatic wine. The aromatic wines profile usually comes from the grape variety. For white, wines made from, but not limited to, the Moscatel, Alvarinho, Sauvignon blanc, Gewerstraminer, Loureiro, Gouveio, and Viosinho grape varieties are considered aromatic white wines. For rose and red, the Touriga Nacional is the premier grape variety for aroma. The red wines from the Azores use the Isabela grape variety, a hybrid with a very intense aroma.
You can find various types of aromatic wine in our online shop, such as: Gouveio by Joaninha, Touriga Vai Nua, and A Proibida.