In article ,
says...

When I read wine reviews, here by folks like Dale Williams, in magazines
like Wine Spectator, or on web sites by Robert Parker, I realize that I am
missing a key part to appreciating wine. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy it,
or that I can't discern good from bad (most of my favorites do score in the
90's). But I cannot taste (or smell) all these things that the experts are
able to detect.

When I open a 2000 Duluc, for example (using a cheap one that I can
experiment with over and over), it smells like, well.... wine. I can swirl
it, decant it, do all sorts of things to it, and although the smell may get
softer after some decanting, the predominant smell is still... wine.

Okay, whites may be a lot easier. Oak, no-oak, that I can tell when doing a
blind taste test. But then oak is something that's actually used (unlike
various fruits, etc.). Here's what WS has to say about this particular wine:

"Soft, plummy and chocolaty, with a lovely medium-bodied palate, with plenty
of fruit and a delicious aftertaste. Second wine of Branaire-Ducru. Best
from 2004 through 2008. 7,915 cases made. (JS)"

I can't taste/smell plums, I can't taste/smell chocolate (though it goes
terrific with semi-sweet chocolate ice cream). "Plenty of fruit?" Grapes,
yes, I agree. And yes, I agree about the delicious aftertaste too. But I
really would like to convey my experiences (especially enjoyable ones) to
fellow wine enthusiasts. So I'm wondering just how to go about training the
nose and the palate to do just that. Berries, tobacco, cherries... all stuff
to which I'd like to be able to relate one day while enjoying my favorite
reds.

Thanks in advance

Vincent,

You have some good advice, that follows - plus my comments that I could not
resist (sorry).

Question: can you smell in your environment, beyond wine? This is not a
trick question. Maybe your olfactory senses are not where you would like
them to be. This could have several physical, or even heredity causes. My
wife has slight asthma, and, though a great chef, cannot discern many of
the nuances in wine that I find. The same can be said for many in my informal
tasting group. This is not a problem to the enjoyment of wine, though it is
a deterrent to complete enjoyment. As Ed comments, the "practice, practice,
practice... " aspect is a very good one. If you do not have a physical problem
with sensing the smells around you, then this is the best way to "learn" to
pick out the various aromas in wine. One of the best ways to separate the
smells
is to do the various tasting segments, swallow, then slowly exhale, partially
through
your mouth, and partially through you nose, concentrating on the smells that
you
now pick up. This retro-nasal smelling concentrates what smells exist to the
sensors
located deep in your nasal/oral passage. This usually yields stronger
impressions,
than does just sniffing the wine in the glass.

Half way to the retro-nasal move, it often pays to cover the glass with your
hand, as
you swirl. Clean hands, without smell of soap, or lotion is a MUST! Once you
have
swirled the wine, un-cup one side of your hand, and stick your nose into that
smaller
opening. Again, this concentrates the aromas, and doesn't let them dissipate
too
quickly.

As strange as it might seem, I also practice my olfactory perception by
reading from
William Faulkner. Much of his description of place and person relies very
heavily
on the sense of smell. As a place is described, I let my mind, and my
olfactory
memory wander, to see if I can recall that smell. While this might be a bit
meta-physical, I find that many everyday aromas, can transport my mind to a
long
ago, far away place. This is part of the practice.

I'll also go out and try to find rather common wine smell descriptors, if they
are not
in my memory bank. Gooseberries (often associated with SB) are not that common
in the US. For me to know what a gooseberry smells like, I had to hunt all
over for
an example that did not come out of a can.

Kendall-Jackson has a new facility in Sonoma, and whatever one might think of
their
wines, or their marketing, the facility is excellent for sensory instruction.
They have
planted a sensory garden with items that are common wine smells and tastes,
and also
with items that are complementary to those very tastes. There is also a small
vineyard that is planted with most of the varietals that are grown in the US,
where,
depending on the season, you can actually taste the various grapes, and decide
which ones have what element(s), just from the grape, regardless of the
vinification
method(s).

What I would recommend is to take Ed's advice, and add a copy of "Light in
August,"
or some other Faulkner. A nice Zin would probably compliment the book, and
just tell your family that you are "in training!"

Regardless, enjoy, at what ever level you can,
Hunt