Fruity (note)
Fruity (note) is a common sensory descriptor in wine tasting, referring to aromas and flavours reminiscent of fresh, dried, or cooked fruit. Such notes are central to the aromatic profile of most wines and are often associated with primary aromas that originate directly from the grape or fermentation processes.[1]
Sensory definition
In tasting vocabulary, fruity notes describe the perception of fruit-like qualities in wine, ranging from citrus and berry to exotic tropical characters. Émile Peynaud emphasised that fruit descriptors form the foundation of wine appreciation, as they are the most easily recognised and widely understood sensory references.[2] They are typically classified under primary aromas, distinguishing them from secondary or tertiary notes that arise from winemaking or ageing.
Types of fruity descriptors
Wine professionals often group fruity notes into families. Common categories include:
- Citrus (e.g. lemon, lime, grapefruit)
- Orchard and stone fruits (e.g. apple, pear, peach, apricot)
- Berries (e.g. strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, blackcurrant)
- Tropical fruits (e.g. pineapple, mango, passionfruit)
- Dried or cooked fruit (e.g. fig, raisin, prune, stewed apple)
These descriptors are widely used in professional tasting lexicons to provide consistency across evaluations.[3]
Origins in wine
The sources of fruity notes are both varietal and fermentative. Grapes naturally contain precursors such as terpenes, norisoprenoids, and thiols, which can give rise to fruit-like aromas when released or transformed during vinification.[4] Fermentation also produces esters, which are closely linked to fresh fruit characters. With ageing, fruity aromas often diminish or evolve into dried or stewed fruit notes as part of wine’s aromatic development.
Role in wine assessment
Fruity notes are among the first characteristics considered in sensory evaluation, helping to identify grape variety, origin, and style. They can indicate freshness and ripeness, provide clues to the maturity of the grapes at harvest, and distinguish between young and evolved wines.[5] While fruit intensity is not in itself a measure of quality, the balance between fruit and other structural elements such as acidity, tannin, and oak maturation is fundamental to overall wine harmony.
See also
References
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, 2015 (entry: fruity descriptors). ISBN 978-0198705383.
- ↑ Peynaud, The Taste of Wine: The Art and Science of Wine Appreciation, Wiley, 1996. ISBN 978-0471113768.
- ↑ Jackson, Wine Tasting: A Professional Handbook, 3rd ed., Academic Press, 2016. ISBN 978-0128025444.
- ↑ Clarke, Wine Tasting, 2nd ed., Mitchell Beazley, 2015. ISBN 978-1784720995.
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, 2015 (entry: fruity descriptors). ISBN 978-0198705383.