We do like sounding smart, especially about life’s swankiest stuff. So we asked G’s sommelier to explain this liquid conundrum: Exactly what is the difference between a wine’s aroma and its bouquet?
Turns out, the key element is maturity. When a wine is young, we should refer to its ‘aroma,’ which is often dominated by fruit. ‘Bouquet’ meanwhile is generally associated with the more complex scents of bottle-aged wines. Think leather, dried mushroom or savory spices. If you want to be mistaken for a serious wine geek, the term to throw around is ‘tertiary aromas.’ In a top Bordeaux, for example, this kicks in at about 25 years of age, while for Burgundy it is more often 15-20 years. Cheers!
