Where Wine Flavours Come From

Once we understand the different flavours that pop up in a glass of wine, it's useful to get an idea as to where these flavours come from, and why. Why does a Cabernet from Bordeaux taste different to one from Coonawarra? What's the difference in style between Pinot Noir from California and Burgundy related to? Most of the time the answers are relatively simple at first glance, with a multitude of factors that can complex the issue the deeper you dive.

Climate--red

The easiest place to start is with climate. The majority of countries that comprise the 'Old World' - Italy, France, Germany, Austria etc - have relatively cool climates, especially compared to somewhere like Australia. The cool growing season for the grapes leads to a slower accumulation of natural sugars and a better retention of natural acidity, both of which factors in turn lead to wines that are less rich and more elegant/lighter.

Soil--aromatic

So thus it makes sense that the warmer countries - Australia, USA, Argentina etc - are going to have rounder, fruitier wines. But there's also the idea of minerality that comes into play. This idea that the soil that the vines are grown in can affect the flavour and texture of a wine is hotly debated, but there's no doubt that many wines from the Old World certainly display more of these 'mineral' traits that their New World counterparts. The wines of Champagne for example are held up on a pedestal not only because of their flavour, but also their expression of the limestone soils that they're grown in.

There's a few factors at play here, some of them a bit technical, but the main points to consider when looking at lighter/leaner/more savoury/more mineral wines are cool climate, even climate, low pH and early harvesting. Essentially you don't want the natural fruitiness of the grape to overtake the other flavours in the wine.

Grape variety--racy

The other most obvious place to find flavour differences is the grape itself. Like any fruit, there are different strains, and these strains have different flavours. In the same way that a Granny Smith Apple tastes different to a Red Delicious, so too do different wine grape varieties produce different results. Cabernet Sauvignon classically offers black fruit, tobacco and something green like mint or capsicum. The intensity of these characters will vary from country to country, but nearly all Cabernets around the world will taste similar to this theme.