Primary Aromas

Smells from the grape and fermentation: fruit, flowers, herbs.

Unofficial study resource · not affiliated with or endorsed by WSET®

Definition

Primary aromas come from the grape itself and from fermentation. They include fruit, flowers, herbs, and spice. They are the aromas a wine is born with, before oak or ageing add anything.

Why it matters for WSET

Primary aromas are the first aroma family in the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting and the main clue to grape variety.

Example

Blackcurrant in Cabernet Sauvignon and lime in Riesling are primary aromas.

Test yourself on this

Reading a definition is one thing; recalling it in the exam is another. Practise free WSET questions, then get the full bank and a wrong-answer notebook in the Eclavin app.

Download Eclavin on the App Store