Tertiary Aromas
Smells that develop with age: dried fruit, leather, mushroom.
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Tertiary aromas develop as a wine ages, in bottle or through gentle contact with oxygen. They include dried fruit, leather, mushroom, nuts, and honey. They replace fresh fruit as a wine matures.
Why it matters for WSET
Tertiary aromas are the third aroma family in the WSET method and a key sign of a wine’s maturity.
Example
Leather and forest floor in an aged red wine are tertiary aromas.
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