When you put your nose in a glass, you may love what you smell, but how often are you at a loss to describe that essence, that bouquet?
Ah, the mystery of our sense of smell. It is powerful and we can’t really control it. When we smell something, our response is direct and primal. Sniff something and the response is immediate because the sensation goes directly to our limbic system, the part of the brain connected to memory and emotions. If you’ve ever had the experience of smelling something that immediately takes you back to your grandmother’s kitchen, an old lover or a long forgotten destination, this is why. But our language function operates in a different part of our brain and that’s why we are sometimes at a loss for words to express what we are smelling.
Now a new book, created with the backing of a successful Kickstarter campaign, takes that approach to demystifying aromas in wine. Alder Yarrow, wine writer and author of the blogVinography does this in a beautiful and sumptuous way.
Read more in my article on Palate Press.
