How to Make Your Own Wine Aroma Kit
While purchasing a wine aroma kit can be rather expensive, they can be made at home for a fraction of the price. Wine is one of the most complex beverages on the planet. For those who are new to the world of wine, learning the subtle nuances between one grape and another can be a difficult, intimidating task. One of the best ways to become better acquainted with the differences between wines is to use a wine aroma kit.
First, decide how many “aroma standards” you will be making. A well-rounded kit should contain approximately 20 standards, ten each for red and white wine. Gather up 20 uniform glass containers and 1 bottle each of inexpensive white and red wine; Pinot Grigio and Merlot will work perfectly.
Next, pour 2 ounces of wine into each glass; you should end up with a total of 20 ounces each of red and white wine. For each glass, you will be adding aroma ingredients to create the scent. This is where you can get creative, as there are a variety of different ingredients that can be used. For example, you could add a few drops of lemon juice to a glass of white to create a lemon scent, or a pinch of tobacco in a glass or red for a tobacco scent. The best way to flesh out your kit is to look up a variety of terms often used to describe scents/flavors of wine and match them.
After the ingredients have steeped for an hour, remove the solids, label and cap your glass containers. Properly sealed, your aroma kit will last for many months before the scents begin to drop off. As tempted as you may be, always remember that your samples are for smelling purposes only, and not for drinking!
