Aroma families: fruit, flower, spice

Within the primary aromas it is helpful to think in families. Fruit aromas are often divided into citrus (lemon, grapefruit), orchard (peach, pear, apple), stone fruit (cherry, plum, apricot), tropical fruit (mango, lychee, pineapple) and berry (raspberry, blackberry, blackcurrant). Flowers appear in white wines as jasmine, acacia and citrus blossom, and in reds as violet and rose. Spice aromas are common in red wines: black pepper (classic for Syrah), liquorice, anise and ginger. Learning these families provides a shared language: instead of 'it smells nice' you can say 'stone fruit and violet with a hint of black pepper', which communicates the wine's character precisely.