The Crowning Glory
February 6, 2024
By Brian Zawada
Ever heard of Le Nez du Vin?
If you haven’t, it’s a fun way to educate yourself on different aromas common to wines – some good and some not-so-good.
As a Christmas present for my wife April (and myself!), I bought the kit that contains 54 vials that showcase different aromas, with each vial accompanied by a descriptive card.
I thought it would be a good way to learn more about different aromas that I often read about but really have little experience with.
April and I opened the kit on January 6th and did a blind “smell” test to see what we could recognize. Regardless if we recognized the aroma or not, we read each card that explains why the aroma is significant to the wine world and which wines the aroma is often associated with.
One of the aromas was Violet.
In a previous blog, April and I explained why we named our winery Violet Vines. One of the biggest influences had to do with our favorite Oregon Pinot noirs being characterized as having both the aroma and taste of violet.
Back to the Le Nez du Vin aroma kit… for this blog, I had to summarize what was on the violet card because it made April and I smile.
Here it is:
“The violet note is the crowning glory of the world’s best red, the ultimate accolade reserved for blessed lands: Romanée-Conti and Musigny in Burgandy, Lafite Rothschild and Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux, La Moline in Rhone Valley, Diamond Creek in Napa Valley, share this distinction that ranks them among the most sought after wines of the world.”
Well said, but if I was to offer an edit, I would add the Willamette Valley to the list of great wine regions that have superior wines with a violet aroma!
