Professor Anne Noble, an American wine academic has come up with an aroma wheel which helps standardise and classify wine tasting terminology. Following are the main classifications and their subordinate descriptors.
Citrus
Grapefruit
Lemon
Berry
Blackberry
Raspberry
Strawberry
Black Currant (Cassis)
(Tree) Fruit
Cherry
Apricot
Peach
Apple
(Tropical Fruit)
Pineapple
Melon
Banana
(Dried) Fruit
Strawberry Jam
Raisin
Prune
Fig
Artificial Fruit
Methyl Anthranilate
SPICY
Spicy
Licorice/Anise
Black Pepper
Cloves
FLORAL
Floral
Geranium
Violet
Rose
Orange Blossom
MICROBIOLOGICAL
Yeasty
Leesy
Baker's Yeast
Lactic
Yogurt
Sweaty
Sauerkraut
Other
Mousy
Horsey
SHERRY
Oxidized
Oxidized
PUNGENT
Cool
Menthol
Hot
Alcohol
CHEMICAL
Pungent
Sulphur Dioxide
Ethanol
Acetic Acid
Ethyl Acetate
Sulphur
Wet Wool, Wet Dog
Sulphur Dioxide
Burnt Match
Cabbage
Skunk
Garlic
Natural Gas, Mercaptain
Hydrogen Sulphide
Rubbery
Petroleum
Diesel
Kerosene
Plastic
Tar
EARTHY
Mouldy
Mouldy Cork
Mouldy
Earthy
Mushroom
Dusty
WOODY
Burned
Smoky
Burnt Toast
Coffee
Phenolic
Medicinal
Phenolic
Bacon
Resinous
Oak
Cedar
Vanilla
CARAMEL
Caramel
Honey
Butterscotch
Diacetyl (Butter)
Soy Sauce
Chocolate
Molasses
NUTTY
Nutty
Walnut
Hazelnut
Almond
HERBACEOUS or VEGETATIVE
Fresh
Cut Green Grass
Bell Pepper
Eucalyptus
Mint
Canned/Cooked
Green Beans
Asparagus
Green Olive
Black Olive
Artichoke
Dried
Hay/Straw Tea Tobacco © Copyright A. C. Noble, R.A. Arnold, J. Buechsenstein, E. J. Leach, J.O. Schmidy, and P.M. Stern, 'Modification of a standardized system of wine aroma terminology', American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, 38/2 (1987)
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