I’ve been encountering what to me smells like a burnt toast or toasted walnut aroma in Chardonnay for a while. Since these were all full-on Cali style Chards, I attributed this to toasty new barrels.
But now I’ve found the same aroma in other whites that supposedly saw only stainless steel or neutral oak. I’m wondering if this is instead indicative of certain volatile sulfide compounds (reduction?) or perhaps lees contact. It’s definitely not rubbery or cabbagey.
Any thoughts on this? If it’s reduction, could decanting or aging ameliorate it? Whatever it is, it’s really distracting to me.
If it was an all steel chard then you’re right in thinking it’s a sulfur related compound…Furanmethanethiol, and/or possibly others. I don’t believe any of the ‘roasted coffee’ related sulfur compounds (thiols) are mercaptans or disulfides…so it’s possible (likely even) that this will integrate and become less noticeable into the wine as it ages. Pouring these bottles for guests that come over might be a better option tho (unless it dominates the wine, then it’s just a stylistic issue…so your guests might love it).
This is usually a stylistic preference (or should be anyways) of the producer (in terms of how much reduction they permit)…so you’re probably better off looking for other producers that match your preference. Also, this isn’t limited to Cal Chards…a lot of white burgs (those that aren’t oxidized yet) have this…few chablis I’ve had show this.
Is it possible to do the full barrel aged, ML, sur lees Chard in a reductive fashion? I’d think the barrel aging (if not fermentation) would allow a much larger degree of O2 contact than pure stainless. Regardless, I think I’m pretty sensitive to this aroma, and it’s useful to know there are multiple avenues for its appearance in wine.
Yes…it is possible to do a full barrel aged, ML, sur lees Chard in a reductive fashion (top up frequently, gassing after (and/or as) you stir the lees, don’t rack until bottling, bottle early, etc).
The formation of thiols (the group of sulfur compounds that we’re talking about here) is a complex business. Some thiols are formed in the grape…in this case, they are bound to another compound and you can’t smell/taste them until they’re separated (which happens either during fermentation, aging or never). Some thiols are formed during fermentation…usually (?) due to a fermentation that’s stress for some reason. Or they can be formed during barrel/bottle aging. From a ‘picking out wines and/or wineries’ perspective…it’s hard to make any hard and fast (or generally applicable) rules about sulfur compound formation that would be of any use in picking wines/wineries. It’s intellectually interesting tho…if you’re into that sort of thing .
But winemakers will/should know their vineyards well enough to know what viticulture, fermentation and aging strategies will get them what they’re after…so doing lots of tasting and sticking with producers that avoid the roasted coffee effect is going to be your best bet.
(unless it dominates the wine, then it’s just a stylistic issue…so your guests might love it).