How much you are using your nose? Sure you’re breathing, but how often do you notice the aromas you encounter on a daily basis? In the book Aroma: the cultural history of smell the authors make a compelling case that we have lost an appreciation for aromas in the West. We’ve become a de-odorized culture. Is there a case to be made for reversing this trend? I think so, and I think wine can help.
You might wonder “for what purpose?” Why have a greater appreciation for even the more pungent and foul aromas like gasoline, sewage, or body odor? As a winemaker who appreciates aromas on a daily basis for employment I wish I could make a passionate moral case that you will be a better person if you awaken your olfactory sense. But let’s face it, there is no such case. Yet there may be reasons that are motivating enough.
