What are the differences between aftertaste and retronasal?

If you have taken a look at previous publications of our blog (and if not, now is a good time), you will see that we have been able to delve into the different factors and processes involved in wine tastings.

In this information we will focus on other related concepts that are worth knowing and start applying.

Two of the most outstanding characteristics of a wine are if it presents aftertaste and what it is like, and also, if it is retronasal. But … do you know if these two words refer to the same idea? Or, on the contrary, what is the difference between the two? Do not lose detail why I tell you next.

In the first place, it is necessary to explain that the two concepts are related to the set of sensations that are experienced once the wine has been drunk. Therefore, when someone mentions the retronasal aspect, it affects all those aromas and sensations that are seen again in the nostrils after ingesting the wine.

On the other hand, when we talk about aftertaste (do not get lost, because it is possible that sometimes you read it as an aftertaste or internal bouquet), the concept is much broader, including all the aromas and flavors in the same group. They are kept in the mouth, throat and nose after drinking the wine.

In this way, we confirm that all the wines that exist in the market have aftertaste, although with different variations between them, that is, more or less pronounced, or more or less durable.

And at this point … we can say that the concept of aftertaste encompasses all the sensations that are associated only with the retronasal aspect. Both one and the other are very important to define nuances and new aromas that are not perceived at first when drinking wine. Do you want to know even more about this topic? Continue reading!

How can the retronasal be appreciated?

It is very common that, in the celebration of a wine tasting, the person in charge of making the explanation of it, and directing the different steps that must be followed at each moment, throw the following question to the participants: what do they feel about it? the retronasal?

The answer is simple and does not have many disparate alternatives. What must always be clear, as we have said before, is that the retronasal are all those aromas that are felt again in the nostrils after swallowing the wine.

But, so that all the assistants to the tasting can obtain the greater possible quantity of these shades, the process must be the following one:

Keep a small sip of wine in your mouth.
Take air at the same time by mouth.
Swallow the wine.
Appreciate the variety of retronasal aromas in the nose.

Different curiosities about the concept of aftertaste

Once we have briefly explained what is the idea of aftertaste, and so that this information is not incomplete, only with the most technical ideas (which are not less relevant), we give you more details that can be very useful.

Therefore, take note of the following guidelines and curiosities:

When describing the aftertaste of a wine, it is necessary to indicate whether it is long, medium or short. This data is very important at the time of purchase of the product, since, if it extends over time, it can be quite «heavy» in your intake, especially if you are going to consume several glasses, or, on the contrary , shorter and lighter in smaller quantities.
In addition, you can also dedicate part of the time to the fact that a wine is pleasant or not, or what is the same, if you appreciate defects in the mouth once swallowed
As a curious detail, flow rates are used to set the duration of the aftertaste, which are measured in seconds. A flow rate corresponds to a second of aftertaste.
For example, wines that are more balanced and mature tend to maintain a long, pleasant and persistent aftertaste over time. However, this does not mean that all similar wines are the same, since there are also mature wines with a shorter internal bouquet and not so intense.