I’m sure you’ve read wine tasting notes that refer to pyrazines (Peer-uh-zeens) with no further explanation as to what those flavors are. It’s a little annoying. Here are the basics you need to know about this fun tasting note, with resources at the end for more detail!
Pyrazines are chemical compounds (technically called “Methoxypyrazines”) found in grape skin and stems and are responsible for many “green” flavors in wine. Levels of pyrazines are dependent on viticultural practices, climate and grape variety.
These are most often found in Bordeaux grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Carmenere. Sauvignon blanc is the only white wine in this group.
Green bell pepper is the star tasting note to look for, in addition to green peppercorn, jalapeño and vegetable flavors like peas and asparagus. In red wines, also look for notes of green peppercorn, green olive and fresh mint.
These flavors also include some herbs, but not necessarily ALL herbal flavors. If you are noting herbs in wine, it’s not always pyrazine.
These flavors used to be considered a total flaw in wine – it was ruined if detected. This isn’t so much the case nowadays, but the winemakers must still be careful (especially not to harvest prematurely). An imbalance of these flavors can turn unpleasant quickly.
However, if done properly, these flavors can add another layer of complexity, surprise and a certain ‘zing’ a drinker didn’t know they were missing out on.
The best example is something we all can probably relate to: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and the famous green bell pepper/jalapeño combo.
(Turns out those other indicative flavors are a different set of compounds…this rabbit hole just keeps going…)
Get your green bell pepper on and check out my sources below for further details.
