What is retro-olfaction?

 Few people know it, but there are many different ways of tasting wine. In addition to the classic way, there's also retro-olfaction, a technique highly prized by the greatest wine specialists, and for good reason: it brings out all the aromas in the wine, giving you a perfect understanding of its composition. With this method, you'll be able to carry out a 360% aromatic analysis that's much more thorough and detailed. This allows you to get the most out of your wine and all its aromas.

 

But what does it really consist of? Retronasal olfaction is the mechanism by which you can bring out the aromatic characteristics of the wine in your mouth. It's also known as the retronasal pathway, or retronasal olfaction. During a tasting, retronasal olfaction allows you to confirm the aromas you perceived during the first analysis. It can also detect other aromas or fragrances.

With this method, aromas follow a path at the back of the palate. They reach the olfactory epithelium in the nasal cavity, also known as the olfactory bulb. This is an area specialized in odor detection. The method enables us to capture the odors of wine. And for good reason: contrary to what you might think, there's more to smelling than the nose. 

 

How do I apply retro-olfaction? It's a bit technical, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy. When you have a wine in your mouth, suck in a tiny bit of air. Then let it out through your nose. You'll get all the aromas tenfold. If you make a little noise during retro-olfaction, don't worry, it's perfectly normal. If you want to spit out the wine, that's perfectly possible with retro-olfaction !