Red Wine in perfume is an accord that recreates the aroma of red wine: dark berries, grape, warm spice and oak. Created by the perfumer, sometimes with wine-derived materials such as cognac oil, it belongs to the fruity-gourmand family and smells rich, slightly tannic and velvety, with a heady, boozy warmth.

What does Red Wine smell like?

A red wine note smells of blackcurrant, blackberry and cherry, with a winey, slightly sour edge and a dry, tannic, woody backdrop. Many versions include spices such as clove or pepper and a hint of rose, echoing tasting notes used by wine lovers. The accord is darker and denser than champagne, fruitier than cognac and less sugary than rum. Some red wine notes read as a mulled or spiced wine, with cinnamon and orange peel.

How perfumers create Red Wine

Perfumers combine blackcurrant bud and berry notes, fruity esters, cognac oil or wine lees oil, rose and violet, spice and oak-like woods. A touch of davana or plum can add a boozy richness, and small amounts of leather or tobacco can suggest tannin.

• Also known as: Wine accord, Vin rouge
• Fragrance family: Fruity, Gourmand
• Type: Accord (created by the perfumer)
• How it's obtained: Blended from natural and synthetic materials, sometimes including cognac oil
• Key aroma molecules: Ethyl octanoate, ethyl decanoate, beta-damascenone

Red Wine in perfume history

Wine and perfume share a long history, and ancient perfumers sometimes used wine as a solvent or ingredient in aromatic preparations. Red wine as a distinct perfume note, however, is recent, and there is little specific perfumery history to report beyond its emergence in niche fragrances in the twenty-first century.

Red Wine in modern perfumery

Red wine accords appear in niche and indie perfumery, often in autumn and winter releases, and in fragrances that explore themes of indulgence or dinner parties. They are commonly paired with rose to create a darker, jammy floral. The note describes aroma only.

How Red Wine wears and what it pairs with

Red wine sits in the heart of a composition and fades into warm woods and resins. Classic pairings include rose, blackcurrant, plum, clove, patchouli, oud, leather and vanilla.