Black Pepper Spice -
Aromas and Flavors of Wine

Black Peppercorns are probably one of the most easily identifiable flavors in wine. Everybody knows what pepper smells like. Every table in the world probably has a salt and pepper shaker on it or near it. Be sure to use a mill on a peppercorn, it's far more tasty than buying the pepper powder!

Pepper has even been used as money in the past, as it was such a valuable spice. Tax collectors would let you pay in pepper payments! Pepper comes from India originally, and the corns are the fruit of a shrubby plant. The actual berries are red, and inside is the corn. If they pick it when it's not ripe and then dry it, you get the black peppercorn. If you wait until the berry is white, you get the white peppercorn.

The Wines with Black Pepper Flavor

The main wine that has flavors of black pepper in it is Shiraz or Syrah. Note that this is the EXACT SAME WINE. Hermitage from France is made solely from Syrah grapes and has this same peppery flavor.

Other wines with peppery flavors include Rioja from Spain, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and Port.

All About the Flavors of Wine