A new line of thought points to specific aphrodisiac powers of fermented grape juice as directly responsible for igniting the fires of passion. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the word is out: many of those aromas so prized in our favorite wine varietals emulate the scents of sex.

According to the research of Australian winemaker and former surgeon Max Lake, the scents of certain wines replicate the smells of human pheromones, those tantric body scents said to excite sexual instinct. “The mature cabernet sauvignon has an essence which is as close to this natural sexual turn-on as one could hope for,” promises Lake.

The scents used to describe many red wines – leather, sweat, spice, musk – are nearly identical to the scents emitted from the glands of hair follicles, essentially the same as the smells associated with the primary male sexual hormone, androstenone. Androstenone, apparently, also smells a great deal like the scent new oak imparts on fermenting grape juice, perhaps the first rational explanation behind the ever-rising trend toward full-bodied, oak-enhanced wines.

But if red wines imply the scent of a virile man, (women do produce androstenone, but generally in far smaller doses), how do we emulate the scent of a woman? It is, according to Lake, Champagne that unlocks the delicacy of female flesh.

Thanks to the research of Dr. John Amoore, (serendipitously named for his line of research), we know that the primary female pheromones, thiethylamine and isovaleric acid, are linked to the smells of seafood and soft, ripe cheeses. The delicate aromas of soft cheese, such as Camembert, is an aromatic attribute often attached to sparkling wines.

Asserts Lake, the heady, yeasty aromas of Brut-style sparkling wine combines a touch of masculinity and a dose of feminine wiles. If Lake’s hypothesis is true, Champagne is the perfect tonic for the traditional wedding night toast.
Savvy manufacturers have even made it possible to cash in on some of the benefits of wine’s witchcraft without ever having to imbibe. Many of the skincare products featuring the anti-oxidant benefits of grape seed extract feature scents emulating those of fine wine. There’s even a sleekly packaged perfume line by Ginestet named for and emulating the wine styles of Bordeaux.

Although it might sound like a flimsy plot from an Anne Rice novel, a well-planned wine selection could just spell “sure thing.” Certainly to say red wine signifies an attraction to men and Champagne brings about a desire for a woman is an over-simplification, but wine has been scientifically measured to unleash a cascade of hormones, a great number of them sexual.

If you want to put wine’s sensual promise into practice, you’re most likely to awaken the senses with wines generous in aroma. Look for aged Semillon, oak-fermented Chardonnay, musky Shiraz, full-bodied, American Cabernet Sauvignons and earthy Bordeaux blends.

But if you feel skeptical about navigating the wine shop shelves for the right mix of scents, simply plan your next intimate rendezvous around sparkling wine. The psychological implications of a cork bursting from a bottle of bubbly alone promise heady enticement. Added to the intrigue of the bready, cheesy aromas of a fine Brut or Blanc de Blanc style Champagne mingled with the inhibition-inducing effects of the bubble-driven alcohol, sparkling wine is positively liquid pornography.

Wines to Heat Up a Long Winter’s Night:
Chateau St. Jean 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $45
Garretson Wine Company 2000 Syrah Paso Robles The Aisling $30
2000 Chateau Mouton Rothschild $350
L’Ecole 2001 Fries Vineyard Semillon $20
Leeuwin 1999 Chardonnay Margaret River Art Series $60
Bollinger 1996 Brut Champagne Grande Année $90
Deutz 1995 Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Amour de Deutz $150
Henri Billiot & Fils NV Brut Champagne Réserve $40
Lanson NV Brut Champagne Black Label $25

*Reprinted from the Jan/Feb 2004 issue of Las Vegas Magazine.