Sommeliers’ Favorite Scents–and Why They Don’t Smell Like Anything

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The faux-pas I’ll never live down: After refilling my glass from an open bottle of Blaufränkisch, I discreetly took my bag to the other side of the room, as far as possible from the 20 or so wine lovers swirling and sniffing their glasses for the next blind tasting in the lineup. I wanted to use my vanilla coconut scented hand sanitizer as covertly as possible, sticking my hands into my vintage suede messenger bag before unleashing any competing scents. A tasting is the number one space where personal fragrance is strictly forbidden, or at least considered to be an extreme faux pas. As soon as I sprayed the sanitizer, I knew I had made a terrible mistake. A room full of sommeliers lit up, noses alerted to my scent like blood hounds to a deer. I was immediately booed and ridiculed for “contaminating the lab.” I only later discovered that my hand sanitizer had been hair mist all along. Immediately, I was disgusted at the thought of all the times I had disinfected my hands, but had really just misted them with Touchland Power Essence Hair Mist in Vanilla Velvet. Then, I was upset at the packaging confusion. Finally, I was deeply ashamed to have so brazenly sprayed such a potent fragrance in a perfume-forbidden space.

This is not the first time I’ve brought perfume around wine folks. As a perfume enthusiast and sommelier, I am often in close quarters with wine industry professionals who have discerning noses as well as expert palates. One of my own favorite party tricks to use on guests at the restaurant where I work is to correctly call out their fragrance of choice, instilling immediate awe and trust in my senses and taste (it’s almost always the extremely recognizable Thé Noir 29 by Le Labo). As sommeliers, we are taught to keep all personal fragrances to the bare minimum of hygienic practices. No strong perfumes, lotions, scented deodorants, no bad breath. This is simply because our scents could conflict with, or worse, cover up, the aromas and flavors coming from the glass of wine we are serving. Everyone loves to hear what a sommelier would pick from a wine shop or wine list when it’s their turn for a drink. But what are these tastemakers plucking from their perfume trays when they are off the clock? My wine friends across NYC gave me the scoop on their aromatic preferences.

Julianny Gómez, Wine Director at Forsythia

What is your personal signature scent on your days off?

I’m a sucker for Le Labo’s Santal 33 and anything lavender scented.

Which notes speak to you the most?

Woody, brambly, floral aromas with a touch of jammy fruits are intoxicating in both a fragrance and wine.

Are there wines you are drawn to specifically for their scent?

Cru Beaujolais that has undergone semi-carbonic maceration seduces me every time. 

Any scents that you sneak into the workplace?

I’m a stickler for zero scents on the dining room floor. It detracts from the guest experience of the food and wine. 

If you could build a perfume based off of a style of wine, what would you choose? 

Grand Cru Burgundy Eau de Parfum anyone? 

Ren Peir, Owner of Babe Wine Bar 

What is your personal signature scent on your days off?

I’ve been wearing Lancôme Miracle since I was in middle school. My mom got gifted a set of Lancôme sample perfumes and I would sneak into her bathroom and douse myself with them. I ended up loving Miracle the most and have worn it ever since. 

Ren’s signature scent.

Which notes speak to you the most? 

In perfumes, I love bright floral or citrus notes balanced with woodsy or earthy tones. Miracle has top notes of lychee and freesia, middle notes of magnolia, jasmine, ginger, and base notes of amber and musk. I’ve actually never looked this up and now that I know the notes, it makes a ton of sense.

Are there wines you are drawn to specifically for their scent? 

When I was first getting into wine, I really loved wines with floral notes. Nowadays I’m more interested in a balanced palate, but wines with interesting herby or floral notes still really speak to me. 

Any scents that you sneak into the workplace? 

No! Which made me sad at first, because my perfume has been my signature scent for so much of my life. But I’m over it now. Okay wait–the one thing I can’t do without is lip balm which after much trial and tribulation, I use a Wintergreen balm stick because it’s the LEAST intrusive scent. Surprisingly, the “non scented” ones have a very offensive scent.

If you could build a perfume based off of a style of wine, what would you choose?

Wow, so many great wines to choose from! I’ll go with an alpine Italian red (like a Schiava or Teroldego). I love the idea of some bright fruits (cherry, strawberry) and alpine flowers (violets) balanced with a woodsy (juniper, cedar, pine) base. 

Darren Sung, Sommelier at Lei 

What is your personal signature scent on your days off?

I tend to gravitate towards more subtle scents even on my days off. I’m a big fan of P. Seven’s [mor] Bambu, which is inspired by calligraphy ink and dewy bamboo forest. It reminds me of home (Taiwan), and carries some mysteriousness. 

Any notes that speak to you the most?

This time of year, I’d say Rhone Syrah as of late. I love the generous notes of hawthorne and black cherry accented by pops of savoriness and smoky wood chips!

Any scents that you sneak into the workplace? 

I wear a bracelet with a terracotta dirt bead on it. The bead absorbs whatever perfume you drip onto it, and releases it very mildly over the course of a month or so. The aroma is calming and zen, and “quiet” enough to wear during service. 

If you could build a perfume based off of a style of wine, what would you choose? 

I’d say Retsina! Sea spray and pine needle aromas are those that are already somewhat familiar to the public. I think that as well as other coastal wine types would likely catch on more quickly. 

Cerise Zelenetz, Owner of Cherry on Top

What is your personal signature scent on your days off?

I’ve been loyally wearing Maison Louis Marie for about ten years now. Right now I have a bottle of Nouvelle Vague, but I enjoy all of their scents. 

Cerise’s signature scent.

Any notes that speak to you the most?

I think with perfumes, I tend to be drawn to scents that have more of an herbaceous and woody base with fresher notes around that. I’ve also always loved light floral notes such as rose or jasmine, but I don’t typically go for anything too fruity or sweet, which I suppose can be said for my wine palate as well. In terms of wine, more subtle notes appeal to me such as a hint of violet in something dark and brambly. 

Are there wines you are drawn to specifically for their scent?

I definitely get excited when I catch the scent of flint in my glass. Anything white Burgundy or German riesling with more of that oily, petrol note I love. Even some Greek and Portuguese wines can evoke that same sense of depth and minerality.

Any scents that you sneak into the workplace?

I try to avoid heavily scented products while at work, not only for the sake of the wines and wine drinkers, but also because I end up washing my hands a lot throughout the course of a shift, as well as dealing with cleaning products and the mix of scents can be overwhelming. Sometimes I like to burn a bit of Palo Santo at the start of the night to re-balance everything out but that’s about it.

If you could build a perfume based off of a style of wine, what would you choose?

I’d probably have to go with a white Burgundy as I haven’t really been able to find that flinty minerality in a perfume yet. Something beginning with an initial gunsmoke scent and mellowing to a more subtle blend of fresh lemon zest, hazelnut and mineral.

Sarah Lopreiato, Sommelier at Parcelle

What is your personal signature scent on your days off?

Currently, I have two that I’ve been alternating between depending on my mood: Le Labo Eucalyptus 20 and this vintage perfume with no label that I got from my friend that smells like rosemary and white flowers to me. 

Are there wines you are drawn to specifically for their scent? 

I always describe my taste in wine as “pretty.” I love a really floral wine. For whites, Gewürztraminer was one of my first favorite grapes that really got me excited about smelling wine. For reds, I can never get enough of a really elegant red Burgundy (Vosne-Romanée has my heart). I also love a really well made Syrah. When the violet note shines through it really balances out the rich plum and black pepper in a way that’s really beautiful to me.

What notes speak to you the most? 

Savory. I love an herbaceous scent: rosemary, basil, tomato plant, olive, etc. I don’t really like gourmand perfumes. 

Any scents that you sneak into the workplace?

Anything that just smells fresh. Citrus and salinity are both not too distracting so I wear them to work sometimes. For a while, I was wearing Hawthorne’s mineral spray to work, which is supposed to smell like ocean water. It’s also not super long lasting, so by the time I get to work later in the day, it’s worn off enough that it’s not distracting.

If you could build a perfume based off of a style of wine, what would you choose?

I am obsessed with wines made from grapes grown on volcanic soil. They tend to be so delicate and pretty, with really intense minerality. But they also have a subtle smokiness to them that makes them feel much more serious. Smoke can be an overpowering smell, so I would love more perfumes that have more of a subtle smoky note to them.

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