Wine Tasting Physiology
Tim Hanni , Master of Wine is researching peoples preferences in wine based
on the physiology of the tongue and taste buds.
Please refer to article by Jane Black of the Washington Post, Wednesday, March 12, 2008; Page F01
Drinkers and judges need only to understand what makes up a perfect score or pleasant flavor for them. This will vary widely depending on physiology, sex and personal experience. At a 2006 pinot noir judging in San Francisco, the female judges' first choice came in 35th out of 40 among the men. The men's first choice came in 35th out of 40 for the women. (Women are much more likely than men to be sensitive or hypersensitive tasters, though sex isn't a determining factor.)
Tim, a California wine consultant analyses peoples taste buds, a process he calls "getting your buds done." From this analysis he groups people in four main preferences
“Tolerant” -tasters have fewer taste buds and tends to prefer bigger, ripe, concentrated wines-Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz
“Sensitive” tasters with more taste buds usually likes more-balanced wines without strong tannins-French Pinot Noir
"Hypersensitive" tasters tend toward delicate, slightly sweeter wines that are easy on the palate. -Rose, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc
"Sweet" tasters, the final group, are also hypersensitive with confidence in their taste and little interest in learning to like drier wines- desert wines, sherry
Knowing your “type” is akin to knowing your shoe size, Hanni says. Wearing a size 8 is not good or bad; it's just a fact that helps you find something that fits. "People live in different sensory worlds," he says. "We need to acknowledge that."
Hanni says understanding taste preferences will help judges to improve traditional wine competitions, where he says one outspoken judge can sway other panelists with different palates. Instead of giving out medals, taste-bud-tested judges will bestow prizes based on taste preferences. So, a wine may win a top prize for tolerant tasters but only a bronze, or no medal at all, for hypersensitive drinkers. Consumers who know their type can then buy wines that are at the top of the class for their palate.
His goal, he says, is to democratize wine once and for all. "There's no right or wrong" has become a mantra of the new generation of wine professionals.
The Budometer, a computerized palate assessment tool, aims to turn theory into practice. Consumers fill out a survey at Budometer that is designed to gauge their tastes. Tim developed the Budometer with the help of two sensory scientists at the University of California at Davis. It takes into account a decade of research on taste and sensory perception. Designed for neophytes, it asks just five questions, but Hanni plans to add a more advanced questionnaire for enthusiasts soon.
Pinot Noir DNA and Selfish Gene Theory
Pinot Noir DNA Study Riccardo Velasco, et al, 914k pdf file
The team of French and Italian researchers has mapped the genome of the pinot noir, it has some 30,000 genes which is more than the human genome, which contains some 20,000 to 25,000 genes.
The research confirmed that Pinot Noir has favour producing genes. More than 100 of its genes are dedicated to producing tannins and terpenes — compared to about 50 for other fruits, said researcher Patrick Wincker.
These genes also influence flavours in respond to soil, climate, weather, age of the vines and the winemaker's art.
Alan Meadows commented "The research is genetic confirmation of what pinot noir lovers have known for centuries, which is that pinot noir is exquisitely sensitive to where and how it is grown,"
Why is Pinot Noir Best from cool climates like Central Otago?
Paul's theory-The grapes "selfish gene" knows that in a marginal climate it has limited time to attract birds to eat the grapes and spread the seeds of the grape. Therefore it must produce the most intense favours to maximise it's survival. refer (Richard Dawkins book The Selfish Gene)