Taste Of Wine Research Articles

Mozart or pop music? Effects of background music on wine consumers

Purpose A considerable body of literature has shown how the perception of flavor is the result of a multi-sensory combination. Starting with this premise, this paper aims to verify how music impacts on wine flavor. Design/methodology/approach An experiment was organized as follows: it focuses on the influence of music on the taste of red and white wine, in particular, two kinds of music were transmitted, namely, classical and pop. Participants had to listen to music through headphones tasting, in the meanwhile, 40 mL of wine (an merlot and a chardonnay). After this experience, they had to give an evaluation about some attributes of the wine. The attributes to be evaluated were: sparkling, refreshing, delicate, refined, sweet, sour, alcoholic and pleasant. Data were finally analyzed by using the ANOVA model. Findings They highlight that a chardonnay is perceived to be more delicate and sweeter if accompanied by a classical music background; in the case of Merlot, on the other hand, it is perceived as less alcohol when high-volume pop music is transmitted. Implications are finally discussed. Originality/value The influence of hearing on taste is underestimated in the literature. The originality of this manuscript consists of comparing two different music genders and their impact on wine consumers in an Italian context. Moreover, the analysis of marketing implications represents a novelty for these kind of studies.

Fungal and mycotoxin problems in grape juice and wine industries

The fungal diseases in the vineyard reduce grape quality influencing the volatile profile and consequently impair the aroma, taste, and color of juice and wine. In addition to this sensory effect, the occurrence of filamentous fungi in grapes may result in mycotoxins, including alternariol, aflatoxins, tenuazonic acid, fumonisin B2, ochratoxin A (OTA), patulin citrinin, among others. OTA is the most studied mycotoxin in grape products and can effectively represent a concern for industries. This short review discloses that promising results have been obtained with the use of antagonistic microorganisms or natural products for the toxigenic fungi control in the vineyard. Reduction of OTA levels throughout the production stages of juice and wine is well documented in the literature. However, studies taking into account the impacts of climate change on vine and the resilience of toxigenic fungi are still a challenge. In addition, the co-occurrence of OTA (including modified forms) and other mycotoxins in grapes products of different cultivars and regions needs to be evaluated to verify the risk of human exposure to these compounds.

Nitrogen and Sulphur Foliar Fertilisation

The effects of fertilisation can reverberate from grapes through to wines. In wine, non-volatile compounds mainly influence the taste and flavour of wines, while volatile compounds play an important role in the aromatic expression. This review includes information on the presence of non-volatile and volatile compounds reportedly affected by nitrogen and sulphure foliar fertilisation, (bio)synthesis, and evolution throughout winemaking, their chemical properties, and their implications. The second part presents the status of the research on elucidating the influence and contribution of foliar fertilisation practices on the chemical compounds throughout winemaking, from the grape to the wine.

Sensory attributes of wines made from vines of differing phosphorus status

Aim: The implications of water and nutrient deficiencies for photosynthesis, dry matter production, and yield have been well documented. However, whereas multiple studies show that water deficits affect grape and wine quality as well as wine sensory characteristics, the corresponding implications of manipulating vine nutrient status through fertilizer additions remain largely unexplored.Methods and results: In this study, phosphorus (P) fertilizers were applied to P-deficient vineyards of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Chenin blanc growing in rhyolite, granite, and schist derived soils. Bloomtime leaf lamina P levels, basic soil chemical characteristics, juice P, and wine chemical parameters were measured after harvest. A highly sensitive protocol for sensory evaluation was used to test the wines made from the treated and untreated grapes for differences in wine appearance, flavor, aroma, and taste.
 All P additions were effective in rapidly increasing both vine P status and P in the harvested juice. In Cabernet Sauvignon vines growing on rhyolite, juice P was linearly related to vine P status compared to a non-linear accumulation of juice P in Chenin blanc vines growing on an calcium-rich schist soil. Soil CEC and Ca levels were both higher in the schist derived soil than in the rhyolite or granite soils, indicating a possible association of P release with soil parent material. Differences were detected in appearance, flavor, aroma, and taste in wines made from all three varieties on all three sites. Also, increasing vine P status increased the concentration of anthocyanins and soluble phenolics in the wines, and reduced fermentation time in the Cabernet Sauvignon.Conclusions: The results of this study show that vine P nutrient status can be manipulated by the grower across different soil types. Vine nutrient status has also been shown to significantly affect vine bud fertility, photosynthesis, dry matter and fruit production, and grape and wine chemical parameters. However, there is a lack of data describing the effect of manipulating vine nutrient status through fertilizer additions on the resulting wine sensory profile. Our results show that vine P status can influence the sensory attributes of wines.Significance and impact of the study: The results of this study and earlier work with vine water status identify two vineyard sources of variation in wine sensory attributes that occur both naturally and can be manipulated by the grower across different soil types.

Wine involvement interaction with dining group dynamics, group composition and consumption behavioural aspects in USA restaurants

Purpose The importance of the wine involvement construct in explaining consumers’ wine consumption behaviour is widely acknowledged in the literature, as is the social nature of dining out with others. Yet, there is a paucity of research examining the relationships between how this construct interacts with dining group dynamics and wine consumption behavioural aspects in the restaurant environment. This study aims to investigate these aspects in US restaurants. Design/methodology/approach Utilising an online survey that yielded a sample of 513 respondents from across the USA who frequented all the recognised restaurant categories, respondents are segmented into low and high wine involvement categories using a reliable wine involvement scale. The authors examine differences between various dining group dynamics, dining group composition, main choice factors when ordering wine and method of ordering wine in US restaurants. Findings The authors find that diners’ level of involvement with wine provides sharp insights into several significant differences between involvement and dining group dynamics, group composition, choice factors when ordering wine and method of ordering wine in restaurants. High involvement diners dine out in larger groups, order more wine, spend more money on wine, are more often the main decision-maker ordering wine for the dining group and use wine menus and wall board displays more often when ordering than low involvement diners. They are also more discerning about the taste of wine, grape variety and wine style in terms of choice factors when ordering. Practical implications The nature and dynamics of dining groups are aspects that have profound implications, in various ways, for the restaurant industry. The level of involvement diners have with wine is a strong predictor of various outcomes in terms of dining group behavioural aspects regarding wine. Wine-related restaurant category-specific profile descriptions, such as those developed in this study, can be helpful for restaurants when creating business strategies. Originality/value The authors make a substantive contribution by being the first study to examine the relationships between dining group dynamics, dining group composition and behavioural aspects concerning wine consumption and involvement in the restaurant environment. The authors then map this information to derive wine-related profile descriptions for all US restaurant categories.

The quality of rice wine influenced by the crystal structure of rice starch.

Normal rice wine (NRW) and waxy rice wine (WRW) were fermented to study the relationship between the structure of starch as well as the taste and texture of rice wine. The total starch content of NRW decreased to 21.2%, and that of WRW decreased to 15.6%. The water-soluble sugar content of NRW increased to 169.3, and that of WRW increased to 194.4mg/g. The ethanol content of NRW increased to 6.5%, and that of WRW increased to 8.9%. These changes indicated that WRW exhibited higher quality than NRW. Sweetness was negatively correlated with total starch content and positively correlated with ethanol content. Starch molecules were degraded by enzymolysis, thereby enhancing crystallinity. The size of starch particle was negatively correlated with crystallinity, whereas the chewiness and gumminess of vinasse (fermented rice grains) were positively correlated with the size of starch particle and negatively correlated with crystallinity. The higher degrees of chewiness and gumminess of vinasse render the texture of WRW superior to that of NRW. The results indicated that WRW is superior to NRW in taste and texture because of the difference in starch structure.

Lignans in Spirits: Chemical Diversity, Quantification, and Sensory Impact of (±)-Lyoniresinol.

During barrel aging, spirits undergo organoleptic changes caused by the release of aroma and taste compounds. Recently, studies have revealed the bitter properties of oak wood lignans, such as (±)-lyoniresinol, and their contribution to wine taste. To evaluate the impact of lignans in spirits, a targeted screening of 11 compounds was set up and served to validate their presence in this matrix, implying their release by oak wood during aging. After development and validation of a quantification method, the most abundant and the bitterest lignan, (±)-lyoniresinol, was assayed by liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) in spirits. Its gustatory detection threshold was established at 2.6 mg/L in spirits. A large number of samples quantified were above this detection threshold, which suggests its effect of increased bitterness in spirit taste. Significant variations were observed in commercial spirits, with concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 11.8 mg/L, which could be related to differences in barrel aging processes. In “eaux-de-vie” of cognac, concentrations of (±)-lyoniresinol were observed in the range from 1.6 mg/L to 12 mg/L. Lower concentrations were measured for older vintages.

Effects on the color, taste, and anthocyanins stability of blueberry wine by different contents of mannoprotein

Blueberry wine is a new fruit wine with good taste and rich nutrition, but color change and anthocyanins (ACNs) content readily decrease during the production process. The effects of different content (0.2 g/L, 0.25 g/L, and 0.3 g/L) of mannoprotein (MP) on the blueberry wine were investigated in this study. The result showed that MP treatment inhibited the decrease in ACN content, reduced the content of total acid, increased the content of alcohol content in blueberry wine, maintained the color and improved the taste of blueberry wine. In addition, the effect was more pronounced as the MP concentration increased, with the optimum effect at 0.3 g/L. However, MP has no significant effect on the total sugar in blueberry wine. The results arising from this study provide new insights into blueberry wine production, by which treatment with MP maintain the color and ACNs contents, and improve the taste of blueberry wine.

Impact of a commercially available ion-exchange resin used in red wines to reduce toxic compounds: effect on pH, oxidation–reduction potential, color, and sensory attributes

This research was performed to evaluate the impact of a novel ion-exchange treatment on the organoleptic, pH, color (hue and intensity), and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) properties of commercial red wines. The ion-exchange treatment used in this study is a commercially available device containing a double cation-anion exchange resin. The device is applied, directly by the consumer, to finished bottled wines with the purpose of mitigating the effects of potentially noxious compounds such as biogenic amines and sulfites. Sensory evaluation tests included discriminative, affective, and Quantitative Descriptive Analysis sensory tests were employed to evaluate the impact on the perceived taste of treated wines. The pH, ORP and color parameters (hue and intensity) of wines were measured to assess any physicochemical alterations that may help to explain the results of the sensory evaluation. While no significant changes in color hue or intensity were found, the results showed a reduction in pH (0.07-0.12) and an increase in ORP (2.667-6.666mV). However, the changes in pH and ORP did not result in a detectable change in wine taste for the sensory panelists. These findings have important implications for the wine industry, where many consumers select wines for their characteristic taste qualities. Thus, any treatment to potentially remove noxious compounds should not impact the characteristic organoleptic properties of a chosen wine.

Effect of sugar and acid composition, aroma release, and assessment conditions on aroma enhancement by taste in model wines

ContextWhen congruent taste and retronasal aroma are perceived simultaneously, aroma can be enhanced by taste. Different explanations have been proposed: (i) physico-chemical interactions between tastants and aroma compounds, inducing a change of the aroma stimulus before it reaches the receptors, (ii) a contextual bias during sensory tests (dumping), when at least one relevant attribute is not proposed to the panelists to assess a product, (iii) a misunderstanding of the conceptual difference between aroma and taste, or (iv) a perceptual incapability of panelists to distinguish between two congruent percepts. This study was undertaken to better understand aroma enhancement by taste in model wines containing different sugar and acid concentrations but the same volatile composition. MethodWe used a twofold approach:(i) model wine retronasal aroma intensity was assessed twice by trained panelists. During the first session, panelists only assessed aroma intensity. During the second session, taste intensity was assessed before aroma intensity, to reduce dumping effects.(ii) in-mouth release of volatile compounds was measured by nosespace analysis with the same panelists. ResultsAcid concentration influenced aroma compounds release, but its effect on perceived aroma intensity was not clear. Increasing sugar concentration delayed ethyl octanoate (EO) release after swallowing. When taste was not assessed, perceived aroma intensity was not explained by aroma compounds release, but it increased with sugar concentration, probably because of a dumping effect. When taste was assessed, aroma intensity also depended on sugar concentration, but it was significantly correlated to the time of release of EO. Our hypothesis is that when taste declined, late aroma was more easily individualized, and thus assessed with a higher intensity. This entails that panelists focused on aroma to individualize it from taste. We concluded that trained panelists understand the conceptual difference between taste and aroma, but are not completely able to distinguish congruent and simultaneous taste and aroma percepts.

ビール、ワイン、清酒を比較する( 酒類のおいしさ-香りと味 4)

ビール、ワイン、清酒を比較する( 酒類のおいしさ-香りと味 4)

Wine complexity: An empirical investigation

Complexity is a term that is often invoked by people when writing appreciatively about the taste, aroma/bouquet, and/or flavour of wine. However, it is not clear what exactly wine complexity refers to. The present study was designed to uncover which attributes are most strongly linked to the social drinker’s perception of complexity in wine. Notably, unlike previous studies of wine complexity, we assessed the temporal component of complexity by acquiring information from participants at the various stages of smelling, tasting, and aftertaste. Furthermore, natural language processing techniques were used to analyse participants’ flavour descriptors in order to assess their semantic associations with complexity. Eight wines, chosen for their ability to showcase various aspects of complexity, were tasted in three flights, grouped by dry white, red, and sweet wines. Participants rated the perceived liking, quality, and complexity of each wine, as well as listing flavours of the wines perceived at different stages (aroma, in-mouth, post-swallowing). The results demonstrated that complexity was positively correlated with liking and with quality, but not with the price of the wines or the number of flavours detected. Furthermore, semantic analysis revealed that participants used more consistent vocabulary to describe wines that they perceived to be more complex. We also observed similar consistency trends for wines that were liked more, as well as wines rated to be lower quality. In general, secondary and tertiary flavours (derived from fermentation or from ageing) were more often used to describe more complex wines. These results reveal intriguing patterns in how social drinkers assess perceive/infer wine complexity, as well as elucidating the relationship between complexity, quality, and liking.

I, You, and the Word “God”: Finding Meaning in the Song of Songs by Sarah Zhang

Reviewed by: I, You, and the Word “God”: Finding Meaning in the Song of Songs by Sarah Zhang Donald Polaski sarah zhang, I, You, and the Word “God”: Finding Meaning in the Song of Songs (Siphrut 20; Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2016). Pp. xi + 180. $44.50. This volume, a revised version of Zhang’s doctoral dissertation at Princeton Theological Seminary completed under the direction of F. W. “Chip” Dobbs-Allsopp, approaches the Song of Songs from the perspective of Emmanuel Levinas. Z. does not “use” Levinas to read the Song so much as immerse the Song in Levinas’s thoughts on lyricism, ethics, and intersubjectivity. What emerges is a sometimes compelling, frequently difficult, work that resists easy summary. In both in the introduction and first chapter (“Theory”), Z. presents the Levinasian thought that will flow in and out of her reading of selected passages of the Song. Levinas’s work is quite difficult to understand, so in places it is hard to determine whether uncertainty derives from Levinas’s own opacity or Z.’s writing. But Z. could be more helpful to the reader. For example, Z. introduces the term “intrigue” in an elliptical manner (pp. 4–5), then uses it in later discussions (e.g., pp. 59, 69, 71, 86, 104), forcing the reader back on the first opaque definition. Fewer block quotations from Levinas and more exposition would also help. Yet her overall goal is clear. Z. seeks a way to find “God’s presence that is felt in the trace of the other” (p. 7) in the Song. Modern scholarship and traditional readings have failed to find this trace, viewing the Song as a “corny romance,” a “rowdy pornography,” or an “occluded allegory,” while Z. sees herself as presenting a new way, a “taste of wine” (p. 26). Zhang treats three blocks of material from the Song: the first waṣf (4:1–7), the dream sequence (5:2–8), and the woman’s speech about love (8:1–7). The first waṣf represents “the awakening of the lover’s self at the sight of his beloved’s beautiful body,” as well as “the awakening of the reader’s self” in the presence of the poem’s “beautiful body.” Z. approaches these awakenings through four interwoven categories: Delight, Touch, Approach, and Desire. The result is a layered and nuanced reading of the passage, though one that proceeds less like an argument and more like the pattern of waves on a beach. Or, more like a poem. Zhang negotiates the dream sequence of 5:2–8 by speaking of “responsibility for the other” (p. 71). Responding to the other, especially to an other who is a trace (like the absent lover), marks relationship, though his absence here marks the pain of true relationship. In [End Page 523] that light, the violence against her (to which she gives voice) expresses her suffering; it does not cause her suffering. The final note of the poem is the beloved’s patience, awaiting the presence of her lover beyond a trace, the love that renders her faint. Zhang’s approach to 8:1–7 concentrates on traces of the divine. Z., though, does not simply claim that Yhwh is present in the word šalhebetyâ (“a raging flame” [NRSV], 8:6) to justify a theological reading. Instead, Z. sees the word as an instance of “poetic ambiguity” (p. 141) that serves to signal a variety of alternative readings (p. 149). The path to theology here is not through that lexeme but through attending to the development of human subjectivity in the reading of the lyrics. It is this subjectivity that “refracts” the image of God (p. 157). Zhang, while passionate about the philosophical approaches of Levinas, grounds her readings in a careful attention to the Song. She works on the lineation of the passages in question, while realizing the difficulty of that project. Z.’s lyric approach also relies a great deal on the way words sound, their sonic imprint. So the beloved’s description of the voice of the lover in 5:2, “qôl dôdî dôpēq” (“The voice of my lover—he is pounding!”), represents pounding...

Patterns of sweetness preference in red wine according to consumer characterisation

The preference for sweet taste in red wine was examined according to consumer categories of age, gender, drinking experience and personality type (Big-5 personality-test). A total of 114 subjects revealed their preferences for sweetness after tasting dry red wine spiked with equal concentrations of glucose and fructose at 2g/L, 4g/L, 8g/L, 16g/L and 32g/L, following an ascending forced choice paired comparison method (2-AFC).The overall preference for sweetness was shown within the range of 4.8 to 21.9g/L, with maximal liking at 8g/L. Three patterns of response to sweetness were observed (sweet dislikers, sweet likers and indifferent to sweet) according to the different categories of consumers. Differences (p>0.05) were not found in sweetness preference among the categories up to 16g/L sugar except for the trait extraversion at 8g/L, where low extraverts showed a higher proportion of responses preferring the sweeter sample. Most significant differences were found only under the highest tasted concentration (32g/L). Females and novices preferred sweeter samples (p<0.05) when compared with the response of males and experienced consumers, respectively.

Fast and Simultaneous Determination of Antioxidant Activity, Total Phenols and Bitterness of Red Wines by a Multichannel Amperometric Electronic Tongue

AbstractAn electronic tongue based on a flow injection system equipped with a multichannel amperometric detector was used to determine the antioxidant activity, total phenols and bitter taste of red wines. The detector composed of four glassy carbon electrodes, arranged in a square configuration, where two parallel electrodes (poised at E1=+400 and E2=+800 mV) were followed by other two electrodes (poised at E3=+800 and E4=−400 mV). This configuration allowed to gain information on the content of the antioxidants activity (E1) and total phenols (E2 and E3). E1/E2 was used to express the proportion of strong vs. weak antioxidants. E3/E4 was used to express an index of reversibility. Finally, the ratio E2/E3 was used to control the system. Overall, the four electrodes led to seven variables, which provided a characteristic pattern profile. The eleven variables in total were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) to determine, the antioxidant activity, total phenol content and bitterness value of red wine samples. The results of antioxidant activity were correlated with the Folin Ciocalteu index (R2=0.94). Bitterness was correlated with the descriptors of the e‐tongue (R2=0.81). Overall, the analysis with the proposed electronic tongue is simple (only a dilution is required), fast (the analysis takes less than 20 seconds per sample), objective (precision within 5 %, expressed as RSD%) and cheap compared to classical sensory analysis.

Assessing the Impact of Closure Type on Wine Ratings and Mood

We report on a preliminary study designed to assess the impact of the sound of the closure on the taste of wine. Given that people hold certain beliefs around the taste/quality of wines presented in bottles having different closure types, we expected that the sound of opening might influence people’s wine ratings. In particular, if participants hear a cork being pulled vs. the sound of a screw-cap bottle being opened then these two sounds will likely set different expectations that may then affect people’s judgment of the taste/quality of the wine that they are rating. In order to test this hypothesis, 140 people based in the UK (and of varying degrees of wine expertise) rated two wine samples along four scales, three relating to the wine and one relating to celebratory mood. The results demonstrated that the sound of a bottle being opened did indeed impact ratings. In particular, the quality of the wine was rated as higher, its appropriateness for a celebratory occasion, and the celebratory mood of the participant was also higher following the sound of the cork pop. These results add to the literature demonstrating that the sounds of opening/preparation of food and beverage products can exert a significant influence over the sensory and hedonic aspects of people’s subsequent tasting experience.

Biological Demalication and Deacetification of Musts and Wines: Can Wine Yeasts Make the Wine Taste Better?

Grape musts sometimes reveal excess acidity. An excessive amount of organic acids negatively affect wine yeasts and yeast fermentation, and the obtained wines are characterized by an inappropriate balance between sweetness, acidity or sourness, and flavor/aroma components. An appropriate acidity, pleasant to the palate is more difficult to achieve in wines that have high acidity due to an excess of malic acid, because the Saccharomyces species in general, cannot effectively degrade malic acid during alcoholic fermentation. One approach to solving this problem is biological deacidification by lactic acid bacteria or non-Saccharomyces yeasts, like Schizosaccharomyces pombe that show the ability to degrade L-malic acid. Excessive volatile acidity in wine is also a problem in the wine industry. The use of free or immobilized Saccharomyces cells has been studied to solve both these problems since these yeasts are wine yeasts that show a good balance between taste/flavor and aromatic compounds during alcoholic fermentation. The aim of this review is to give some insights into the use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains to perform biological demalication (malic acid degradation) and deacetification (reduction of volatile acidity) of wine in an attempt to better understand their biochemistry and enological features.

Characterisation of Non-Saccharomyces Yeasts Using Different Methodologies and Evaluation of their Compatibility with Malolactic Fermentation

Although Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the yeast species predominantly used for alcoholic fermentation, non-Saccharomyces yeast species are also important because they produce secondary metabolites that can contribute to the final flavour and taste of wines. In this study, 37 strains representing seven non-Saccharomyces species were characterised and evaluated for potential use in wine production, as well as for their effects on malolactic fermentation (MLF). Contour-clamped homogeneous electric field (CHEF) gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF MS) were used to verify species identity and to determine intra-species variation. Extracellular enzyme production, malic acid degradation and the fermentation kinetics of the yeasts were also investigated. CHEF karyotyping and MALDI-TOF MS were useful for identifying and typing Hanseniaspora uvarum, Lachancea thermotolerans, Candida zemplinina (synonym: Starmerella bacillaris) and Torulaspora delbrueckii strains. Only H. uvarum and Metschnikowia pulcherrima strains were found to have β-glucosidase activity. M. pulcherrima strains also had protease activity. Most of the strains showed limited malic acid degradation, and only Schizosaccharomyces pombe and the C. zemplinina strains showed mentionable degradation. In synthetic wine fermentations, C. stellata, C. zemplinina, H. uvarum, M. pulcherrima and Sc. pombe strains were shown to be slow to medium fermenters, whereas L. thermotolerans and T. delbrueckii strains were found to be medium to strong fermenters. The effect of the yeasts on MLF varied, but inhibition was strain dependent.

Similar Taste and Smell Perception of Wine Among Naïve Tasters With and Without a Tongue Compared to Trained Sommelier

Similar Taste and Smell Perception of Wine Among Naïve Tasters With and Without a Tongue Compared to Trained Sommelier

Influence of ethanol content on sweetness and bitterness perception in dry wines

Ethanol is the second major component of wine after water and exhibits important sensory properties. Previous studies suggested that its bittersweet taste varies according to the alcohol content and the matrix. However, the organoleptic impact of ethanol on wine remains largely ambiguous. Various sensory tests were carried out with a trained panel and the results were statistically analyzed. Tastings revealed that variations of ethanol content usually observed in dry wines have no direct effect on sweet taste of wine. The role of ethanol in white wine bitterness was also studied, revealing its ability to impart the perception of bitterness due to sensory interactions with other constituents. Moreover, a threshold effect was observed between 7 and 10% alc. vol.. These results underline the importance of sensory interactions in the perception of taste and illustrate the role of matrix effects.