Wine tasting is an ancient practice tracing back to the Greeks and Romans, who identified good wine by its aroma and taste. Fast forward to the modern age, and the role of discerning the qualities of wine falls onto the shoulders of sommeliers. These professionals possess refined palates and a comprehensive understanding of viticulture, wine production, and pairing wine with food. But there is a lot more to their expertise than good taste—there's a deep foundation of science at play.
The Art and Science of Wine Tasting
Wine tasting is a sophisticated process involving the senses of sight, smell, and taste. The "tasting" begins with visual examination—analyzing the wine's color and viscosity can hint at its age and alcohol content. The primary component, however, is olfaction. The aroma of wine is divided into three categories: primary aromas from the grape variety, secondary aromas from the fermentation process, and tertiary aromas from aging.
What's fascinating is the sheer complexity of wine aroma. Over 800 volatile compounds contributing to the smell of wine have been identified. This complexity explains why different people can detect different notes in the same wine, and why training and experience are invaluable for a sommelier.
The actual tasting helps identify sweetness, acidity, tannin, body, and alcohol content, which together create the wine's structure. This is where the sommelier's knowledge of chemistry comes into play, understanding how these compounds interact to provide balance and complexity in the wine.
The Multidimensional Skill of Food and Wine Pairing
Pairing wine with food is a delicate balancing act where the sommelier must consider multiple factors. The intensity and flavor profile of the food should match the wine. A full-bodied wine may overpower a light dish, while a robust meal might make a delicate wine taste flat.
The science here involves understanding how the dominant tastes—sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami—interact with different wine components. For example, sweet and umami tastes in food increase the perception of bitterness, astringency, and the warming effect of alcohol in wine, while decreasing the perception of body, sweetness, and fruitiness.
The Psychology of Wine Perception
Science has shown that perception of wine is not just about the objective qualities of the wine itself. Factors like the wine's price, label, the environment, and even the weight of the bottle can influence perceived taste—a field of study known as neuroenology.
One study famously demonstrated that the same wine was rated higher when participants believed it was more expensive. Sommeliers understand these psychological influences and use them to enhance customers' wine-drinking experiences.
The Fusion of Art, Science, and Culture
Becoming a skilled sommelier is a journey into a rich world that unites botany, chemistry, sensory science, psychology, and the art of good taste. It's a testament to the remarkable intricacies of wine, a product of nature, culture, and human ingenuity. As science continues to unveil the secrets behind wine tasting and sommelier skills, we can look forward to an even deeper appreciation of this time-honored tradition.
