Understanding Sensory Perception of Wine

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Understanding Sensory Perception of Wine

Elizabeth Tomasino, PhD

What’s going on?

#1#2

AROMA – volatile organic compounds that are perceived through the nose

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOC) – compounds that have high vapor pressure and low water solubility

ORTHONASAL & RETRONASAL

AROMA

AROMA

AROMA

• Anosmia

• Dysosmia

• Hyperosmia

• Hyponosmia/Hyposmia

• Phantosmia

AROMA

TASTE

TASTE

TASTE

TASTE

• Phantom taste perception

• Hypogeusia

• Ageusia

• Dysgeusia

• Supertaster

TASTE

X

Mouthfeel

• Tactile senses

• Mechanical perception, mechanoreceptors

• Fluid behavior

• Friction forces

• Trigeminal Nerve

• Role of saliva

Mouthfeel

Mouthfeel

Mouthfeel

Mouthfeel

Mouthfeel

What’s going on?

#1#2

Concentration of Compoundsin Important

Sensory Thresholds

• Absolute Threshold/Detection threshold

• Recognition threshold

• Terminal threshold

• Differential threshold

Sensory Thresholds

Elizabeth Tomasino

Associate Professor of Enology

Oregon State University

Elizabeth.Tomasino@oregonstate.edu