Sensory and chemical characterisation of Sauvignon blanc wine: Influence of source of origin

Abstract The main objective of the study was to investigate influence of geographical location on volatile composition and perceived flavour profile of Sauvignon wines of New Zealand (Marlborough), French (Sancerre; Loire; Saint Bris), and Austrian (Styria) origin. Nineteen New Zealand wine professionals evaluated 18 Sauvignon wines, 6 from each source of origin, by sensory methods that included intensity ratings to experimenter-provided descriptors, typicality ratings, and classification tasks (non-directed and directed sorting). Results demonstrated that wines from the three sources of origin were separated by sensory analyses, with New Zealand wines dominated by perceived green character…

Perceived minerality in sauvignon blanc wine: chemical reality or cultural construct?

International audience; The study aimed to determine the relationship between perceived mineral character in wine and wine chemical composition. We investigated the sensory properties and chemical composition of sauvignon blanc wines from two major sauvignon-producing countries, New Zealand and France. Sensory experiments employing 16 wines (8 French, 8 New Zealand) were conducted in Marlborough, New Zealand and in three regions of France, namely Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the Sancerre/Loire region. Wine professionals (31 New Zealanders and 32 French professionals) sensorially characterised the 16 wines under three conditions, bouquet only (ortho-nasal olfaction), palate only (nose clip condit…

The nature of perceived minerality in white wine: preliminary sensory data

International audience

Evaluation of French and New Zealand Sauvignon wines by experienced French wine assessors

International audience; Certain odours are commonly associated with the bouquet of Sauvignon blanc wine. These characteristic varietal odours can vary to reflect origin of a Sauvignon blanc wine. In the present study, Sauvignon blanc wines from sub-regions of Marlborough, New Zealand, and from north France (Sancerre, Loire, and Saint Bris) were investigated in terms of (i) distinctiveness of country of origin, (ii) odour profile, and (iii) the concept of typicality (Ballester, J., Dacremont, C., Le Fur, Y., & Etievant, P. (2005). The role of olfaction in the elaboration and use of the Chardonnay wine concept. Food Quality and Preference, 16, 351-359). Twenty-three experienced French wine ta…

Perception of mineral character in Sauvignon blanc wine: inter-individual differences

Revue non indexée dans le JCR.; Of the descriptors employed to characterize wine organoleptically, minerality is arguably one of the most enigmatic. The aim of the work described in this article was to delineate the nature of perceived minerality in Sauvignon wine, specifically its sensorial reality for experienced wine professionals from France and New Zealand. Participants evaluated 16 Sauvignon blanc wines (8 French; 8 New Zealand) under three conditions, ortho-nasal olfaction, palate only (Nose-clip condition), and by full tasting (global perception). Data from the global condition only are reported here. Key results include: i) that although there were quantitative differences in perce…

The evocative notion of minerality in wine: Sensorial reality or smart marketing

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Expectation or Sensorial Reality? An Empirical Investigation of the Biodynamic Calendar for Wine Drinkers.

International audience; The study's aim was to investigate a central tenet of biodynamic philosophy as applied to wine tasting, namely that wines taste different in systematic ways on days determined by the lunar cycle. Nineteen New Zealand wine professionals tasted blind 12 Pinot noir wines at times determined within the biodynamic calendar for wine drinkers as being favourable (Fruit day) and unfavourable (Root day) for wine tasting. Tasters rated each wine four times, twice on a Fruit day and twice on a Root day, using 20 experimenter-provided descriptors. Wine descriptors spanned a range of varietal-relevant aroma, taste, and mouthfeel characteristics, and were selected with the aim of …

Minerality in wine: Towards the reality behind the myths

Revue non indexée dans JCR. This article belongs to the Special Issue Wine Components and Chemical Mechanisms for Health; Tasting minerality in wine is highly fashionable, but it is unclear what this involves. The present review outlines published work concerning how minerality in wine is perceived and conceptualised by wine professionals and consumers. Studies investigating physico-chemical sources of perceived minerality in wine are reviewed also. Unusually, for a wine sensory descriptor, the term frequently is taken to imply a genesis: the sensation is the taste of minerals in the wine that were transported through the vine from the vineyard rocks and soils. Recent studies exploring tast…

Le sens du vin : Contribution de la psychologie cognitive à une meilleure compréhension de la dégustation du vin et des dégustateurs

D. Valentin chargée de superviser la traduction de cet article technique.; International audience; La dégustation du vin est une expérience sensorielle mais aussi cérébrale, cognitive et émotionnelle. Etude des processus cognitifs et des biais perceptifs mis en oeuvre lors de la dégustation, certains étant inconscients.

Semantic and perceptive organisation of Sauvignon blanc wine characteristics: Influence of Expertise.

Abstract The influence of expertise on hierarchical organisation of knowledge about Sauvignon blanc wine sensory properties was investigated. Sixteen wine professionals (‘experts’) and 16 wine consumers in New Zealand organised 67 experimenter-provided descriptors of Sauvignon blanc wine by building an hierarchical tree with the sensory properties (see Urdapilleta, Giboreau, Manetta, Houix, & Richard, 2006 ). Each participant organised the Sauvignon blanc sensory properties under two conditions, a Semantic condition (memory-based) and a Perceptive condition (experiential). The Perceptive condition followed the Semantic condition and involved participants tasting three Sauvignon blanc wines,…

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La minéralité perçue dans le vin

Article technique.; National audience; Beaucoup des aspects les plus fondamentaux et passionnants du vin demeurent conceptuellement insaisissables. Lorsque nous y sommes confrontés d’un point de vue sensoriel, nous pouvons avoir l’impression de bien connaître les attributs les plus abstraits du vin comme la qualité, la complexité et la minéralité, mais d’un point de vue scientifique nous savons très peu de chose sur ce que précisément ces termes signifient à la fois pour les professionnels et les consommateurs de vin. Par exemple, malgré l’intérêt actuel de la filière et des producteurs pour la perception de la minéralité dans le vin et l’utilisation de plus en plus fréquente de ce terme pa…

Perception of quality and complexity in wine and their links to varietal typicality: An investigation involving Pinot noir wine and professional tasters

International audience; Quality and complexity are abstract terms employed frequently to describe a wine's overall attributes. In the present study, we investigated: (i) attributes driving wine professionals' judgments of quality and complexity in Pinot noir wines; (ii) the relation between these two abstract concepts; and (iii) association of each concept with varietal typicality. Twenty-two wine professionals evaluated 18 New Zealand Pinot noir wines in both clear and opaque glassware via two sensory tasks, a descriptive rating task and an 8-attribute, perceived complexity questionnaire. Sensory data were associated with wine UV-spectrophotometry colour measures to aid interpretation of t…

Perceived minerality in Sauvignon wines: influence of culture and perception mode

Abstract Description of wine in terms of perceived mineral character has become common practice in recent decades. The major aim of our study was to investigate cultural differences in perception of minerality in wines from France and New Zealand, these countries having very different wine-production histories. A second aim was to investigate influence of perception mode on perceived mineral character in wine to gain increased understanding of the metaphorical descriptor “mineral” as applied to wine chemosensory attributes. Thirty-two French and 31 New Zealand wine professionals evaluated 16 wines (8 French; 8 New Zealand) under three conditions: orthonasal olfaction; global (orthonasal and…

Colour as a driver of Pinot noir wine quality judgments: An investigation involving French and New Zealand wine professionals

Despite anecdotal reports suggesting an influence of perceived wine colour on wine professionals’ judgments of wine intrinsic quality, there is a lack of empirical evidence on the phenomenon. The major aim of the present study was to investigate the importance of perceived colour as a driver of chemosensory judgments of Pinot noir wines including sensory evaluations of quality and typicality. Twenty-three French and 23 New Zealand (NZ) wine professionals judged Pinot noir wines from France and NZ on a range of attributes including perceived colour (hue, intensity, and brightness), varietal characteristics, and overall wine quality. The wines were evaluated in both standard clear glassware w…