Do You Taste What I Taste?

[KMP]

Mike Steinberger has begun a set of three article on the physiology of the oenophile. First, he examines the question: Do you taste what I taste? Then he will be tested to see whether he's a "supertaster." And finally, he'll look at whether being a supertaster helps in the evaluation of wine. Those interested in the basic concepts behind taste and smell should find these articles of interest.

The first article "Do You Taste What I Taste?" makes some important points that are often overlooked (unknown?) among wine drinkers. For example

Those of us who review wines do so in the belief that our evaluations, while obviously subjective, are of some value to consumers. But a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that taste perceptions may be even more individualistic and idiosyncratic than previously imagined—and if our noses and tongues all operate on such different wavelengths, then who's to say what's good or bad?

and,

Wysocki handed me a plastic tube holding a clear liquid and asked me to take a whiff; I couldn't smell a thing. The liquid contained andostenone, a mammalian pheromone found in boar saliva. In a random sampling of 100 people, around half will detect nothing, 15 or so will smell an inoffensive musky-floral-woody aroma, and the rest will be thoroughly repulsed by a liquid that, to them, reeks of stale urine or particularly nasty body odor.

and,

It was less encouraging to discover how easily the nose can be led astray by the eyes. For his next stupid human trick, Wysocki produced two jars, one labeled "Food," the other "Body." I was told to sniff each. I actually was one of the few people not fooled by the experiment: I said both jars smelled like vomit. In fact, both jars contained the same chemical compound, butyric acid, which can be perceived as vomit but also as perspiration or Parmesan cheese. Wysocki told me he often conducts this test at seminars and that, on average, 60 percent of the people in the room will claim they enjoy the aroma in the "Food" jar, with most saying it's redolent of Parmesan cheese; but when he asks if anyone found the "Body" jar pleasant, no hands go up—the participants invariably claim that it smells of puke or body odor.


Am I a supertaster? link.

Mike

[SueNZ]

Very interesting - thanks for the synopsis and the link.

[kirragc]

I would have thought this would generate more discussion

[SueNZ]

I would have thought this would generate more discussion

Well, I always thought Parmesan cheese smelt like vomit in those old Italian restaurants where finely grated parmesan was an obligatory addition to every meal. I would ask for it without, because I couldn't abide the smell.

[Gary W]

It is very interesting. The bit about not making much sense of the remaining wines after tasting 10 or 12 especially so. I am stuffed after a few cellar door visits or about 12 wines.

Secondly I would say that people who are especially sensitive to certain aromas or tastes perhaps don't make the best general purpose tasters as the bulk of the population won't experience the same sensations. i.e. if you can't abide even a trace of mint, or prone to bitterness (as is the case with quite a few wine writers ha ha) you probably need to accomodate for your sensitivity when you describe a wine.

I think we can all agree that with common smells red fruit is generally red fruit, black is generally black and cedar smells like cedar. Generally. I think people mistake some smells though. Generally. Maybe. You can also get 'used' to the way a writer describes wine and how you relate to those tastes personally. Sort of getting used to their palate paintbox in a way. As long as they consistently apply those terms then you get a pretty good feeling for how YOU will find the wine. Minerally for example is a very vague term. Very hard to define. But like pornography you know what it is when you see it.

GW

[GraemeG]

What Gary says is fine. Although, I'm not hugely interested in a list of perceived aromas. So you get black pepper. Or white pepper. Or two thirds of one and one third of the other. Great. Talk to me about structure, balance, ripeness, finish, length, tannin, bitterness, sweetness. Don't waste a tasting note deciding whether they were Mexican chiles or Bolivian ones...
cheers,
Graeme

[707]

Good topic.

As a member of several blind tasting panels comprised mainly experienced palates, I can vouch for the fact we don't all smell and taste the same things nor do we evaluate and rank these sensations in the same order of importance or pleasure.

In the Blacktongues panel of sixteen there is often vigourous disagreement on the merits of various wines but in the end we all buy what we like regardless of others palates.

At a recent public tasting here in Adelaide that I didn't attend, I was told by a couple of people that the new Longview Block 4 Cabernet was their wine of the day. When I mentioned this to another couple of attendees they said they didn't rate it at all and really didn't like it. Who do I believe?

How many times does one person find a wine oaky whereas another finds little oak. Different smells and flavours and Mr.Too Oaky can't find much say mint in a wine whereas Mr.Little Oak finds it offensive.

I think we've all sat around looking at glasses of the same wine and all found different things. Chatting around the table can bring some but not complete commonality.

Agree with Graeme that structure, tannin, length are more likely to find common ground and therefore may be of more use in others TNs.

[Gary W]

What Gary says is fine. Although, I'm not hugely interested in a list of perceived aromas. So you get black pepper. Or white pepper. Or two thirds of one and one third of the other. Great. Talk to me about structure, balance, ripeness, finish, length, tannin, bitterness, sweetness. Don't waste a tasting note deciding whether they were Mexican chiles or Bolivian ones...
cheers,
Graeme

I am very interested in flavours ..especially pepper! I reckon structure - acid and tannin levels, bitterness (read article above...), alcohol heat (big variance here), sweetness are possibly even more subjective/variable than smell/taste! The other problem with very long tasting notes (with no score) is
- They take too long to write
- They take too long to read
- They are bloody boring
Short attention span. Now what was I saying?
GW