SENSORY EVALUATION / WINE SERVICE

Question 1

What is a sensation?

Answer 1

An organism’s neurological response to a stimulus in the environment,

Question 2

What is perception?

Answer 2

The brain’s interpretation of the information gathered by the senses.

Question 3

What is a sensory stimulus?

Answer 3

Any chemical, physical, or thermal activator that can produce a response in a sense receptor.

Question 4

What is “detection threshold”?

Answer 4

The smallest amount of stimulus necessary to trigger an unidentifiable sensation;

Question 5

What is “recognition threshold”?

Answer 5

The smallest amount of stimulus required to trigger an identifiable sensation.

Question 6

What are the least/most valuable sensory tools?

Answer 6

sight and smell, respectively

Question 7

How many odiferous compounds does wine contain?

Answer 7

~ 200

Question 8

What is the name of the sensory organ for smell?

Answer 8

The olfactory epithelium

Question 9

What are the two routes by which air gets to the olfactory epithelium?

Answer 9

1) Directly through the nostrils and 2) Indirectly through the mouth and rear nasal passages as the wine is held in the mouth and after the wine has been swallowed.

Question 10

The molecules that are able to become airborne are known as what?

Answer 10

volatile components

Question 11

What are the two ways volatile components in wine can be increased?

Answer 11

1) The greater the surface area or 2) the higher the temperature of a wine sample, the more its volatile molecules will evaporate.

Question 12

What are the three types of aromas found in wine?

Answer 12

1) Primary aromas (those derived from the specific grape variety [or varieties] and the initial fermentation) 2) Secondary aromas (those that stem from post-fermentation processes such as sur lie aging and oak contact).
3) Tertiary aromas; as a wine develops and evolves with time, various chemical reactions change the way the wine smells by creating tertiary aromas, often referred to as a wine’s bouquet.

Question 13

What are the taste components of wine?

Answer 13

The taste components to be found in wine are typically acidity, bitterness, and, perhaps, some level of sweetness. It is also possible, although not particularly typical, for wine to contain saltiness and umami.

Question 14

What tastes are humans most/least sensitive to?

Answer 14

Humans are most sensitive to bitterness and least sensitive to sweetness.

Question 15

Name seven touch stimuli in wine

Answer 15

viscosity, texture, dissolved gas, serving temperatures, astringency, heat from alcohol, and sulfur dioxide content.

Question 16

Why is alcohol unique among sensory stimulants?

Answer 16

It can stimulate three sensory systems: the tactile (hot sensation), gustatory (sweet or bitter sensation), and olfactory (a penetrating, pungent odor).

Question 17

What are 4 basic steps in tasting wines?

Answer 17

appearance, aroma, palate, and overall impressions.

Question 18

What are the six aspects of a wine’s appearance?

Answer 18

The primary aspects are clarity, color, and legs (or tears). Other items to note may include deposits (sediment), a rim variation, and in some cases, the bubble display.

Question 19

Which wine varieties typically show an orange rim variation?

Answer 19

Sangiovese or Grenache) are often observed to show an orange hue around the rim even while young.

Question 20

What are the main determinants of “mouthfeel” (aka body) for most wines?

Answer 20

Alcohol, tannin, residual sugar

Question 21

Which component can give wines a lighter mouthfeel?

Answer 21

Acid

Question 22

An overall impression of wine quality should take into consideration which four characteristics?

Answer 22

Balance, finish, complexity, and intensity.

Question 23

What is a good rule of thumb with respect to white wine serving temps?

Answer 23

Higher quality/older whites = less chilled

Lower quality or high-acid whites = more chilled

Question 24

Where should wine glasses be set during service?

Answer 24

To the right of the water glass, above the knife on the right side of each place setting.

Question 25

How should the bottle be presented to the host during service?

Answer 25

From the right side by holding it at an angle, label facing up, so that the selection can be confirmed.

Question 26

Which wines pair well with high acid foods?

Answer 26

Acidity in food will actually decrease the perception of acidity in wine. Therefore, foods high in acid will not pair well with anything but correspondingly high-acid wines; otherwise, the wine will seem flat.

Question 27

What are the main components of mouthfeel?

Answer 27

Alcohol, residual sugar, and tannin

Question 28

What are the four components of wine evaluation?

Answer 28

Balance, finish, complexity, intensity