Chemistry and perception of fragrances of wine

Our understanding of wine aromatics – both in terms of the mechanism of human perception, and in part of the chemical bases of flavors – strongly progressed in recent years. This is an incredibly interesting field to explore, which intersect different disciplines, including philosophy and psychology.

Wine is a complex chemical substance. Many of the substances in its composition has the taste and smell. But the highlight of them is very difficult as they are in complex interaction: some have a masking effect, enhancing others, and others are contained in amounts below the level of perception, but affect perception of the surrounding joints.

Earlier believed that it is possible to determine the bouquet of the wine just by calculating the set of its constituent flavouring substances in quantities above the threshold level. But it turns out it’s not.

One recent study included an interesting experiment. From wine was identified volatile compounds, leaving only its non-volatile matrix. Then some of them returned to the wine, determining the impact on the aroma of the remote components. This approach has produced unexpected results.

At a certain stage of the experiment was that the wine, made of non-volatile matrix of red wine and volatile components of white, smelled like red and Vice versa. Incredible!

Our perception of wine – a very interesting topic. We already know that wine tasting is a multisensory process: it involves the tongue, nose, eyes and even ears. Play the role of tactile sensations in the oral cavity. All of this information rekommenduetsja in the brain, and by the time when we are conscious of the impressions that have already happened treatment the vast amount of information. Our knowledge and previous experience tastings also form the actual perception of a particular wine in the glass.

In addition, people have different sensitivity to the individual components of the bouquet. A striking example – rotundan, sesquiterpenes, which according to recent studies, is responsible for the pepper aroma in red wines such as Shiraz. About a fifth of people do not feel the smell.

Taste of the study data also showed that a quarter of us specifically hypersensitive to bitter components. Similarly, approximately a quarter of the population on the contrary has a very low sensitivity to bitter.

A large amount of work was carried out with Sauvignon Blanc, which is largely a “model” of the wine.

• Cm. an experiment on taste perception of wine

Studies have shown that the characteristic aroma of wines from this variety is mainly determine two classes of compounds. First – methoxypyrazine with the smell of green pepper and fresh herbs that are contained in berries at the stage of harvest and remain unchanged after fermentation.

The second three polyfunctional thiol sulfur-containing compounds formed during fermentation from precursors in the composition of the wort: 3MH, 3MHA and 4MMP. These are responsible for a pleasant bouquet of tropical fruit, grapefruit and boxwood.

Among other components forming the aroma of wines from Sauvignon Blanc, various esters with fruity smell, aldehyde C6 (hexanal) with the smell of freshly cut grass and unripe fruit; alcohols and terpenes in the range.

Today in all attempts to use knowledge about the chemistry of the wine to improve the practices of viticulture and winemaking. Captures the spirit of awareness, which is achieved thanks to the contribution of analytical chemistry, molecular biology, Microbiology, botany and studies of sensory systems. Well, and the wine, of course)