The Taste of Wine - It’s in the Eyes of the Beholder

As a youngster, I hated lima beans. My mother loved them and insisted on serving them at least once a week in spite of my protestations. She felt if I ate them often enough, I would come to like them. Mom was wrong and here is why.

by Michael Moore

Research has now repeatedly shown that there are measureable differences in how things taste to different individuals. Furthermore, the research indicates that in some instances sensory responses to food and wine cannot be changed. These differences are the result of an interaction of three different sets of factors: genetic (immutable), cultural (learned and hence changeable) and physically induced.

"Wine competitions, numerical scoring of wines and the concept of the 'best' wines all make one assumption: that when we taste a wine, we are all experiencing the same thing. But there is good evidence that this may not be the case."
Jamie Goode, Wine Columnist, Sunday Express (UK)

The unchangeable genetic factors surround five variables: number of taste buds, salivary flow rate, amount of protein in saliva, thermal sensitivity and variations in the sense of smell. Especially important are variations in sense of smell as it is estimated that 70% of our perception of taste is derived from smell.

Genetic variations occur between individuals and are especially significant in variations between ethnic and racial groups. Take Syrah (Shiraz in Australia) as an example. It is sometimes described as having a peppery taste. Scientists from The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in Australia discovered that this taste comes from a chemical called rotundone. They also discovered that 20 percent of the people they tested can’t taste the chemical. This finding has been replicated several times.

Sensitivity to “bitterness” has been shown to vary significantly between different groups. Studies have shown that about 15 percent of Asians have a low sensitivity to bitter flavors, but that percentage in Europeans is 28 percent and only 10 percent in Africans. When it comes to wine, people are often heard to complain that some highly rated Bordeaux wines are bitter, but others will rate these very same wines as some of the best in the world. The complaints are not – as some would have it – based upon ignorance, but upon differences in how the wine actually tastes.

Additional research has shown that genetic differences in the ability to taste extend beyond perceptions of bitterness. According to Valerie B. Duffy, associate professor in the School of Allied Health at the University of Connecticut variations in taste are normal and do not imply that some people are dysfunctional. "We do not,” she says, “all share the same oral sensory experiences from foods and beverages. Some of the differences in oral sensation are under genetic control, and these differences can explain some of the variability in what we like and ultimately choose to eat and drink."

Cultural (learned) factors also have an enormous bearing on how we perceive taste. We often develop preferences for food and drink from the area where we live. Illustrations supporting this fact can be found everywhere. The British, for example, formerly preferred their beer warmer than most groups, but in recent years they have “learned” to like it colder.

The Thais in Isaan often love pla rah, but it is frequently not enjoyed by other Thais and is usually abhorred by farang. Cheese is a classic example of an “acquired” taste. Youngsters frequently don’t like it, but as they eat more of it often rate it among their favourite foods. In addition, we sometimes reject food because of its texture or way it looks. These are learned responses and they play as big if not bigger role in what we enjoy eating than does genetic makeup.

Our state of mind when consuming wine or food has a significant bearing on our perception of how it tastes. Simple Chianti sipped at a romantic little restaurant can taste heavenly, but when consumed at home after a hard day in the office might come across as plonk. An ordinary wine when served at a meal with friends and delicious food will invariably taste better not only because it goes well with the food, but because of the environment in which it is served.

Obviously physically induced factors that affect smell like a cold, “hay fever” or a physical injury will have a big bearing on how something tastes to an individual. Stress, exhaustion, age and pregnancy also significantly change how things taste. In other words, temporary physical factors can cause a wine one might otherwise enjoy to be unpleasant.

The upshot of all this research is that sensory perceptions of taste are part of a continuum. Where some one falls on the continuum is primarily a question of genetic make-up. “Hyper-sensitive” tasters (sometimes called “super tasters) account for about 25 percent of all tasters and are more likely to be female than male. They are more sensitive to tannins and bitterness and are more likely to enjoy light and fruity wines.

At the other end of the continuum are “tolerant” tasters. This group encompasses 25 percent of wine drinkers and enjoys those big wines filled with tannin and acid. They are known for enjoying cabernets and big, high priced wines from Bordeaux. In the middle are the “sensitive” tasters. Comprising 50 percent of all wine drinkers, they are flexible and enjoy most styles and types of wine.

All of these factors and the research supporting them have largely been ignored by the wine community. The truth is that when a critic says a particular wine tastes like currants and blackberries, this is reality only for people who taste in the same way. For others – perhaps most people – this won’t be the case. In other words, as Jamie Goode puts it, “The assumption that there is a universal palate is fatally flawed”.

All this makes “tasters notes”, wine competitions, wine scores and the idea that certain wines are the “best” untenable. Sure, it is possible to make broad judgments of quality, but the finer points of taste are up to our DNA, our physical condition and the way we have been raised.

The message here is obvious: drink the wines you enjoy and don’t be intimidated by price tags, wine notes and the so-called experts. Have confidence in your own taste and remember than when it comes to what wines you enjoy, you are the expert.