Descriptive Sensory Analysis in the food science lab
In the early years of enology in the US several enology pioneers worked through protocols and procedures to standardize sensory evaluation of wine to assess the effects of winemaking operations and consumer acceptance1,2. This approach, known as descriptive sensory analysis, grew into a science that is now widely used by academics to do research on wine chemistry, wine quality, and consumer opinions.
In December of 2020, the Virginia Tech Food Sciences Department, Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension, and the WRE joined forces with funding from the Virginia Wine Board to explore the topic of descriptive analysis and its application to winery and tasting room training in a two-part workshop. The first session featured Dr. Jacob Lahne, a food scientist from Virginia Tech, explaining how descriptive analysis is done in the research laboratory. In case you missed it, following is a link to a recording of his presentation. Tune in for a fascinating deep dive into academic food science with important practical applications for winemakers.
To see Dr. Lahne’s full presentation, click here.
References
(1) Amerine, M. A.; Roessler, E. B.; Filipello, F. Modern Sensory Methods of Evaluating Wine. Hilgardia 1959, 28 (18).
(2) Noble, A. C.; Arnold, R. A.; Masuda, B. M.; Pecore, S. D. Progress Towards a Standardized System of Wine Aroma Terminology. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture 1984, 35 (2), 107–109.
