Identification and control of volatile compounds responsible for important sensory attributes

This project focusses on providing improved knowledge of key volatile chemical compounds responsible for important sensory attributes in wine and the assessment of alternative sensory methods to enable faster characterisation of wines.

The flavour of wine is determined to a large extent by volatile compounds that are perceived during consumption by the sense of smell. The overall flavour of a wine, as well as specific flavour notes, is provided by dozens of naturally occurring chemical compounds of widely varying potency and concentration. Current practice in sensory evaluation of wines uses sensory descriptive analysis, and while considered the most powerful and sophisticated method available, requires several weeks of data generation and substantial time for data analysis. In recent years, alternative faster methods have been developed in food science applications.

This project will evaluate these protocols to determine their utility in wine studies and for wider industry use. Advantages of using untrained consumers compared to trained panellists will also be assessed. The project will also investigate technology for simulating wine experiences in lifelike environments, to better capture consumer responses.