Sensory Science

Abstract

This subject will introduce students to the key principles underpinning the physiology and characteristics of the senses, with a particular focus on wine sensory assessment. Through the application and development of various sensory testing skills and procedures, students will learn to describe and identify sensations produced by major wine components, … For more content click the Read More button below.

This subject will introduce students to the key principles underpinning the physiology and characteristics of the senses, with a particular focus on wine sensory assessment. Through the application and development of various sensory testing skills and procedures, students will learn to describe and identify sensations produced by major wine components, main wine varieties, styles, Australian regions and common faults.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics: The senses: contrasts of capabilities and physiology; the roles of flavour, odour, taste, texture and appearance;The senses of taste and smell: the sensations, receptors, and their characteristics and interaction, nasal and retronasal pathways, odorant-structure relationships, adaptation, hunger and ageing;Texture: texture types, texture terms … For more content click the Read More button below.

This subject will cover the following topics:

The senses: contrasts of capabilities and physiology; the roles of flavour, odour, taste, texture and appearance;
The senses of taste and smell: the sensations, receptors, and their characteristics and interaction, nasal and retronasal pathways, odorant-structure relationships, adaptation, hunger and ageing;
Texture: texture types, texture terms and perceptions;
Chemesthesis: receptor types, sensation types, sensitisation and adaptation;
Appearance: principles of colour vision; attributes of appearance;
Sensory assessment: analytic vs hedonic assessment, the role of training, principles of sensory response behaviour, the role of statistics, control of the sensory testing environment;
Sensory testing: difference tests, measurement of sensory thresholds, scaling and ranking;
Application of sensory principles to wine assessment: the basic tastes, taste interactions, influence of ethanol content, comparison of major wine types, bitterness and astringency, sensory thresholds, influence of wine pH and ageing;
Role of odour: interaction of taste and smell, influence of grape variety, introduction to regional effects; and
Quality: wine faults identification, possible causes and introduction to wine judging.

Assessment items

1. Sensory Analysis of Wine

2. Practical Tasting Test

3. Practical Theory Test

4. Sensory Characteristics of Varietal Australian Wines

5. Final Exam

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

explain the physiology of the perception of taste, smell, and texture, chemesthesis and its impact on sample perception characteristics;

describe sensory testing methods and interpret sensory data;

apply sensory principles to wine and grape juice evaluation, to identify the important sensory characteristics and their balance;

discuss the nature and balance of the sensory characteristics in wines and relate those features to wine type, grape variety, wine style and wine processing; and

distinguish between wine faults, and explain their causes.

Assumed knowledge

Basic statistical and wine/sensory knowledge, as covered in WSC111

Enrolment restrictions

Incompatible

Replacement

Learning activities

Intensive School

Learning resources

Additional resources required by students

Students attending compulsory intensive schools on Charles Sturt campuses will incur costs associated with travel, accommodation and required resources (minimum: covered footwear for the tasting laboratory).

Handbook

WSC217 - Sensory Science