Introducing a Standardized Sensory Analysis Method for Wine: A Methodology for the Recruitment, Selection, Training, and Monitoring of Assessors—Implementation on the Greek Variety “Agiorgitiko”

Abstract

The international wine trade plays a crucial role in the global economy, and an effective method for wine sensory analysis is essential. The International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) has issued a review document on wine sensory analysis, but further specialization and development remain indispensable. Our research team adopted standardized methodologies from the organoleptic evaluation of olive oil and the sensory analysis of milk and dairy products, which served as the foundation for creating a robust and repeatable methodology for the recruitment, selection, training, and monitoring of assessors for wine sensory analysis. A statistically validated method for wine sensory analysis was developed during this study. Simultaneously, a comparative study involving two distinct groups of candidate assessors was conducted, with one group trained in the organoleptic evaluation of olive oil and another untrained in this area, aiming to compare the effectiveness of untrained and trained assessors in further training for wine evaluation. Finally, the developed method was applied to sensorially evaluate 25 PDO Nemea wine products. Based on the results, it appears that the proposed method for recruiting, training, and selecting assessors is reliable and leads to sensory panels with excellent reproducibility. Furthermore, it establishes that assessors from an olive oil organoleptic evaluation panel have a higher likelihood of being selected as assessors for a wine sensory analysis panel.