Oral Processing of Wine

Abstract

Wine is a complex beverage containing many different types of chemical stimuli that can elicit a wide array of orosensory and retro-olfactive sensations. The role of these chemicals in the perception of the flavours of wine has generally been studied without considering their interactions with the physiological parameters that might occur during wine consumption. There is now strong evidence of the role of oral processing in the delivery of these chemical stimuli from the wine matrix to the oro- and olfactive sensory receptors under the influence of many oral physiological parameters (e.g. saliva). This chapter reviews the impact of oral processing on wine flavour perception, highlighting the importance of understanding the in-mouth chemical and biochemical processes during wine consumption in explaining individual differences in flavour perception, which could be responsible for consumer preferences and choices.