Behind the Glass
ACADEMIE DU VIN LIBRARY LIMITED (Verlag)
978-1-913141-91-2 (ISBN)
"Wine lovers who have pondered the answers to questions like “Why is red wine red?” and “Why do people perceive wines differently?” will appreciate this book." — Wall Street Journal
"...one of those rare books that will make you think differently next time you open a bottle of wine"— Club O
“... Gus Zhu MW has written a fascinating – and easy to follow – guide to the way in which chemistry, biology, physics, genetics and winemaking interact to not only create the great diversity seen in today’s world of wine, but also shape our ability to taste, understand and appreciate these wines.” — Natasha Hughes MW, wine and food writer
“A lively, readable exploration of the science behind the taste of wine... It’s not easy bringing wine chemistry to life, but Gus knows his stuff and presents it in an easily digestible read.” — Dr Jamie Goode, author of Wine Science and Flawless
"For those whose interest in wine has evolved beyond the simply sip phase, Behind the Glass would be a good first place to look for answers to some fundamental questions." — The World of Fine Wine
In Behind the Glass readers will discover the science involved in wine tasting and learn why wine tastes the way it does. Wine is chemically very complex, while sensory appreciation can be subjective, meaning that our perception of wine is multi-layered. Behind the Glass is aimed at the non-scientist curious wine lover or wine professional and uses flavour chemistry and sensory science to help readers understand what is going on when they taste a glass of wine. The book is divided into three sections, on the visual appreciation of wine, the taste of wine on the palate and the smell of wine, and explains the chemical and sensory aspects of each. The text is illuminated by accompanying graphics. The book concludes with six pairs of wines to taste, to allow readers to put into practice the ideas explored in the book. By understanding more fully the chemical and sensorial aspects of wine tasting readers will equip themselves to better appreciate each glass of wine they taste.
Gus Zhu is the first Chinese national to become a Master of Wine. He works as a research and development scientist at Harv 81 Group, specialising in chemical analysis and sensory studies of aroma compounds in wine, cork, and oak. Gus holds a Master of Science degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis, earned in 2017, and achieved his MW qualification in 2019. In addition to his research in flavour chemistry and sensory science, Gus is a professional wine educator, offering tutorials to wine enthusiasts around the world.
Introduction: a welcome drink 1
Part One: Sight 7
1. Why is red wine red? 11
The chemicals that make wines red or pink, and other properties of colour
2. The complex colour of white wines 26
What makes a wine white? How do colour blindness and differences in colour perception affect our initial thoughts about a wine?
3. Solids, tears and bubbles 40
The other visual attributes of wine and how preconceptions affect our appreciation of wine
Part Two: Palate 57
4. Sweet sensation and yummy umami 62
Debunking the tongue map, explaining taste buds and exploring the first two basic tastes: sweet and umami
5. Sour grapes and mysterious saltiness 76
The science behind the more acquired tastes of sour and salty and an exploration of taste interactions, including food and wine pairing
6. Some bitter truths about taste 92
The bitter taste, fat as the potential sixth taste, and the genetic diversity of human taste buds
7. Tactile sensations and acquired taste 102
The sensations derived from touch–position and pain– temperature. Does our palate change as we grow up?
Part Three: Smell 113
8. A bouquet of flowers and a fruit bowl 118
Revealing the two ways of smelling and introducing the floral and fruity aromas in wine
9. Sniffing out the green aromas 136
The vegetal and herbal aromas in wine. Some things to think about when considering the threshold of aroma
detection
10. Friends or foes? Foxy, musty and gamey smells 148
Aromas that are ambiguous, unpleasant, or faulty, and how we adapt to certain smells
11. Spicy, petrol and woody complexity 161
Some unusual aromas from the grapes and some woody spices from the winemaking process: but not everybody
can smell them
12. The world of oxidation and reduction 175
Two complementary domains of chemical compounds that contribute more layers of aroma, and some final thoughts on just how impressive and important our sense of smell is
Epilogue: Putting it all together in six pairs of wines 192
References 207
Thanks 223
Index 226
| Erscheinungsdatum | 11.09.2024 |
|---|---|
| Zusatzinfo | 28 Illustrations, color |
| Sprache | englisch |
| Maße | 135 x 216 mm |
| Gewicht | 450 g |
| Themenwelt | Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Essen / Trinken ► Getränke |
| ISBN-10 | 1-913141-91-8 / 1913141918 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1-913141-91-2 / 9781913141912 |
| Zustand | Neuware |
| Informationen gemäß Produktsicherheitsverordnung (GPSR) | |
| Haben Sie eine Frage zum Produkt? |
aus dem Bereich
