Why Aren’t “peak experiences” Why Aren’t “peak experiences” consistent?consistent?

Why can’t we vinify by recipe?Why can’t we vinify by recipe?

Why does 10 ppt TCA cause astringency?Why does 10 ppt TCA cause astringency?

Is subjectivity arbitrary?Is subjectivity arbitrary?

Contemporary Contemporary Wine Sensory AssessmentWine Sensory Assessment

Consumer focus groupsConsumer focus groups Difference testingDifference testing Quality scoringQuality scoring

– Davis 20-pt criteria sumDavis 20-pt criteria sum– Parker 100-pt subjective scaleParker 100-pt subjective scale

Criterion-based descriptive scalingCriterion-based descriptive scaling– invented attribute “drivers”invented attribute “drivers”– linear modelinglinear modeling– Factor analysis mappingFactor analysis mapping

Contemporary Contemporary Wine Sensory AssessmentWine Sensory Assessment

Measures behavior rather than cognitionMeasures behavior rather than cognition Low RLow R22’s: Who says “drivers” drive?’s: Who says “drivers” drive? Group statistics are a blunt instrument Group statistics are a blunt instrument

which obscures shared experience which obscures shared experience Weak non-linear modelingWeak non-linear modeling Alpha testing Alpha testing

– high Type II Error (false negatives) high Type II Error (false negatives) – very limited granularity for “tuning”very limited granularity for “tuning”

No sensory standards for holistic drivers: No sensory standards for holistic drivers: – Harmony, grace, mood, aggressivity, etc.Harmony, grace, mood, aggressivity, etc.

What What isis wine wine ??????????????““...bottled poetry.”...bottled poetry.” Robert Louis StevensonRobert Louis Stevenson

“It puckers your mouth.” –Art Buchwald“the beverage of moderation”

The blood of ChristA fate worse than death! Susan B. Anthony

Sunshine held together by water -Galileo

The most gentle and efficaceous of medicines

Louis Pasteur

“Wisdom and wit to the wise” -Archimedes

“Wine is proof that God loves us and desires us to be happy.” Benjamin Franklin

An expression of place

ApollonianApollonian

vsvs

DionysianDionysian

German Mosel German Mosel Oz Shiraz fresh mature

pure sexy

focused fruit integrated voice

delicious profound

crisp round

clean mysterious

lean plush

deep broad

energized muscular

beautiful visceral

loves sunlight loves fire & moonlight

Our Goals are the same as those of fine cuisine:

– Visceral enjoyment of flavors integrated into a refined structure.

– Memorable taste expression from careful farming in living soil.

– Science is just a tool. Organized knowledge is not our goal. Our work is always fundamentally mysterious.

Winegrowing is just a specialized type of cooking!

What is GrapeCraft?What is GrapeCraft?

““The practical art The practical art

of touching the human of touching the human soul soul

with the soul of a with the soul of a place place

by rendering its grapes by rendering its grapes

into liquid music.”into liquid music.”

In a nutshell:In a nutshell:

Less theory…Less theory…

more technique!more technique!

Shared attributes of Shared attributes of wine and music wine and music

Strong visceral appealStrong visceral appeal– Revenues from music exceed pharmaceuticalsRevenues from music exceed pharmaceuticals– There are no $100 beersThere are no $100 beers

Non-linear consonance and dissonance Non-linear consonance and dissonance (sweet spots)(sweet spots)

1999 CSU Fresno Syrah:  

    26% of the wine was reduced to 10.1% for blending     0.1% alcohol increments     31 wines between 15.5% and 12.5% v/v EtOH     n = 22 judges.     Acclimation voting preference frequencies (Figure 1)     Four points of harmonious balance obtained     Free associations descriptive analysis (Table 2)

Figure 1"Sweet Spot" Tasting of 1999 Syrah

reduced from 18.0% ethanol

0

5

1015

.515

.415

.315

.215

.115

.014

.914

.814

.714

.614

.514

.414

.314

.214

.114

.013

.913

.813

.713

.613

.513

.413

.313

.213

.113

.012

.912

.812

.712

.6

Syrah % v/v ethanol

Jud

ge

(n=

22)

free

ch

oic

e fr

equ

ency

*** 2 analysis of observed vs. expected:  < 0.1 % (Very Highly Significant)

Table 2 

Judge descriptors for Syrah “sweet spots” 

 

18.0% (untreated) 

Hot, astringent, low fruit expression

 

15.0 

Rich, alcoholic, leathery, complex, Chateauneuf-du-Pape

 

14.35 

Jammy, black pepper, smooth

 

13.75 

Elegant, balanced, long finish

 

13.3 

Clean, blueberry, tart

Shared attributes of Shared attributes of wine and music wine and music

Strong visceral appealStrong visceral appeal– Revenues from music exceed pharmaceuticalsRevenues from music exceed pharmaceuticals– There are no $100 beersThere are no $100 beers

Non-linear consonance and dissonance (sweet Non-linear consonance and dissonance (sweet spots)spots)

Strongly shared sense of harmonyStrongly shared sense of harmony Broad disparity of stylistic preferenceBroad disparity of stylistic preference Emotion mapping Emotion mapping

– resonance demonstrationresonance demonstration Simultaneity of immediate, proximate and root Simultaneity of immediate, proximate and root

influences influences

Listener’s backgroundexpectation of musical genres

Performer Composer

Instrumental Composition

MUSICAL APPRECIATIONMUSICAL APPRECIATION

STYLE

Taster’s backgroundexpectation of historical genres

OriginWinemaker

Varietal Composition

WINE APPRECIATIONWINE APPRECIATION

STYLE

Clinical Tools for Clinical Tools for Cognitive MusicologyCognitive Musicology

Behavioral studies of brain injuriesBehavioral studies of brain injuries Magnetic Resonance ImagingMagnetic Resonance Imaging Electro EncephalographyElectro Encephalography Positron Emission TomographyPositron Emission Tomography

Music Cognition neurological Music Cognition neurological process mapping identifies the process mapping identifies the

following distinct mental following distinct mental systems:systems:

Logical processingLogical processing Sensory processingSensory processing Motor processingMotor processing Visualization Visualization

– (daydreaming)(daydreaming) Emotional processingEmotional processing

– Pleasure systemPleasure system– Aversion systemAversion system

MemoryMemory

Logical processingLogical processing

Pitch recognition Pitch recognition Timbre identificationTimbre identification Meter determinationMeter determination Melody processingMelody processing Lyrics processingLyrics processing Tonal context (pitch Tonal context (pitch

“as”)“as”) Fault listeningFault listening

Aroma notes Aroma notes Terroir distinctionTerroir distinction Swirling rhythmSwirling rhythm Anticipation / sipAnticipation / sip Winemaking storyWinemaking story Genre contextGenre context DefectsDefects

Music Wine

Bakine, Edeline and Weinberger, Bakine, Edeline and Weinberger, 1999:1999:

Neuron tunings in the auditory cortex of Neuron tunings in the auditory cortex of guinea pigs can be re-tuned by a few guinea pigs can be re-tuned by a few minutes’ training. minutes’ training.

Patterns endured for two months.Patterns endured for two months.

Implications for winemaking:Implications for winemaking: Consumers trained for panels may not Consumers trained for panels may not

reflect preferences of untrained consumersreflect preferences of untrained consumers Winemakers trained to detect defects may Winemakers trained to detect defects may

develop enhanced perceptual sensitivitydevelop enhanced perceptual sensitivity

Motor ProcessingMotor Processing

Rhythm recognition and reproductionRhythm recognition and reproduction Instrument operationInstrument operation

– LearningLearning– Reproduction from memoryReproduction from memory

Swirl, sip, spitSwirl, sip, spit

Memory FunctionalityMemory Functionality

Short termShort term– ExperientialExperiential– ComputationalComputational

Long term ImplicitLong term Implicit– ProceduralProcedural– Perceptual PrimingPerceptual Priming

Long Term ExplicitLong Term Explicit– EpisodicEpisodic– SemanticSemantic

AromAromaa& & FlavoFlavorr

DEFECTS

Swirl,sniff,spit I.D.

EVENTRECALL sense

ofplace

Emotional ProcessingEmotional Processing Temporal melody emotional Temporal melody emotional

progressionprogression– anticipation leading to resolutionanticipation leading to resolution

Intrinsic mood (underlying theme)Intrinsic mood (underlying theme)

N.M. Weinberger’s case subject N.M. Weinberger’s case subject “I.R.”:“I.R.”:

Bilaterial damage to temporal lobes, Bilaterial damage to temporal lobes, auditory cortexauditory cortex

I.Q. and general memory normalI.Q. and general memory normal No language difficultiesNo language difficulties No melody recognition or recollectionNo melody recognition or recollection Emotional reactions completely Emotional reactions completely

normal!normal!

Separate functionality of Separate functionality of melody vs intrinsic moodmelody vs intrinsic mood

Wines don’t have Wines don’t have melodiesmelodies

but they but they dodo carry carry emotions!emotions!

““Blues” processingBlues” processing

Males

Females

Primary and Secondary Primary and Secondary EmotionsEmotions

Emotional ShapesEmotional Shapes((SenticsSentics, Manfred Clynes), Manfred Clynes)

Love Lust

Emotional ProcessingEmotional Processing Temporal melody emotional Temporal melody emotional

progressionprogression– anticipation leading to resolutionanticipation leading to resolution

Intrinsic mood (underlying theme)Intrinsic mood (underlying theme) Consonance processing cascadeConsonance processing cascade

– Reward systemReward system– Sympathetic nervous system (“relax”)Sympathetic nervous system (“relax”)– EuphoriaEuphoria

Dissonance processing cascadeDissonance processing cascade– Parasympathetic system (alert to danger)Parasympathetic system (alert to danger)– Limbic system (fight or flight)Limbic system (fight or flight)

Blood and Zatorre, 2001:Blood and Zatorre, 2001:

PET scan imaging of subjects listening PET scan imaging of subjects listening to musical intervals to musical intervals

C / E (perfect fifth)C / E (perfect fifth)– orbitofrontal area (part of Reward System) orbitofrontal area (part of Reward System) – area below corpus callosum (sympathetic?)area below corpus callosum (sympathetic?)

C / C#C / C#– right parahypocampal gyrus (fight or flight)right parahypocampal gyrus (fight or flight)

Thalamuscharacterizesstimulus

Stimulus

Thalamuscharacterizesstimulus

DISSONANCEDISSONANCE

HARMONYHARMONY

Limbic System(danger)

FrontalLobes(RewardSystem)

0.1% Alcohol Difference!

Chardonnay Preferences

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Preferences

Winemaking ImplicationsWinemaking Implications Borrow from musical approaches to qualityBorrow from musical approaches to quality Exploration of wine cognitive processingExploration of wine cognitive processing Map wine style emotions through music Map wine style emotions through music

resonanceresonance Consumer targeting based on cognitive Consumer targeting based on cognitive

stagestage Increased reliance on trained experts and Increased reliance on trained experts and

small groups to “tune” finished winessmall groups to “tune” finished wines Greater emphasis on aesthetic training Greater emphasis on aesthetic training

and crosstraining to evaluate holistic and crosstraining to evaluate holistic quality imperativesquality imperatives

Thank you

for your kind attention.

www.grapecraft.com

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