Detection of Wine Alterations by Sensory Analysis: Overview of Results obtained from Interlaboratory Tests
Caterina Mazzoni, Anne Tirard and Abdelkader Boubetra
Published: December 28, 2021
Abstract
Throughout history wine has been appreciated thanks to its distinctive sensory characteristics. Wine quality control is crucial for wine producers, which need to identify any alterations throughout all the winemaking process. Among the techniques used to determine the quality of wines, the most important is sensory evaluation by trained experts, as it is directly related to the organoleptic characteristics of wines. However, wine is a complex matrix and several factors can affect assessors’ perception. The same defect can be perceived at different intensities according to experience, training and cultural origins of the panel. This could be problematic for winemakers who need to have an objective analysis. Participation in interlaboratory studies is an interesting tool for a sensory analysis laboratory that needs to demonstrate that its results are the same as those obtained by other laboratories or bodies. Moreover, participation in interlaboratory tests can provide precious information about the performance of assessors. The purpose of this paper is to critically summarize results obtained from interlaboratory tests for the identification of a main defect in wines which have been artificially contaminated.
Keywords: sensory analysis; wine defects; wine quality control; interlaboratory test; tasting panel; olfactory alterations; taste and tactile alterations