During this course we will experience examples of the diversity that have developed in this world of wines and use those examples to eluminate the microbiology, chemistry, and psychology involved in their production and enjoyment. Wines are complex stimuli that excite and challenge most of the human senses. The taste and aroma of wine are the most salient characteristics and contribute the most to its appeal. Taste factors include the sweetness and perceived acidity, as well as mild bitterness in some wines. The sense of touch and temperature is also important.
Wine is less appealing when too warm or too cold.
The effervescence of champagne may be suppressed by too cold a serving temperature. Yet wine is more than the sum of its sensory parts. The characteristics we perceive must work in balance and harmony in order to be appealing in a wine. Too much sugar without acid or alcohol to balance makes the wine fat, flabby and uninteresting. Too much acid without some fruity, sweet or tannic, mouthfeeling qualities will leave the wine simply sour.