The art and science of wine tasting | Qian Janice Wang

Qian Janice Wang explores the concept of complexity in wine tasting, questioning whether it resides in the wine's chemical composition or the taster's perception. Wang presents two studies: one revealing that beginners could differentiate wine blends better than experts, and that the presence of oak flavor significantly influenced perceived complexity and willingness to pay. The second study indicates that experts, unlike novices, consistently rated older Madeira wines as more complex, suggesting that experience shapes the perception of complexity. Ultimately, the talk encourages listeners to mindfully observe the evolution of flavors when tasting, highlighting the subjective nature of complexity in taste.