1. Tasting Wines © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 4

2. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to –display an understanding of the principles of wine flavor. –describe how to set up a tasting and perform sensory analysis. –display an understanding of the positive and negative health effects of wine.

3. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Introduction Learning to taste wine –One can enjoy wine without having any formal knowledge of how to taste wine. –With training and experience a taster can develop a critical faculty that allows him to have a greater understanding of what it is about a wine that makes it enjoyable and how to describe it to others.

4. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Sensory Evaluation Sensory evaluation is the process of using one’s senses to evaluate what a wine tastes like. Points to remember when tasting wine: –The matching of wine with food can have profound effects on the perceived flavors of both products. –Wine has both positive and negative health effects that need to be taken into consideration. –When critically evaluating a wine, it is important not to forget that it should be pleasurable to the senses.

5. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. How the Senses Respond to Wine Wine is a natural beverage with a very complex chemical structure. –The complexity of its composition is what is responsible for the multitude of flavors that are present in wine. –There is no laboratory procedure that can give an accurate overall picture of what a wine will taste like.

6. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. How the Senses Respond to Wine (continued) There are five senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. –All but hearing have a role in evaluating a wine’s flavor. –Of the four senses that are used, the concept of flavor of a wine is defined by the impression it makes on one’s sense of smell (aroma), sense of taste, and sense of touch (texture).

7. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. The Sense of Sight—Appearance Although sight does not play a direct role in determining flavor, the appearance of a wine is an important part of sensory evaluation. –The color of the wine is observed for the hue (shade) along with its depth (intensity) and how appropriate these are for the type of wine being tasted. –The clarity of the wine is also observed and noted whether it is brilliant, clear of any defects, or dull, turbid, and cloudy.

8. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. The Sense of Sight—Appearance (continued) Looking at a glass of wine can give the taster clues on what to expect when the wine is consumed. –If a wine is an inappropriate color or turbid, it will have a negative effect on its visual appreciation. –The positive or negative aspects of appearance affect how the taster will perceive the wine. –Even though a wine’s appearance gives clues on what it might taste like, it is important not to let expectation prejudice one’s judgment.

9. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. The Sense of Smell—Aroma The sense of smell is the oldest and one of the most highly developed senses. –The sense of smell is much more acute than the sense of taste. –It can detect many more compounds at much lower concentrations than taste. –The human nose can identify thousands of different types of aromas, some at levels as low as several parts per trillion.

10. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. The Sense of Smell—Aroma (continued) For a compound to have an aroma, it first must be volatile or able to evaporate. –Inhaling through the nose carries volatile compounds into the upper sinus where there are two membranes called the olfactory epithelium. –Here volatile chemicals in the air react with receptor neurons. –The degree a certain compound reacts with different types of receptor neurons is what is responsible for a particular smell.

11. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Wine has a very complex chemical composition with many different volatile compounds. –Wine has as many as 800 volatile compounds; this high number is what is responsible for the complexity of a wine’s aroma. –When describing a wine’s aroma, it is common to isolate and identify the different aromas present and describe what they smell like. This is called descriptive analysis. The Sense of Smell—Aroma (continued)

12. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. A taster might say that he detects the aroma of black pepper, raspberries, and vanilla in a wine. –This does not mean that these flavors are from ingredients added to the wine by artificial means. –Some of the same compounds that are responsible for these aromas in other products are also present in wine. The Sense of Smell—Aroma (continued)

13. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. The Sense of Taste—Flavor The sense of taste is very simple when compared to the sense of smell. –Most people identify only four flavors that can be discerned by taste alone: bitter salty sweet sour

14. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. The Sense of Taste—Flavor (continued) The sense of taste comes from receptor cells within the taste buds located primarily on the tongue. –For many years it was thought that different areas of the tongue were sensitive to different tastes, resulting in “tongue maps” being published in many texts. –Recently this theory was discredited. Different tastes can be identified on all parts of the tongue.

15. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. It is possible to experience more than the four basic flavors when tasting a wine. –This comes from the interaction of the senses of taste and smell working together. –Much of the flavor one perceives comes from the aroma that enters the sinuses through the pathway at the back of the mouth. These aromas stimulate the olfactory nerves at the same time the taste is being perceived. The Sense of Taste—Flavor (continued)

16. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. The Sense of Touch—Texture The tactile sensations or mouth feel that is produced when one drinks a glass of wine are integral to describing its flavor.

17. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. The Sense of Touch—Texture (continued) Temperature: The temperature at which a wine is served at has a great effect on how the wine is perceived. –At warmer temperatures, the aroma will become more intense because of the greater volatility of the aromatic compounds in the wine. –Cooler temperatures will give wine a more refreshing quality but will diminish the aroma, making the tastes of acid (sour) and sugar (sweet) more prevalent.

18. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Viscosity: The body of a wine is influenced by its temperature and composition. Effervescence: This is the prickly sensation from the carbonation or dissolved CO 2 present in the wine. –Its qualities are apparent in sparkling wines as well as young white wines where CO 2 contributes to the tartness and fresh taste. The Sense of Touch—Texture (continued)

19. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Alcohol: Wines with higher alcohol have a hot character reminiscent of distilled spirits. Astringency: Of these sensations astringency is the most poorly understood. –It is the drying or puckery sensation that is often confused with bitterness. –Astringency is a tactile drying sensation, whereas bitterness is a flavor. The Sense of Touch—Texture (continued)

20. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. How the Senses Respond to Wine The physical sensations perceived interact with its aroma and taste to make up a wine’s flavor. The perception of a wine’s flavor can also be influenced by its appearance. Among wine tasters there is a great deal of variation in their natural ability of sensory perception. –This can be compensated for by using proper tasting techniques combined with training and experience.

21. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Organizing a Tasting There are many different ways to taste wine—from the formal and analytical to the relaxed and social. –Less structured tastings often offer a variety of wines from different regions and producers. –Though informal tastings of wine with pleasant conversation and good food can be a very enjoyable experience, it is difficult to evaluate wine carefully under these circumstances.

22. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Organizing a Tasting (continued) –For purposes of serious sensory evaluation, there is a certain procedure for setting up a tasting that minimizes distractions and allows tasters to concentrate on the wine. –Whereas social tastings are common and very popular with the public, more analytical tastings are used by students, enologists, and judges of wine for more careful evaluation.

23. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. The Proper Setting for Tasting Like any task that requires concentration, sensory analysis should take place in an environment that has a minimum of distractions. –The room should be quiet and without any distracting activities taking place nearby. –The room should be at a comfortable temperature and without drafts. –Because part of sensory evaluation is to appraise the color and clarity of a wine, lighting is also important.

24. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. The Proper Setting for Tasting (continued) Most importantly, the tasting area should have no distracting smells that would interfere with the sometimes delicate aromas of the wines to be evaluated. –Cleaning products, fresh paint, and smoke all affect a taster’s ability to discern aromas. –Even pleasant aromas such as those from food preparation, flowers, or scented candles can interfere with the tasting process.

25. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. The Proper Setting for Tasting (continued) –Tasting etiquette requires that all people who attend the tasting be conscious of their own personal hygiene and any odors that might be coming from them or their clothes. –Perfumes, colognes, and aftershave must also be avoided.

26. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Tasting Protocol Sensory evaluation requires concentration; therefore participants should arrive at the tasting well rested and fresh. –Food should not be consumed right before evaluating wines; its aftertaste can interfere with the wine’s flavor. –Tasting on an empty stomach should also be avoided because alcohol will be absorbed more quickly by the body.

27. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Tasting Protocol (continued) Personal behavior –Tasters should be punctual because the commotion caused by setting up and serving the wines for a late arrival is very distracting. –Tasters should be quiet while other people are tasting. –Opinions and comments about the wines should not be shared until all tasters have finished evaluating the wine.

28. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Presenting the Wines The table setting for a formal tasting should be simple yet provide everything a taster needs: –A white tablecloth will absorb spills as well as provide a good backdrop for evaluating a wine’s color. –Place settings should also include a napkin, water glass, and a small bucket to be used as a spittoon. –Tasters may bring there own notebooks for recording observations, but it is always a good idea to have pen and paper available in case they are needed.

29. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Glassware Wine glasses come in a diverse array of sizes and styles. –Glasses with elaborate colors and patterns interfere with the evaluation of the wine. There are also a number of wine glasses available that are designed for use with a particular type of wine. For critical evaluation of wine a more basic tasting glass is all that is needed.

30. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Glassware (continued) A glass for general tasting should have a capacity of about 10 to 14 ounces, and when the wine is served, the glass should be filled about one-quarter to one-third full. –This allows the taster to swirl the glass without spilling and provides enough wine for several tastes.

31. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Glassware (continued) The glass should be wider near the base of the bowl and narrower at the top forming the shape of a tulip. –This curved-in shape at the top makes swirling easier and helps to concentrate aromas and keep them in the glass.

32. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Crystal or Glass Stemware Wine glasses are usually made of either crystal or glass. –Glass is more durable and inexpensive. –Crystal is more delicate and is considered more high quality.

33. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Crystal or Glass Stemware (continued) Either crystal or glass stemware is appropriate for the sensory evaluation of wine. –Most crystal stemware is lead-crystal, which contains some lead and should not be used for the storage of wine.

34. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Water and Food Water should always be available to wine tasters for rinsing out their mouths as well as drinking. –Occasional sips of water will help to prevent tasters from becoming fatigued or getting dehydrated while consuming alcohol.

35. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Water and Food (continued) Food is also a useful tool while tasting wine—a small bite of French bread, plain crackers, or rare roast beef between sips of wine will help to keep the taster’s pallet fresh. –Although good food complements the taste of wine, it can also distract from the qualities of the wine itself. –Food with strong aromas or flavors should be avoided when performing critical evaluation of wine.

36. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Other Considerations All tasters have preferences and prejudices; however, these should not be allowed to influence one’s judgment when evaluating a wine. –Blind tastings are set up to eliminate any potential bias so that the tasters do not know specific information about the wine. –After the evaluation of the wines is completed and ranking or scoring is done, they then can be unveiled. –To hide a wine’s identity, the bottles can be covered and labeled with numbers or letters.

37. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Tasting Wine in Groups or Flights The number of wines in a group or flight can vary anywhere from 4 to 12, with 6 being a good average number. –This allows the judges to easily compare the different wines to one another and rank them in order of preference.

38. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Tasting Wine in Groups or Flights (continued) Giving wines an absolute score on a scale of 1 to 20 or 1 to 100 is another way of reviewing a wine. –This method is simple to understand and popular with consumers, but often is arbitrary and difficult to standardize among judges. –After the judges complete their evaluations, their scores or rankings can be compiled to find the overall group ranking of the wines.

39. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Flights are usually comprised of similar wines being of the same variety or style; however, there are some variations. A vertical flight presents a series of consecutive vintages of the same grape variety or type of wine from a single winery. Tastings also can be set up with a number of different wines from a single producer. Although these tastings are not always done blind, they can still be very informative. Tasting Wine in Groups or Flights (continued)

40. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Tasting Order When tasting different types of wine within a single flight, there are several basic rules in how to set up the order of the tasting: –White wines should be consumed before red wines. –Dry wines should be consumed before sweet wines.

41. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Tasting Order (continued) –Light-bodied wines should be consumed before full-bodied wines. –Young wines should be consumed before older wines. –Table wines should be consumed before dessert or fortified wine.

42. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Tasting Order (continued) This method of tasting wines with more delicate flavors before those with stronger flavors prevents the flavors of the first wines from overwhelming those that come later.

43. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Proper Tasting Techniques There is a systematic procedure a taster uses for the sensory evaluation of a group of wines. –This method is designed so that the taster is less likely to become fatigued and to ensure that each wine gets an equal treatment.

44. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Proper Tasting Techniques (continued) The wines are first all appraised by their appearance, then by their aroma, and then by their taste and mouth feel. –By using the senses in this order, the taster’s senses will not tire as quickly. While the wines are being tasted, it is important to keep track of your impressions by taking notes.

45. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Evaluation by Sight To begin the assessment of the wines, the taster selects one and observes its clarity and color. The wine is studied to see whether there is any turbidity or haze present or whether the wine is free of any particulate matter and is brilliant. To observe color, the glass should be held at a 45° angle and viewed against a white surface such as the tablecloth or a napkin.

46. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Color in Wine The hue (shade) and depth (intensity) of the wine’s color should be observed, compared to the other wines in the flight and recorded. –In dark red wines, looking at edge of the wine in the glass can show subtle differences in color. –Young red wines have a bluish/purple tint to them that changes to a brick red/orange tone as the wine ages.

47. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Color in Wine (continued) –White wines can have a light-yellow/greenish tint when they are young and become more golden with age. –Dessert wines have their own color standards with late-harvest whites tending to have a golden hue, and tawny ports an amber color. –In sparkling wines, note the color as well as the size and quantity of the bubbles.

48. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Evaluation of Aroma The second step, appraising a wine’s aroma, is the most important part of the sensory evaluation of a wine. To begin, the glass is selected and then, held by the stem, briefly swilled to concentrate the wine’s aroma. –After this is done, place your nose inside the glass and inhale deeply.

49. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Evaluation of Aroma (continued) –First, note the aromas that are present and whether they are pleasant or unpleasant. –Assess the intensity of these aromas, making note of which are more obvious and which are more subtle.

50. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Evaluation of Aroma (continued) –First impressions tend to be the most accurate, but remember that a wine’s aroma can change over time. –While resting for 15 to 30 seconds, write down your observations on the aroma of the wine. After this, repeat the swirling and sniffing, then record any changes.

51. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Evaluation of Aroma (continued) Resist sharing your observations, good or bad, with other judges at this time so that they are not prejudiced by your opinion. –One exception to this rule is if the wine smells as if it has cork taint, a musty/mildew smell from a bad natural cork. –If a wine has this character and a second bottle is available, a new glass can be poured. –If a second bottle is not available, the wine can be withdrawn.

52. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Evaluation by Mouth Before the wine is tasted, it is once again swirled and smelled, but instead of stopping at this point, a small sip of wine is taken. –Hold the wine in your mouth for a few seconds examining its acidity, sweetness, bitterness, and astringency as well as any flavors or new aromas that are perceived. –While the wine in your mouth, appreciate the tactile sensations it makes.

53. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Evaluation by Mouth (continued) –Observe how the sensory qualities of the wine develop over time, swallow or spit out the wine, and then note the aftertaste. As in the previous steps, record you thoughts on the wine for later discussion.

54. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Evaluation by Mouth (continued) –After the wine is tasted and the observations recorded, the step is repeated by taking a second sip. This gives wine judges another chance to confirm their impressions.

55. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Evaluation by Mouth (continued) One of the most important aspects of evaluation of a wine by mouth is to appraise its overall balance. –Does the acid, bitterness, or astringency seem insufficient or too strong? –Many wines that taste out of balance when consumed alone taste much better when consumed with food.

56. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Evaluation by Mouth (continued) To appreciate fully the aftertaste, it is a good idea to swallow a small amount of the wine. –Professional judges often are required to sample several hundred wines a day. –By being very careful with what they swallow and spitting samples, they can do this without becoming impaired.

57. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Group Discussion of the Wines After all the wines in the flight have been evaluated for appearance, aroma, and taste, you can go over your notes and determine whether you would like to revisit any of them. –Because aromas change over time, it is a good idea to resmell any of the wines that had an off character to check whether it persists.

58. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Group Discussion of the Wines (continued) After everyone has completed tasting and the ranks or scores of the judges are compiled, the discussion of the wines can begin.

59. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. When discussing the wines, do not be shy about sharing your observations and opinions with the others in the group. Novice wine tasters must not give in to the temptation to change their scores or reviews to match the more experienced members of the group. If the wines were tasted blind, they can be unveiled as they are being discussed or after the discussion is completed. Group Discussion of the Wines (continued)

60. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Discussing and Evaluating Wine When studying any subject, it is crucial to be able to describe and categorize it. Even though tasting and evaluating a wine is initially a solitary undertaking, after one’s observations are recorded, it is always beneficial to discuss them with others.

61. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Discussing and Evaluating Wine (continued) By expressing your point of view and listening to others’ opinions, one can gain a better understanding of wine. The best method of improving your ability of sensory evaluation is practice. The best method of improving one’s skills in evaluating wine is to taste frequently with a group.

62. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Difficulties in Evaluating Wine Individual sensitivities: Among wine tasters there is variation in their ability to differentiate aromas and tastes. –The level at which a taster can detect a given flavor is called the threshold. –For example: A level of 0.5% residual sugar in a wine may taste sweet to some, whereas other judges may not be able to identify the character as sweet.

63. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Difficulties in Evaluating Wine (continued) Definitions: The lexicon of wine terms is often obscure and full of jargon. –It is not uncommon to find terms being used that are unfamiliar to most people such as hazelnut and cassis to describe a wine’s aroma.

64. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. In addition to this problem, different judges may use different terms to describe the same flavor or aroma. –What one person calls fruity another might identify as floral. Another example is the aroma of vanilla and French Oak. –Like thresholds, this problem can be overcome by training and tasting experience. Difficulties in Evaluating Wine (continued)

65. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Preferences/prejudices: This is perhaps the most difficult problem to overcome when evaluating a wine. –When performing sensory evaluation, it is important to be able to describe objectively the characteristics of what the wine smells and tastes like without letting your opinion of their quality affect your results. A taster’s prejudices can easily be overcome by always reviewing wines blind. Difficulties in Evaluating Wine (continued)

66. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Fatigue: Wine tasting, like any reasoned activity, requires concentration, and it is easy to become fatigued. Fatigue can also be compounded with the ingestion of alcohol. –To combat these effects, it is important to taste in an area free of distractions and taste a reasonable amount of wines per flight. Difficulties in Evaluating Wine (continued)

67. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Fatigue (continued): –Aroma is less likely to become fatigued than taste is and tells you more information, so it can be relied on more readily when tasting large numbers of wines. –Having water available with neutral flavored crackers will help to keep the pallet fresh in between wines. –Particularly when tasting a large number of wines, spitting out the wine rather than swallowing it will prevent the taster from becoming intoxicated. Difficulties in Evaluating Wine (continued)

68. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Understanding Wine Descriptors Inexperienced wine tasters can describe a wine’s aroma by how it reminds them of other things they have tasted before. Wine often has a very complex aroma made up of many different types of aromas without one smell dominating the others. Aromas that are reminiscent of pears, green apples, melon, and bell peppers are all commonly found in wine that most of the population is quite familiar with.

69. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Wine and Food When done properly, the marriage of wine and food is a mutually beneficial relationship. In analytical tasting, wines are tasted by themselves so that one can concentrate on their flavors and aromas. In the study of food and wine pairing, the opposite is true—individual foods and wines are matched together so that their flavors complement each other.

70. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Wine and Food (continued) A few basic principles will aid consumers and wine servers alike in selecting what type of wine is best suited to accompany a meal. –Wine can serve to freshen the pallet; a sip of wine between bites of food will help to cleanse the aftertaste of the food out of the mouth and make your senses ready to fully appreciate another mouthful.

71. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Basic Guidelines for Pairing Food and Wine Rich foods are complemented by full-bodied wines. Light-bodied foods are complemented by light- bodied wines. Sour foods decrease the perception of acid in wine and are best paired with tart wines. Sweet foods accentuate the perception of acid and are best paired with wines that are slightly sweeter than the food.

72. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Basic Guidelines for Pairing Food and Wine (continued) Foods with fruity flavors go best with wines that also have a fruity character. Complex foods with intricate flavors go best with simple wines; conversely, wines with complex flavors go best with simple foods. Spicy foods bring out the bitterness and astringency in wine and are best paired with light off dry wines. Salt in food decreases the perception of bitterness and astringency in wine. A sauce or glaze can be used to bridge the gap between flavors to allow a particular food go with a certain wine.

73. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Wine and Health The role of wine on human health is influenced by two contradictory concepts: –First: Wine is a beverage that should be considered a food. –Second: Alcohol is a drug and should be regulated and controlled.

74. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Wine and Health (continued) Society’s attempts to come to terms with these competing philosophies have resulted in a wide variety of customs and laws that affect wine. –In some parts of the world, consuming wine is not only prohibited but is considered sinful; in other areas, wine is thought of as an essential part of a healthy diet. Scientific studies show that moderate consumption of wine has positive health effects and moderate drinkers outlive those who abstain.

75. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Negative Effects from Excessive Alcohol Consumption Alcohol in its many forms is involved in some degree in the deaths of more than 100,000 Americans a year. –The majority of these deaths are due to driving under the influence and cirrhosis of the liver from alcoholism. –The harmful effects of excessive consumption can occur chronically over many years or acutely in a single “binge drinking” episode.

76. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Negative Effects from Excessive Alcohol Consumption (continued) –The long-term consequences of over- consumption include liver damage, as well as an increased risk of cancer and heart disease. –Those who chronically overconsume are usually referred to as alcoholics or problem drinkers. –The term problem drinker can also apply to people who rarely drink but when they do, they drink in excess.

77. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Although it is possible to drink so much that the level of alcohol in the body becomes toxic, many of the deaths from binge drinking are associated with risky behavior. Drunk driving, or driving under the influence, is by far the most common form of accidental death while intoxicated. –In spite of more awareness of the problem, it continues to kill more than 17,000 Americans a year. Negative Effects from Excessive Alcohol Consumption (continued)

78. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Positive Effects from Moderate Wine Consumption Excessive consumption of alcohol results in higher mortality rates. But epidemiologists have known for many years that people who consume wine in moderation have a longer lifespan than both alcoholics and those who abstain from alcohol.

79. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Positive Effects from Moderate Wine Consumption (continued) In recent years, numerous scientific studies have shown a direct link between modest wine drinking, particularly red wine, and increased cardiovascular health. –This research shows that people who consume an average of one to two glasses of wine per day have a 30 to 50 percent reduction in mortality from heart disease.

80. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Health officials are often reticent to recommend wine consumption for fear that citizens would use it as a license for excess. –The mechanism for these results is still unknown, but it is believed to be a product of naturally occurring substances such as quercetin and resveratrol in wine. Positive Effects from Moderate Wine Consumption (continued)

81. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. There are many opinions of what is considered a moderate amount of wine to consume. –Most researchers considerer one to two 6-oz. glasses per day with meals to be moderate depending on one’s circumstances. Positive Effects from Moderate Wine Consumption (continued)

82. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. The positive effect on cardiovascular heath is often referred to as the French Paradox. This term was coined by Boston University epidemiologist Dr. Curtis Ellison who noticed that in spite of the fact French citizens smoked more and had a much higher intake of saturated fat than Americans, they enjoyed a much lower level of heart disease. Positive Effects from Moderate Wine Consumption (continued)

83. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Special Considerations for Women The health benefits of moderate wine drinking are more clear-cut for men than for women. This is primarily due to the relationship between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. –Although women receive the same benefit that men do in cardiovascular health, some studies show a correlation between moderate consumption of wine and an increased risk of breast cancer.

84. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Special Considerations for Women (continued) Women also have to take into account the effects of alcohol consumption on pregnancy. About one in ten women who are alcoholics during pregnancy give birth to babies with a form of mental retardation called fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS. Although there seems to be little evidence that moderate wine drinking plays a role in FAS, most obstetricians recommend that their patients abstain during pregnancy.

85. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Wine and Health It is important for both men and women to evaluate honestly their personal health and family history when deciding what is healthful consumption for them.

86. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Wine and Health (continued) The role of wine and health can be summarized with the statement that the majority of scientific studies show that moderate consumption of wine increases the lifespan for most individuals with the exception of premenopausal women with a family history of breast cancer.

87. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Summary The ability to taste a wine and enjoy its flavor requires very little skill and can be done by almost anyone. However, tasting a wine and being able to evaluate it critically is a talent that can take many years to master. The protocol for setting up a tasting to evaluate wines is designed to help minimize distractions.

88. © 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Summary (continued) Whenever possible, wines should be evaluated blind. When one has a better understanding of the sensory characteristics of different wines, it is easier to match them with food. It is important to have an awareness of how wine has an effect on the body.