The Art and Science of Wine Making Today

Today, many winemakers feel conflicted about utilizing modern scientific knowledge to enhance the art of making wines. While information about the interactions between grapes, soil, weather conditions and different methods of fermentation has increased exponentially since ancient times, many feel that wine making is a refined art that should not be tampered with too much through the use of advanced scientific practices.

 

One of the things that scientists are working on today is developing computer models to help identify what people consider to be the good traits of wine. Other scientists are trying to pinpoint the chemicals in wines that lead to certain tastes, such as “peppery.”

 

It is hard to imagine a time when winemakers will be able to manipulate characteristics of their wines to be completely consistent from year to year. It is also hard to imagine a time when science will be able to calculate how an individual may perceive the taste or smell of a given wine.

 

Will science take the mystery out of making wine and tasting wine? Only time will tell.