The organoleptic control of a wine appellation in France Yves CHEVALIER Institut National de l Origine et de la Qualité (INAO)-FRANCE y.chevalier@inao.gouv.fr Friday, October 2, 2015
- Context, historic - Objective - Jury responsible for the organoleptic test - Stage of controlled wine - Tasting conditions - Phases of tasting, settings wine - Treatment of results - The difficulties and solutions introduced PLAN
1- Context, historic Wine: a complex product and a wide variety of product 40 years of wine-tasting! 1974 : a tasting and analysis required for the appellation 2008 : Major reform of the control of appellation - Harmonization of controls Regulatory requirements : regulation, product specifications, National Directive INAO
2- Objective, finality Check the acceptability of wine in its appellation: ensure the absence of flaws which characterized the intensity makes them prohibitive THEN ensure the presence of the appellation s characteristics Defects: list of negative attributes defined by the the defense and management body (ODG ) Approved by the INAO No positive list of descriptors
3- The commission of winetasters (jury) From a human reference group = wine professionals Three colleges : " Technicians, porteur de mémoire and users of the product Composed of at least five tasters Jurors offered by the defense and management body (ODG ) of appellation Competent tasters, experts of the appellation Trained to the characteristics and defects of the appellation
4- Wine controlled, sample Packed/bottled wine ready to be sold Before packaging before shipping wine Anonymous sample : vintage and appellation indicated Temperature of the submitted sample (sweet, white and red) Order samples tasted (color and nature of the wine, vintage)
5- The tasting conditions Lack of communication between the tasters Room equipped with individual box for a individual judgment Presentation of the sample individually to the jury for a non comparative tasting Tasting glass, tray with neutral bread A appropriate and relevant response support List of defects selected available
6- Phases of tasting Visual sensations : intensity and evolution in color, clarity Olfactory sensations : intensity failure, oxidation, reduction, vegetal, acetic, lactic, musty, premature aging Taste sensations : acidity, structure failure, astringency, bitterness, evolution, aromatic return bad taste Individual decision on the acceptability, defects and their intensity
Two examples of response support: AOP Saint-Emilion : a global approach AOP Bordeaux : a analytical approach
AOP Saint-Emilion
AOP Bordeaux
7- Data processing results Recognition opinions of tasters and suites The decision of the commission is taken on the binomial statistical law recommended by the INAO Failure of gravity is a function of the intensity of the defects (low / medium / high ) Gradient of penalties
8- Main difficulties Reliability of the individual judgment of the taster Reliability in defect identification Statistical reliability to confirm the decisision Global tasting : subjectivity remains Difficulty of defining a sensory profile for wine Multiple questions are asked taster : yes / no / defect / intensity
9- Acting on the tasters Selection = having less tasters but tasted mostly Evaluation of tasters Having knowledge of the group's sensitivity (specific hypersensitivity or hyposmia) Increased training tasters faults and the characteristics of appellation Developing the " olfactory memory of the appellation " among the taster
10- Acting on the modalities Increase the number of tasters of the commission Limit the number of samples to taste (sequences and resting phase) Adapting the response support Sample timing before the series to taste Sample available of the AOP : " low limit ", "medium " or " with fault Consensus to define defects with a animator committee
CONCLUSION A national methodology : common basis for all appellations Diversity of approaches depending on the variety of wines (Ex:Bordeaux / Saint Emilion) But all rely on a human reference group of wine industry But all on the notion of acceptability of wine in its appellation Evolution towards the sensory profile with professional tasters? Afraid to go to a commoditization?
Thank you! y.chevalier@inao.gouv.fr