You may not be a picky eater, you may just be following what your taste receptors are telling you, and our taste receptors are all different. That’s why VinoTastr has developed a test to determine which wines are for you, and which aren’t.
VinoTastr co-founder and Chief Science Officer Henry P. Barham, MD, an ear, nose, and throat physician, brought taste science to New York City’s Times Square this week to discuss taste sensitivities and palate preferences on “Good Morning America.” As Dr. Barnham explained, disliking cilantro, for example, is not a matter of preference, but of taste receptors’ response to bitterness — one of the four taste sensitivities VinoTastr tests.
“Wine tasting notes can only tell you what a wine tastes like according to the writer of the note; they can’t tell you if the wine will suit your individual palate. VinoTastr takes the guesswork out of what to drink and gives consumers the confidence to explore wines best suited to their palate profile,” Barham said.
Barham’s decade of research and expertise in taste science led to the creation of VinoTastr, the world’s first wine taste technology company, and its at-home Wine Discovery Kit. It measures the current expression of individual taste receptors using four taste testing strips and a web-based scoring algorithm that reveals individual taste sensitivities to bitterness, sweetness, flavor, and body.
“Within minutes of testing, VinoTastr identifies one of five unique profiles in a fun and engaging way,” Barham said. “Users love the interactive aspect of the test and discovering their taste style from the five corresponding profiles — Smooth Avenger, Savory Crusader, Body Advocate, Balance Ambassador, or Tannin Champion.”
The core market of wine drinkers is aging, and new customers who are wine-curious are anxious about where to start. VinoTastr, a product of TastrLabs, aims to introduce the younger generation to wines using science.
Headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, VinoTastr offers frequently updated wine recommendations for each profile, taking the intimidation out of wine selection. A monthly Wine Bulletin also introduces users to new wines in their palate profile.
VinoTastr testing kits are available online at vinotastr.com, where users can access their profile and wine recommendations alongside a community of budding wine lovers.
TMX contributed to this story.
