'Wines' fruity flavors really do fade first'

Researchers have taken a look at how different flavor components finish when standing alone or interacting with other compounds in white wines.

"A longer finish is associated with a higher quality wine, but what the finish is, of course, makes a huge difference," said sensory scientist Carolyn Ross from Washington State University.

The study is one of the first to look at how different flavor components finish when standing alone or interacting with other compounds in white wines.

In her article, Ross explains how her team trained panelists to identify and measure fruity, floral, mushroom and oaky (or coconut) compounds in wines. They found that, indeed, fruity flavor perception disappears from the palate earlier than oaky, floral and earth flavors perception.

The researchers chose the fruity, floral, mushroom and oaky compounds to reflect the diversity of the wine aroma wheel.

The study has been published in the journal Food Quality and Preference.