I Taste Red

I Taste Red is the first book of its kind to address and relate all the different sensory and psychological factors that shape our experience of tasting wine. Award-winning author Jamie Goode explores how our sensory system, psychology, philosophy, and flavor chemistry all play a central part in our perception and enjoyment of wine. He uses case studies, grounded in practice, to demonstrate his theory and to illuminate his conclusions about how language and sensory output help us construct our recognition and interpretation of flavor. He examines whether wine tasting as a skill is objective or subjective and the implications of this distinction for wine experts. Delving deep into the science of wine but bringing in the influences of psychology, language, and philosophy, this book is a must-read for all lovers of wine.

Review: "The scientific understanding of the joy we experience in a great glass of wine is still in its infancy. But by the end of his fascinating book, a reader may well see, smell, and taste the world with a completely different perspective." - 2016 Book of the Year Wine & Spirits "Exploring the science of taste through extensive research, Goode offers a unique, thought-provoking, and fresh perspective on tasting wine." Booklist "This entertaining and fast-moving book explores how and why things taste the way they do to us and how our senses communicate with one another to form our perceptions. Highly researched and multisourced, the book touches on the fascinating topics of synesthesia, "smell blindness," the language of wine and associative learning - the idea that you like rose because you first tried it the night you met your husband on that European backpacking trip. No guarantees, but you'll probably be a better taster after reading this book." Chicago Tribune "For those who have ever sipped a glass of wine and been amazed by aromas and flavors like wet wool or roasted coffee (or if you're simply baffled by such descriptions altogether), wine writer JamieGoode's new book is a must-read on the topic." Imbibe "Jamie Goode does a bang-up job of explaining the science of how we taste wine and why we all taste it a bit differently that is written in an approachable style and illustrated with colorful graphics to help make the science easily understandable." OnMilwaukee.com "Goode's book is a fascinating, timely, and necessary perspective on wine and tasting, a field where old-fashioned notions easily persist, a sphere that even today can be plagued by absolutist judgments and petty one-upmanship... This is salutary reading, thoroughly recommended to anyone in the business of wine-it should be required reading for every professional taster, especially for those who teach tasting-but also to anybody who is seriously interested in this endlessly fascinating subject." -- Anne Krebiehl, MW The World of Fine Wine "Our five favorite liquor and wine books from 2016: An engaging read." San Francisco Chronicle "The book is full of ideas I never considered." -- Fred Tasker Tribune News Service "Deals with interesting science, has its share of bonafide ah-ha! explanations, and raises though-provoking questions about whether or not the traditional methods of evaluating wine truly stand up scientifically." -- Joe Roberts 1 Wine Dude "A great read for those with an interest in science and the way we taste wine." Winnipeg Free Press "It's not often you read a book on wine that calls into question your grip on reality, your authenticity, your judgement, a whole lot of things that you believe about yourself, and then tells you that mostly your brain is trying to disregard information - including that of the wine you're trying to assess - rather than assimilate it...This book is controversial, anti-establishment, ground-breaking." JancisRobinson.com "Copious and often complex scientific subjects are handled with Goode's characteristic lightness of touch. Illustrative thought experiments and helpful summations aid the reader through the more difficult material. All that means that I Taste Red will amply reward both professionals and amateurs alike." Decanter "The book is superb. The topics covered are complex and, while presented in depth, are explained well for laypersons. This book should be read by every individual who tastes wine critically, produces wine, or simply enjoys wine's pleasures." CHOICE