WINE lovers are being enlisted to explore the latest in wine appreciation - mouth-feel.
Industry and Investment NSW viticulturist Leo Quirk said the pilot project was the first attempt to measure mouth-feel in relation to consumer preferences.
"Nose (smell) and taste are familiar concepts - mouth-feel is a third dimension which contributes to the sensory enjoyment of wine and the preference for one wine over another," Leo said.
Previous studies have looked at mouth-feel, but this National Wine and Grape Industry Centre study links it to consumer taste for the first time.
Charles Sturt University scientist Anthony Saliba said mouth-feel may be more important than flavour.
The popularity of pinot gris and sauvignon blanc could be attributed to mouth-feel - pinot gris for its subtle flavours and savignon blanc for big "in-your-face flavours".
The study used Cowra chardonnay because its range of styles offered a variety of mouth-feels.
"We rated the wines for nine mouth-feel categories - acidity, astringency, bitterness, complexity, length, sweetness, viscosity, warmth and preference," Anthony said.
The centre plans to extend the project to additional wine varieties and regions.
