Draft:Shape tasting
Shape Tasting Method
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Shape tasting
Shape tasting is a visual method of wine description that represents sensory characteristics of wine as geometric diagrams plotted over time. The approach has been attributed to Oregon winemaker Patrick Reuter of Dominio IV Wines and has been discussed in wine journalism and academic research on crossmodal perception.[1][2][3][4]
Origins
Wine media coverage reports that Reuter began developing visual tasting diagrams in the early 2000s as an alternative to conventional written tasting notes.[5][6] The diagrams plot perceived sensory progression along a horizontal axis representing time, with vertical variation indicating intensity or structural elements.[1]
Profiles in wine journalism have noted the display of these diagrams in tasting-room settings and on selected wine labels.[6][2]
Method
Published descriptions state that recurring visual elements correspond to components of wine structure. Rounded forms are used to indicate fruit expression, angular shapes for acidity, and patterned textures for tannin or structural components.[5][1] Color may be incorporated to suggest flavor associations or stylistic emphasis.[1]
Academic research
A 2026 study in the journal Consciousness and Cognition evaluated shape tasting as a training method for wine discrimination.[4] Participants completed discrimination tests before and after training sessions using either shape-based notes, linguistic notes, or no notes.[4] The study reported improved performance for the shape-based group on easier discrimination tasks, while control participants performed better on more difficult tasks, discussed in relation to the verbal overshadowing effect.[4] The publication discloses that Reuter is owner and winemaker of Dominio IV.[4]
Earlier academic work at Reed College explored related perceptual psychology concepts concerning visualization of sensory experience.[7]
Reception
Coverage in wine journalism has discussed shape tasting primarily in relation to wine labeling and sensory communication. Oregon Wine Press profiled the approach in 2014,[2] VICE reported on its use in wine label design in 2018,[3] and Wine-Searcher described the diagrams in the context of alternative tasting note systems.[1]