Typicality related to terroir: from conceptual to perceptual representation: study of the links with enological practices

The conceptual image of a wine related to the terroir has consequences in technical terms. Among factors affecting the typicality, producers put forward the environmental factors of the terroir system, then the variety and finally the viticultural and oenological factors. We postulate that for the production of red wine, the “phenolic maturity” must be considered as an essential criterion. The “phenolic maturity” was translated into the date of grape harvest and the duration of vatting. Because of the nature of the corresponding biochemical compounds, these choices could have important consequences on the sensory profile of wines. The objective of this study is to understand the relationship between the conceptual image of a wine and the perceptual dimension of the wine, by connecting the typicality with some technical acts. The distinctive French wine style “Anjou Village Brissac” was investigated through four methods. A survey was performed to measure the conceptual dimension, and three sensorial methods were used for the perceptual dimension (Quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) by a sensory expert panel, Just About Right analysis (JAR) by wine experts, and assessment of the typicality by wine experts). Wine experts were producers, winemakers, and oenologists from the area. The survey allowed highlighting soil as the first factor that affects the typicality. On the other hand, the QDA and JAR profiles highlighted the prevalence of the technical factors, in particular oenological, over the environmental factors. The JAR profile allowed to classify attributes in the typicality scores. Moreover, the study made it possible to show the shift between the conceptual typicality and the perceptual typicality, from the point of view of the technical acts, but also from the sensory point of view.