Why colour tricks you in Wine Tasting – especially in Beaujolais
Before your nose detects red fruit, before your tongue feels the tannins, your eyes have already decided how a wine will taste. That’s not a poetic metaphor—it’s a biological fact. Recent work by neurobiologist Gabriel Lepousez sheds light on a critical but often ignored component of wine tasting: visual bias. This phenomenon is particularly relevant in a region like Beaujolais, where Gamay’s color can mislead even experienced tasters.
How the brain interprets wine: a visual short-circuit
Our brain loves to see first
According to Lepousez, visual information engages around 15% of the brain’s cortex, whereas smell and taste only activate about 1%. Evolutionarily, our brains are hardwired to prioritize sight, even when tasting. The result? Color often overrides other sensory input.
The famous “Red White Wine” experiment
In a classic 2001 study by Morrot, Brochet, and Dubourdieu, wine students were given a white wine dyed red. The results? They described it using exclusively red wine vocabulary (e.g. “cherry,” “leather,” “spice”)—completely fooled by the color.
What color tells us (and why it misleads)
Color in Beaujolais Wines
- A young Beaujolais Nouveau might show vibrant purple hues, suggesting freshness and carbonic maceration.
- A cru like Morgon can appear deeper ruby, hinting at extraction or oak.
- An aged Chiroubles may lose intensity and show brick or garnet edges, leading tasters to assume oxidation or fragility.
The danger? Visual expectations might override aromatic or gustatory reality, especially for less-trained tasters.
Color = Prejudice
When we see a light red, our brain expects something light-bodied, acidic, perhaps frivolous. That’s why some dismiss Gamay prematurely—without real tasting. Lepousez warns that “once color is seen, it’s too late—the brain filters smell and taste through that lens.”
Blind tasting: a tool for recalibrating the brain
Why use black glasses
Professional blind tasting often involves opaque black glasses. This removes color as a variable, allowing tasters to rely solely on nose, mouthfeel, and structure.
Studies using fMRI scans show that when sight is removed, olfactory and gustatory regions of the brain become more active.
A simple exercise
For your next tasting of Beaujolais:
- Pour the same wine in two glasses.
- Cover one with black paper or taste it in dim light.
- Smell and taste before looking.
- Then, open your eyes and compare impressions.
You’ll likely notice that color shaped your expectations, even subtly.
Implications for Beaujolais lovers and educators
Gamay’s visual trap
Because Gamay can be vinified in many styles—from light and floral (Fleurie) to dense and age-worthy (Moulin-à-Vent)—its color is not a reliable indicator of quality.
For Sommeliers and Winemakers
- Introduce black-glass tastings at events to engage the public.
- Train servers to understand how visual cues can mislead.
- Highlight texture, acidity, and aromatic profile rather than color in tasting notes.
Gabriel Lepousez’s research reminds us that tasting is a multisensory act, but one where sight often dominates unfairly. Beaujolais—subtle, complex, and often underestimated—stands to benefit from this insight more than most regions.
Next time you pour a glass of Gamay, ask yourself: What if I couldn’t see it? You might discover a wine you never expected.