ON THE WEB

by KYLE SWARTZ

Ol

by MELISSA DOWLING

Who knew that prosecco had a sound ? Answer : Dr . Hoby Wedler , a chemist , entrepreneur and sensory expert , who opens the doors to the world of wine aromas and sensations with blindfolded wine tasting experiences . Wedler helped celebrate National Prosecco Week on June 28 at The Leopard Des Artistes in New York with Tasting in the Dark , a cross-sensory tasting event .

Dr . Wedler , who has been completely blind since birth , earned his Ph . D . in organic chemistry from UC Davis in 2016 . He leveraged his highly trained palate and acute sensory insight of his surroundings to create customized tasting experiences such as Tasting in the Dark , developed in 2011 in collaboration with Francis Ford Coppola .

Participants in the prosecco tasting wore blindfolds and used a custom multi-sensory kit from innovation design studio Emotitech , which allowed them to integrate tactile and olfactory elements . For example , smelling a small tin containing a river rock dampened with purified water helped defined some of the mineral , stony qualities of the wine , while a tin with pieces of green apple and raspberries demonstrated the fruity aromas .

In one exercise , Dr . Wedler instructed attendees to plug one ear , then take a sip of prosecco and swallow , noting the sounds and feel of the bubbles in the throat . Repeating the process with plain water heightened the difference in sensations , particularly without any visual cues . The experience

www . beveragedynamics . com provided a unique and deeper perspective on the distinctive qualities of the Prosecco DOC .

The proseccos featured in the blind tasting included Zardetto Prosecco DOC Brut ; Mionetto Prosecco DOC Brut ; La Gioiosa Prosecco DOC Brut ; Brilla Prosecco DOC Extra Dry Rosé 2023 ; Avissi Prosecco DOC Extra Dry ; and Fantinel Prosecco DOC Extra Dry . Dr . Wedler threw participants a curveball with a Prosecco DOC still wine from Voga as the last wine in the tasting . The production of still Prosecco involves fermenting the wine in tanks , similar to the Charmat method , but without the second fermentation that creates the bubbles , resulting in a wine that presents the floral and fruity characteristics of the glera grape .

National Prosecco Week , which in 2024 took place from June 24−30 , is supported by the Prosecco DOC Consortium . The campaign now reaches more than 1,000 ecommerce and brick-and-mortar stores across 30 states and includes a full digital media and marketing program , strategic media partnerships and influencer activations . •

Melissa Dowling is editor of Cheers magazine , our on-premise sister publication . Contact her at mdowling @ epgacceleration . com .

For the full stories , visit www . BeverageDynamics . com .

Fall 2024 • Beverage Dynamics 5