The Science Behind
Your Sip

the science of wine doesn't have to be difficult

G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) make up the largest family of human cell surface receptors and are involved in a wide range of physiological functions, such as sight, taste, smell, behavioral and mood regulation, and regulation of the immune system.​

Specific GPCRs, such as sweet (T1R) and bitter (T2R) taste receptors, were first identified in taste bud type II cells and function as chemoreceptors that interact with taste stimuli to initiate a signal transmitted to the brain, resulting in taste perception.

Taste Perception

Sweet

Sweet (T1R) GPCRs respond to sugars and play a central role in perception of sweet and umami tastes in humans.​

  • High T1R (Sweet Taste Expression)
    leads to High Sweetness Perception or a High Ability to Detect Sugars
  • Low T1R (Sweet Taste Expression)
    leads to Low Sweetness Perception or a Low Ability to Detect Sugars

Bitter

Bitter (T2R) GPCRs respond to bitter compounds and play a central role in perception of bitter tastes in humans. T2Rs are genetically diverse and help to explain the wide variety of taste preference both within and between cultures.

  • High T2R (Bitter Taste Expression)
    leads to High Bitterness Perception or a High Ability to Detect Bitterness
  • Low T2R (Bitter Taste Expression)
    leads to Low Bitterness Perception or a Low Ability to Detect Bitterness

T1R/T2R Relationship and Wine

High T1 Receptors

Sweet Taste Expression

Wide range of bitterness and/or astringency to balance the increase in perceived sugar control.

taste perception

High T2 Receptors

Bitter Taste Expression

Higher sugar content of wines
to balance higher perceived
bitterness and/or astringency.

High T1 Receptors

  • Sweet Taste Expression
  • Wide range of bitterness and/or astringency to balance the increase in perceived sugar control.
taste perception

High T2 Receptors

  • Bitter Taste Expression
  • Higher sugar content of wines
    to balance higher perceived
    bitterness and/or astringency.

Genetics of Taste Perception

how does it all work

The genetic locus for T2R38, TAS2R38, has common polymorphisms that tend to segregate together, and each allele is typically inherited one from each parent, resulting in three primary combinations:

  • PAV/PAV - Homozygous Functional
  • PAV/AVI - Heterozygous
  • AVI/AVI - Homozygous Non-Functional