Published for the first time in English in 2017 and now available in Italian, 'Neuroenologia. Il cervello e il piacere del vino' by Yale neuroscientist Gordon M. Shepherd presents a new field of study focused on wine tasting known as neuroenology. Shepherd's foundational argument is both straightforward and intriguing: the taste of wine is not confined to the glass but rather experienced in the brain of the taster. This perspective shifts the focus from the winemaker or the taster to the drinker themselves, emphasizing the subjective nature of wine appreciation.

Shepherd dedicates much of his research to sensory physiology, particularly olfaction. It is therefore not surprising that he delves into the role of smell, especially retronasal olfaction, as a pivotal component of wine tasting. The book leads readers through the intricate processes that occur in the brain during the experience of tasting wine, suggesting that cognitive and sensory perceptions interplay significantly in how we perceive flavors.

This exploration opens up broader implications for wine tasting and appreciation, indicating that experiences of pleasure derived from wine are more deeply connected to individual perception and neurological processes than previously understood. The insights gained from neuroenology could potentially revolutionize how we approach not just wine tasting, but food and beverage experiences in a wider context, calling into question traditional methods and beliefs surrounding sensory evaluation.