Gabriel Lepousez is a neuroscientist working in the Perception and Memory Laboratory in Paris. Grounded in his work on the neuronal basis of sensory perception, memory and emotions, he seeks to explain to wine professionals and amateurs how the brain works during wine tasting and how to enhance our neurosensory experience of wine.
How did your wine focus come about?
It’s born from the meeting between my work as a neuroscientist and my personal enthusiasm for wine and tasting. Several years ago, to my great surprise, I noticed that most professional tasters – sommeliers, winemakers and wine critics – know little about the brain, even though it is the tool they use daily to analyse wine! This prompted me to develop a neurosensory approach to wine tasting and offer my expertise to the industry.
What’s the best thing about your job?
The balance between research, teaching and wine tasting. And the fact that, because neuroscience and wine can interact on many levels, I meet many experts and learn a lot from them!
And the worst?
The frustration around not being able to dedicate 100% of my time to each of these different facets of my job.
What’s the most common misconception in your field?
Wine professionals…
