Most people would acknowledge that there are a large number of physical influences that can affect our perception of wine. This can include simple things like the temperature of the wines, the style of the glass (I hate the word stemware), the weather, what you had to eat during the day, the perfume or cologne that people are wearing around you and many others.

However many would not readily acknowledge the effects of emotional influences on our sense of taste. In much the same way that foodies will often claim the importance of the chef when they made the food that they serve, so too can a wine drinker’s mood and emotional state have an influence on their tasting.