The power of the nose: olfaction, memory, wine, and marketing

The world of wine enthusiasts knows it all too well – our sense of smell is as crucial as our taste buds in appreciating and understanding the complexity and richness of wine. Olfaction, the act or process of smelling, is always at work. It envelops us with its evocative power, and without it, savoring would be a complicated task, given its inextricable partnership with the sense of taste. Here, we delve into fascinating insights about olfaction that might surprise you, illuminating its essential role in our gastronomic experiences.

The Underutilized Sense

Humans have the ability to detect more than a million different odors. However, we only use a fraction of these scents in our day-to-day lives. Our olfactory capability is significantly weaker than other animals, such as dogs or bats. These animals have a portion of their brain solely dedicated to the sense of smell, whereas, in humans, this function is shared with other cognitive areas.

The Wine and the Nose

Olfaction is pivotal in the enjoyment of wine, as the aroma contributes substantially to its flavor and complexity. Let's explore some interesting facts about the relationship between our sense of smell and wine.

Red wine contains over 1000 different volatile compounds that contribute to its aroma, including organic acids, steroids, esters, aldehydes, and many others. The nose is the primary organ used to smell the wine, but other parts of the olfactory system, such as the mouth and the throat, are also involved.

Olfaction plays a significant role in wine tasting. As one sips, the air contacts the aromas in the mouth and is then inhaled through the nose, allowing the brain to perceive the full flavor of the wine.

In oenology, the study of wines, a "nose" refers to an expert in identifying and describing wine aromas. They taste and assess wines to determine their quality and unique characteristics. To be a "nose" in oenology requires exceptional olfactory skills and profound knowledge about wine. These experts work in wineries, wine stores, or as independent consultants.

Triggering Memories

Our olfactory memory is incredibly powerful, so much so that a single scent can unlock memories and evoke feelings associated with past experiences. Hence, a particular perfume can remind you of a specific person, or the smell of a stew can transport you back to your childhood.

The sense of smell is the only one directly connected to the limbic system of the brain, responsible for emotions and emotional memory. Neuroscience explains how humans have this capability. The magic of olfactory memory begins in the olfactory bulbs, structures located in the skull, above the nasal cavity, responsible for capturing olfactory information to be processed by different parts of the brain.

In the amygdala, a smell is associated with one or more emotions, while the hippocampus is responsible for associating each aroma with a pre-existing memory. Thus, one of the most striking curiosities about smell is that it's the sense with the strongest memory.

The Selling Power of Smell

The marketing industry leverages the connection between the sense of smell and emotions to develop selling strategies. Olfactory marketing, as it's called, creates "brand scents" to solidify the corporate image of various types of businesses.

An intriguing example of olfactory marketing is a campaign led by the autonomous community of La Rioja. The objective was to stimulate tourism towards the area, and they chose the Community of Madrid for the initiative. The campaign was executed in the Madrid metro, where users could smell different aromas associated with La Rioja's star product – wine – through dispensers. In this way, the desire to visit La Rioja was awakened through the sense of smell.

The Evolving Sense

An individual's ability to smell changes throughout their lifetime. For example, during pregnancy, many women experience an increase in their smelling abilities due to hormonal changes in the body. Conversely, age and certain diseases, like Alzheimer's, can negatively impact the sense of smell.

Forensic Olfaction

One of the most intriguing facts about the sense of smell is its potential for personal identification, even post-mortem. Each person has a unique scent determined by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Although a person's scent can slightly change throughout their life, the essence remains the same. Therefore, a person's smell can be used as a form of forensic identification when other identification methods are impossible, such as in cases of disfigured or burned bodies.