Wine Tasting: Essential Sensory Analysis Techniques

John Buechsenstein has established himself as a leading figure in wine education and winemaking over a career spanning more than three decades. At UC Davis Division of Continuing and Professional Education, he teaches the comprehensive course "Wine Tasting: Sensory Techniques for Wine Analysis," which has enrolled over 77,000 students and covers essential aspects of wine appreciation, sensory evaluation, and wine analysis. His teaching portfolio includes courses on wine sensory evaluation, formal wine tasting techniques, and the exploration of wine varietals from both Old World and New World regions. Through his instruction at both UC Davis and the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, he has developed specialized curricula focusing on wine standards, varietal characteristics, and the complex relationship between wine and terroir. His expertise extends to professional wine service education, where he conducts in-depth training on tableside service, wine fault recognition, and the principles of wine and food pairing. As part of the UC Davis Winemaking Certificate Program, he contributes to courses covering the fundamentals of winemaking, wine history, and wine classification systems. His educational impact has been recognized with the UC Davis Outstanding Teaching Award, reflecting his ability to demystify complex wine concepts for students ranging from beginners to industry professionals.