
Neuroenology
How the Brain Creates the Taste of Wine
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Peter Lerman
-
By:
-
Gordon Shepherd
About this listen
In his new book, leading neuroscientist Gordon M. Shepherd expands on the startling discovery that the brain creates the taste of wine. This approach to understanding wine's sensory experience draws on findings in neuroscience, biomechanics, human physiology, and traditional enology. Shepherd shows that creating the taste of wine engages more of the brain than does any other human behavior.
Neuroenology is the first book on wine tasting by a neuroscientist. It begins with the movements of wine through the mouth and then consults recent research to explain the function of retronasal smell and its extraordinary power in creating wine taste. Shepherd comprehensively explains how the specific sensory pathways in the cerebral cortex create the memory of wine and how language is used to identify and imprint wine characteristics. Intended for a broad audience from amateur wine drinkers to sommeliers, from casual foodies to seasoned chefs, Neuroenology shows how the emotion of pleasure is the final judge of the wine experience. It includes practical tips for a scientifically informed wine tasting and closes with a delightful account of Shepherd's experience tasting classic Bordeaux vintages with French winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet of the Chateau Petrus and Dominus Estate.
The book is published by Columbia University Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.
"Shepherd manages to present sometimes incredibly technical information in a clear, concise and highly readable way." (Financial Review)
"Provides a valuable and interesting glimpse into the human side of science and its inherently cross-disciplinary nature." (Christopher R. Loss, Culinary Institute of America)
"Let's have a toast to Gordon Shepherd and his marvelous new book!" (Pierre-Marie Lledo, The Pasteur Institute)
©2017 Gordon M. Shepherd (P)2022 Redwood AudiobooksListeners also enjoyed...
-
Viticulture, Second Edition
- An Introduction to Commercial Grape Growing for Wine Production
- By: Stephen Skelton MW
- Narrated by: Stephen Skelton
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This second edition of Viticulture is an introduction to the professional world of growing grapes for wine production and is aimed at the serious student in the wine trade, WSET diploma student, or Master of Wine candidate. It is also aimed at anybody considering owning or planting a vineyard who wants a basic primer on the subject. It is written in an easy-to-digest style, arranged in 14 relatively short chapters, and illustrated with 100 photographs and charts. Viticulture is all you need to know about grape growing.
-
-
For wine or Agriculture nerds.
- By Amazon Customer on 11-08-23
-
The Story of Wine
- From Noah to Now
- By: Hugh Johnson
- Narrated by: Simon De Deney
- Length: 26 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When first published in 1989, The Story of Wine won every wine award in the UK, and the USA. It is widely regarded as Hugh Johnson’s most ambitious and enthralling book. It is not just one story but a collection of many, scanning the wine world from Noah to Napa, from Pompeii to Pomerol, as illuminating to our understanding of civilization as it is to our appreciation of wine. Chronicling the making, merchandising, and drinking of wine through millennia, this new edition is fully updated to include Johnson’s view of the evolution of wine over the past 30 years.
-
-
The worst narration that I’ve ever heard
- By Pradip on 05-25-24
By: Hugh Johnson
-
The World in a Wineglass
- The Insider's Guide to Artisanal, Sustainable, Extraordinary Wines to Drink Now
- By: Ray Isle
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free, Ray Isle
- Length: 24 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Food & Wine editor Ray Isle does for wine what Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma did for food—showing listeners how to choose more delicious, interesting, and environmentally friendly wines without breaking the bank.
-
-
Needs a pdf
- By Dr. S on 11-26-23
By: Ray Isle
-
Vino
- The Essential Guide to Real Italian Wine
- By: Joe Campanale, Joshua David Stein
- Narrated by: Stephen Graybill
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed Italian wine expert, sommelier, winemaker, and restaurateur, Joe Campanale presents a comprehensive guide that is as transportive as it is deeply educational. Vino dives into the dynamic landscape of Italian wine today, where a new generation of winemakers is eschewing popular international styles, championing long-forgotten indigenous grapes, and adopting sustainable approaches best suited for their local climates.
-
-
In depth
- By Empty handed on 11-16-22
By: Joe Campanale, and others
-
Agave Spirits
- The Past, Present, and Future of Mezcals
- By: Gary Paul Nabhan, David Suro Pinera
- Narrated by: Adi Cabral
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All tequilas are mezcals; all mezcals are made from agaves; and every bottle of mezcal is the remarkable result of collaborations among agave entrepreneurs, botanists, distillers, beverage distributors, bartenders, and more. How these groups come together in this "spirits world" is the subject of this fascinating new book by the acclaimed ethnobotanist Gary Paul Nabhan and the pioneering restauranteur David Suro Piñera.
-
-
The Heart of Mezcal: Terroir in a Copita
- By AppleCedAR on 03-15-25
By: Gary Paul Nabhan, and others
-
99 Bottles
- A Black Sheep's Guide to Life-Changing Wines
- By: André Hueston Mack
- Narrated by: André Hueston Mack
- Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this entertaining, informative, and thoroughly unconventional wine guide, award-winning sommelier, winemaker, and wine educator André Mack presents listeners with the 99 bottles that have most impacted his life. Instead of just pairing wines with foods, Mack pairs practical information with personal stories, offering up recommendations alongside reflections on being one of the only African-Americans to ever work at the top level of the American wine industry. The 99 bottles range from highly accessible commercial wines to the most rarefied Bordeaux....
-
-
Great guide to wine and life
- By Earl on 01-25-21
-
Viticulture, Second Edition
- An Introduction to Commercial Grape Growing for Wine Production
- By: Stephen Skelton MW
- Narrated by: Stephen Skelton
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This second edition of Viticulture is an introduction to the professional world of growing grapes for wine production and is aimed at the serious student in the wine trade, WSET diploma student, or Master of Wine candidate. It is also aimed at anybody considering owning or planting a vineyard who wants a basic primer on the subject. It is written in an easy-to-digest style, arranged in 14 relatively short chapters, and illustrated with 100 photographs and charts. Viticulture is all you need to know about grape growing.
-
-
For wine or Agriculture nerds.
- By Amazon Customer on 11-08-23
-
The Story of Wine
- From Noah to Now
- By: Hugh Johnson
- Narrated by: Simon De Deney
- Length: 26 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When first published in 1989, The Story of Wine won every wine award in the UK, and the USA. It is widely regarded as Hugh Johnson’s most ambitious and enthralling book. It is not just one story but a collection of many, scanning the wine world from Noah to Napa, from Pompeii to Pomerol, as illuminating to our understanding of civilization as it is to our appreciation of wine. Chronicling the making, merchandising, and drinking of wine through millennia, this new edition is fully updated to include Johnson’s view of the evolution of wine over the past 30 years.
-
-
The worst narration that I’ve ever heard
- By Pradip on 05-25-24
By: Hugh Johnson
-
The World in a Wineglass
- The Insider's Guide to Artisanal, Sustainable, Extraordinary Wines to Drink Now
- By: Ray Isle
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free, Ray Isle
- Length: 24 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Food & Wine editor Ray Isle does for wine what Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma did for food—showing listeners how to choose more delicious, interesting, and environmentally friendly wines without breaking the bank.
-
-
Needs a pdf
- By Dr. S on 11-26-23
By: Ray Isle
-
Vino
- The Essential Guide to Real Italian Wine
- By: Joe Campanale, Joshua David Stein
- Narrated by: Stephen Graybill
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed Italian wine expert, sommelier, winemaker, and restaurateur, Joe Campanale presents a comprehensive guide that is as transportive as it is deeply educational. Vino dives into the dynamic landscape of Italian wine today, where a new generation of winemakers is eschewing popular international styles, championing long-forgotten indigenous grapes, and adopting sustainable approaches best suited for their local climates.
-
-
In depth
- By Empty handed on 11-16-22
By: Joe Campanale, and others
-
Agave Spirits
- The Past, Present, and Future of Mezcals
- By: Gary Paul Nabhan, David Suro Pinera
- Narrated by: Adi Cabral
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All tequilas are mezcals; all mezcals are made from agaves; and every bottle of mezcal is the remarkable result of collaborations among agave entrepreneurs, botanists, distillers, beverage distributors, bartenders, and more. How these groups come together in this "spirits world" is the subject of this fascinating new book by the acclaimed ethnobotanist Gary Paul Nabhan and the pioneering restauranteur David Suro Piñera.
-
-
The Heart of Mezcal: Terroir in a Copita
- By AppleCedAR on 03-15-25
By: Gary Paul Nabhan, and others
-
99 Bottles
- A Black Sheep's Guide to Life-Changing Wines
- By: André Hueston Mack
- Narrated by: André Hueston Mack
- Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this entertaining, informative, and thoroughly unconventional wine guide, award-winning sommelier, winemaker, and wine educator André Mack presents listeners with the 99 bottles that have most impacted his life. Instead of just pairing wines with foods, Mack pairs practical information with personal stories, offering up recommendations alongside reflections on being one of the only African-Americans to ever work at the top level of the American wine industry. The 99 bottles range from highly accessible commercial wines to the most rarefied Bordeaux....
-
-
Great guide to wine and life
- By Earl on 01-25-21
-
Proof
- The Science of Booze
- By: Adam Rogers
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Proof, Adam Rogers reveals alcohol as a miracle of science, going deep into the pleasures of making and drinking booze—and the effects of the latter. The people who make and sell alcohol may talk about history and tradition, but alcohol production is really powered by physics, molecular biology, organic chemistry, and a bit of metallurgy—and our taste for those products is a melding of psychology and neurobiology.
-
-
Great listening to all about booze
- By Atila on 08-02-14
By: Adam Rogers
-
The Sommelier's Atlas of Taste
- A Field Guide to the Great Wines of Europe
- By: Rajat Parr, Jordan Mackay
- Narrated by: P. J. Ochlan
- Length: 13 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The first definitive reference book to describe, region-by-region, how the great wines of Europe should taste. This will be the go-to guide for aspiring sommeliers, wine aficionados who want to improve their blind tasting skills, and amateur enthusiasts looking for a straightforward and visceral way to understand and describe wine.
-
-
Annoying Narrator
- By Liana Reynolds on 08-31-22
By: Rajat Parr, and others
-
The Hungry Brain
- Outsmarting the Instincts That Make Us Overeat
- By: Stephan J. Guyenet Ph.D.
- Narrated by: Aaron Abano
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one wants to overeat. And certainly no one wants to overeat for years, become overweight, and end up with a high risk of diabetes or heart disease--yet two thirds of Americans do precisely that. Even though we know better, we often eat too much. Why does our behavior betray our own intentions to be lean and healthy? The problem, argues obesity and neuroscience researcher Stephan J. Guyenet, is not necessarily a lack of willpower or an incorrect understanding of what to eat.
-
-
Absolute Terrible
- By Innate on 06-11-17
-
Understanding the World of Wine
- By: Brian Wheaton
- Narrated by: Brian Wheaton
- Length: 14 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gain the wine know-how you’ve always wanted in this comprehensive course. With thousands of wines on sale in the US today, choosing just the right one for each occasion can be a challenge even for the experienced. To help you master that challenge and deepen your appreciation of wine and its inexpressibly rich lore, Master of Wine Brian Wheaton recorded Understanding the World of Wine. Whether you're a seasoned oenophile or a beginner, you will discover new insights in this set of 36 easy-to-use audio lectures.
-
-
A brief history of wine
- By Steve C on 08-06-18
By: Brian Wheaton
-
Wine Wars
- The Curse of the Blue Nun, the Miracle of Two Buck Chuck, and the Revenge of the Terroirists
- By: Mike Veseth
- Narrated by: Clinton Wade
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Writing with wit and verve, Mike Veseth (a.k.a. the Wine Economist) tells the compelling story of the war between the market trends that are redrawing the world wine map and the terroirists who resist them. Wine and the wine business are at a critical crossroad today, transformed by three powerful forces. Veseth begins with the first force, globalization, which is shifting the center of the wine world as global wine markets provide enthusiasts with a rich but overwhelming array of choices.
-
-
Narration Tanks an Otherwise-Interesting Book
- By Gian on 02-21-14
By: Mike Veseth
-
The Tell-Tale Brain
- A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human
- By: V. S. Ramachandran
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
V. S. Ramachandran is at the forefront of his field - so much so that Richard Dawkins dubbed him the "Marco Polo of neuroscience". Now, in a major new work, Ramachandran sets his sights on the mystery of human uniqueness. Taking us to the frontiers of neurology, he reveals what baffling and extreme case studies can teach us about normal brain function and how it evolved.
-
-
Great if you like understanding how brains work
- By Michael on 12-25-11
-
The Strange Order of Things
- Life, Feeling, and the Making of Cultures
- By: Antonio Damasio
- Narrated by: Steve West, Antonio Damasio
- Length: 9 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Strange Order of Things is a pathbreaking investigation into homeostasis, the condition that regulates human physiology within the range that makes possible not only the survival but also the flourishing of life. Antonio Damasio makes clear that we descend biologically, psychologically, and even socially from a long lineage that begins with single living cells; that our minds and cultures are linked by an invisible thread to the ways and means of ancient unicellular life and other primitive life-forms.
-
-
Homeostasis and Metabolism give self awareness
- By Gary on 03-22-18
By: Antonio Damasio
-
Doctors and Distillers
- The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails
- By: Camper English
- Narrated by: Joanna Carpenter
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alcohol and Medicine have an inextricably intertwined history, with innovations in each altering the path of the other. The story stretches back to ancient times, when beer and wine were used to provide nutrition and hydration, and were employed as solvents for healing botanicals. Over time, alchemists distilled elixirs designed to cure all diseases, monastic apothecaries developed mystical botanical liqueurs, traveling physicians concocted dubious intoxicating nostrums, and the drinks we’re familiar with today began to take form.
-
-
Informative and fun
- By Renee Walker on 06-09-24
By: Camper English
-
What's Going on in There?
- How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life
- By: Lise Eliot
- Narrated by: Cris Dukehart
- Length: 19 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a research neuroscientist, Lise Eliot has made the study of the human brain her life's work. But it wasn't until she was pregnant with her first child that she became intrigued with the study of brain development. She wanted to know precisely how the baby's brain is formed, and when and how each sense, skill, and cognitive ability is developed. And most importantly, she was interested in finding out how her role as a nurturer can affect this complex process.
-
-
Not an easy read, but an important one
- By ANDRÉ on 04-09-14
By: Lise Eliot
-
I Drink Therefore I Am
- A Philosopher's Guide to Wine
- By: Roger Scruton
- Narrated by: Kris Dyer
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We are familiar with the medical opinion that a daily glass of wine is good for the health and also the rival opinion that any more than a glass or two will set us on the road to ruin. Whether or not good for the body, Scruton argues, wine, drunk in the right frame of mind, is definitely good for the soul. And there is no better accompaniment to wine than philosophy. By thinking with wine, you can learn not only to drink in thoughts but to think in draughts.
By: Roger Scruton
-
The Nature of the Beast
- By: David J. Anderson
- Narrated by: L.J. Ganser
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Does your dog get sad when you leave for the day? Does your cat purr because she loves you? Do bears attack when they’re angry? You can’t very well ask them. In fact, scientists haven’t been able to reach a consensus on whether animals even have emotions like humans do, let alone how to study them. Yet studies of animal emotion are critical for understanding human emotion and mental illness. In The Nature of the Beast, pioneering neuroscientist David J. Anderson describes a new approach to solving this problem.
-
-
Neuroscience at it’s best!
- By Ulrike Griebel on 10-29-23
-
The Mind of a Bee
- By: Lars Chittka
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most of us are aware of the hive mind—the power of bees as an amazing collective. But do we know how uniquely intelligent bees are as individuals? In The Mind of a Bee, Lars Chittka draws from decades of research, including his own pioneering work, to argue that bees have remarkable cognitive abilities. He shows that they are profoundly smart, have distinct personalities, can recognize flowers and human faces, exhibit basic emotions, count, use simple tools, solve problems, and learn by observing others. They may even possess consciousness.
-
-
A Nerdgasm: Informative Yet Deterministic
- By Drone Boy on 08-06-22
By: Lars Chittka