After5Houston - Your Brain Is Lying To You About Wine

Put your senses to the test and discover how easily your brain can change what you think you're tasting.
About this Event

A Conversation on Wine, Perception, and the Science of Taste

Join a wine and sensory scientist for a lively, interactive exploration of how much of what you taste is really coming from the glass and how much is coming from your brain.

We'll explore how different variables and the interaction between our senses can dramatically influence perception.

What We'll Cover:

• The science of perception - Explore how color, suggestion, and expectations can influence what you perceive when you taste.

• Your senses at work - Discover how smell, taste, and visual cues interact to shape your experience - and how they can sometimes completely mislead you.

• Your own sensory abilities - Put your senses to the test, find out where you fall on the "supertaster" spectrum, and experience firsthand how perception can change the way you taste.

Whether you're curious about sensory science, a wine lover, or simply interested in how your senses shape your experience of the world, come prepared to experiment and possibly question every confident wine opinion you've ever had.

Don't miss this chance to connect with your After5Society.

About The Speaker:

Dr. Andreea Botezatu is an Associate Professor and Extension Enology Specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife, a wine scientist, former commercial winemaker, and host of The Wine Lab podcast. Her work explores wine quality, sensory science, and the wonderfully unreliable ways our brains interpret taste. She loves turning serious science into experiments that are practical, surprising, and fun - and showing audiences just how easily their own senses can fool them.

Good to know before you come:

• Arrive early to grab a drink and food and get settled

• The speaker portion lasts 1 hour, with optional time to stay and socialize afterward

• This is a participatory event

Agenda

🕑: 06:00 PM - 06:30 PM
Doors Open & Drinks Flow

Info: Arrive early to grab a drink, settle in, and enjoy the atmosphere. Early birds get the best seats and a head start on mingling!

🕑: 06:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Guided Experience / Talk

Info: Dive into an engaging, interactive session with our speaker. Participate, observe, or simply soak it all in - it's your experience to enjoy.

🕑: 07:30 PM - 08:00 PM
Social Time & Connection

Info: Stick around to chat with fellow attendees, swap ideas, or just relax with a drink. Great conversations often happen after the main event!