Comment by erdojo | Hacker News Reader

Comment by erdojo | Hacker News Reader

Sigh. Being a supertaster isn't a scientific explanation for not liking wine. It just means if you don't like wine you are more likely to dislike it a lot.

By the definition, I am a supertaster. I know this because I once had a virus that made the papillae on my tongue swell and I couldn't eat anything for a week. My doctors all exclaimed how many "taste buds" I had and I must taste foods very strongly. I do - I rarely need seasonings - even salt and pepper - or heavy sauces. I eat pretty simple and enjoy (or despise) flavors.

But I love wine and many other strong/sour/acidic/fermented foods. Love dark chocolate. Lemons. Bitter green teas. I suppose I would love these as a medium or light taster too.

On the other hand, I hate coffee, sauerkraut, blue cheese and some other strong foods. I suppose I would hate these as a medium or light taster too. Just maybe not as fervently.

Hm, I think the article got that wrong -- Wikipedia seems to suggest that it's a lesser indicator [1]. If you don't have access to that PROP chemical they mentioned, an easier test is tonic water. Does it taste extremely bitter to you? For me (someone who has a lot of the features of a supertaster), tonic water is a nightmare.

If anything, your experience seems opposite of what supertasters experience, which is that certain chemicals overpower and blot out the normal flavor that others experience, especially with alcohol.

[1] "The cause of this heightened [taste] response is unknown, although it is thought to be related to the presence of the TAS2R38 gene, the ability to taste PROP and PTC, and, at least in part, due to an increased number of fungiform papillae." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supertaster#Cause

Is it possible that not all supertasters are alike? But that being a supertaster is still relevant to differentiation between people's preferences for wine?

I'm sure there are variations. But the idea of a supertaster is that tastes are more pronounced. So strong/acidic foods can be off-putting. But it's still not the "cause" for not liking a food, more of a degree.

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