In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with Dr. P.J. Alaimo, a professor of chemistry and the chemistry department chair at Seattle University. Chris and P.J. dive deep into wine chemistry, discussing the chemical components of wine and why different wines taste, feel, and look the way they do. They also provide some great exercises and tips for anyone looking to improve their tasting skills.
P.J. Alaimo studied chemistry and philosophy as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, then earned his doctorate in organic chemistry at UC Berkeley. Prior to his studies, he cooked in fine dining restaurants. Since 2004, he has been a chemistry professor at Seattle University, where he teaches organic chemistry as well as a popular class on the science of food and cooking. P.J. also consults with numerous Seattle restaurants.
Listen in to expand your understanding of wine chemistry! If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review to support the show. Cheers!
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P.J. Alaimo studied chemistry and philosophy as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, then earned his doctorate in organic chemistry at UC Berkeley. He conducted his postdoctoral research in chemical genetics at UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco. Prior to his studies, in the 1980s, P.J. cooked in fine dining restaurants. P.J. joined the chemistry department at Seattle University in 2004 and has been a full professor there since 2015. He is now a professor of chemistry and the department chair. He teaches organic chemistry as well as a class on the science of food and cooking. P.J. lives in Seattle with his wife and two children.
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super helpful podcast
10/10 podcast. Love learning about the scientific part of wine because it really dials in much of what I’ve learned and sort of completes the circle for a lot of things which I already know.
I've really been hoping for text translations of all the podcasts for note taking purposes. So far, no luck. I will let the podcast run and have a text-to-speech app opened up then copy it over. It's a bit ham fisted but works.
Is there a transcript available? Informative and easy to follow. Would love a continuation of this podcast, perhaps a blind tasting and scientific analysis? :)