While such devices are still in their formative stages, researchers believe they will invent wine-tasting machines more objective than human wine tasters. The electronic tongue, which is also referred to as an e-tongue, is built of a myriad of microscopic synthetic membranes mounted upon a single multi-sensor silicon chip. Each unit has different sensitivity levels enabling it to detect differences in grape vintages. Already the device can tell the difference between four distinct wines; Chardonnay, Macabeu, Airen, and Malvasia, and can also differentiate two different vintages of the same wine. The year of 2005 and 2004.. Changing the range of chemical components in the e-tongue should enable it to be able to recognize fraudulent wine practices.

Just like the human tongue this device can distinguish the five major tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, acidic and umami (small dish). Nine samples from 2005 vintage and six samples from 2004 were used by scientists to test the device. The RSCJ reported that significant testing was done on the product over a span of recent months. The device is easy to use and it can also be made portable, so it can be carried to site to test the wine samples. The device would be quick and inexpensive and simple to use.

Electronic "tongues" and "noses" are being worked on by scientists to help the wine tasting industry increase their objectivity by not using "real" people. This technology is not only used in the wine industries to make more consistent descriptions of wine, but also in detecting explosives and assisting other security efforts.

Since name brand wines can command big bucks on the open market, wine counterfeiting has become extremely lucrative. Creating a fake label is easy but it is difficult to detect. The fine-wine industry is handling these counterfeit wines by using special ways including inks, bottles, holograms and bar codes to protect defrauding themselves and the customers.

The Australian wine company, hardy, uses genetic vine material in neck seals to keep track of its more precious bottlings while the temperature-tracking tags are a recent innovation. The electronic wine taster can be useful for discerning different grape varieties, but whether it can detect the subtle differences between wines, the way a human can, is another matter. Other than that , you are ready to spend lavishly an expensive bottle on a robot?