> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thechocolatelife.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Where Flavor Wheels Fail & A Live Tasting | #PSC 234 - URL: https://thechocolatelife.com/pinned/where-flavor-wheels-fail-psc-234/ - Published: 2026-09-24T19:49:06.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-24T19:58:56.000Z - Description: OVERVIEW: Episode 234 of #PodSaveChocolate takes another look at flavor wheels and the OG mistakes that all modern wheels copy. PLUS a live tasting of four – new to me - bars. - Author: Clay Gordon - Tags: PodSaveChocolate, Live Stream, #Pinned ### **Timing and Links to Watch & Comment** 🗓️ This stream begins at 10:00 ****MST** (10:00 P****D**T, 11:00 M****D**T, 12:00 C****D**T, 1:00 pm E****D**T) on Friday, September 25th, 2026. Links below to watch LIVE and to view the archived episode. This ****YOUTUBE** link is shareable. 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[Participate/Watch on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/share/19g2TckK4Z/) --- ## **Episode 234** If you’ve been following PodSaveChocolate and TheChocolateLife::LIVE, you know I think about flavor a lot. Most recently my thoughts are part of a larger research effort to understand how chocolate is classified compared with beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cheese. (In this grouping, chocolate and cheese are the most alike.) > I have become increasingly convinced that one thing holding chocolate appreciation and connoisseurship back is that there is no widely accepted framework for thinking about chocolate flavor that is based on first principles. Many of the popular approaches to visualizing taste have been influenced by the wine wheel introduced by Ann Noble in 1984\. Beer, spirits, and cheese (not shown here) and coffee and chocolate (shown in this post) have built visualizations from the wine foundation. I will be exploring the OG wine flavor classification “mistakes” and how they have been replicated across other domains, as I taste four chocolate bars: 1. Wildwood Chocolate’s [Fennel Pollen Caramel](https://wildwoodchocolate.com/products/fennelpollen?%5Fpos=1&ref=thechocolatelife.com) 2. Manoa Chocolate’s [Manakō Mango](https://manoachocolate.com/products/manako-x-mango-bar-70?ref=thechocolatelife.com) (from the *Flavors of Hawai'i* series) 3. Dandelion Chocolate’s 70% [Zorzal Comunitario](https://www.dandelionchocolate.com/products/zorzal-comunitario-dominican-republic-70-chocolate-bar?ref=thechocolatelife.com) 4. And ... the *just* released [Askinosie 65% Dark + Sichuan Chili Oil collaBARation](https://askinosie.com/products/dark-chocolate-sichuan-chili-collabaration-bar?ref=thechocolatelife.com) with Fly By Jing. > The first three bars are available at a local bakery; the Askinosie was sent to me. I will not have tasted any of these bars in advance of the episode. --- ### **Representative Wheels – Flavor Viz Falling Short** ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/annNobleWineWheel.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/SCAA_FlavorWheel.01.18.15-topaz-high_fidelity_v2-2x_1024x1024.jpeg) \[L\]: Wine flavor wheel. \[R\]: Specialty Coffee Association flavor wheel. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/CoEx-Flavour-Wheel-25Sept23-Large.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/523_-_CoEx_2023_Chocolate_Graph_EN-1605952789.jpeg) Cocoa of Excellence current wheel and how how it is used in judging. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/professionalHiddenPersuadersFlavrWeel.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/consumerHiddenPersuadersFlavrWeel.jpg) [***Hidden Persuaders**](https://thechocolatelife.com/hidden-persuaders-in-cocoa-and-chocolate/) *in Cocoa and Chocolate* was launched in February 2018\. \[L\]: For professionals. \[R\]: For consumers. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/Chocolatras_Wheel-1024x.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/beanstalkrFlavorWheel.jpeg) \[L\]: Chocolatras chocolate flavor wheel; \[R\] beanstalkr flavor wheel. --- ### **Alternatives to Wheels** ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/positiveFlavorProfileMapIICCT.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/defectsFlavorProfileMapIICCT.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/TWCCrop.jpg) How the IICCT visualizes flavors. \[L\]: Positive flavor attributes. \[C\] The bridge from chemistry to experience and association. \[R\]: Another take entirely. --- ### **Recent Related Episodes** [Visualizing Flavor | #PSC 220OVERVIEW: Episode 220 of #PodSaveChocolate takes a look at flavor visualizations, how they may influence the way flavors are perceived, and more. Are some presentation formats better than others? Should some entire approaches be deprecated? \[updated\]![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons-3aa46a91-90e0-4f11-8f42-af5574b740d9.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/-Ep-220-FlavorViz---Featured1920x1080-9168822a-64b5-42b5-89a5-49620acf28d3.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/visualizing-flavor-psc-220/) [Updated: Chocolate Education, Evaluation & Competition Judging | #PSC 218OVERVIEW: Episode 218 of #PodSaveChocolate takes an in-depth look at the IICCT and ICAs through the lens of educating people about chocolate, evaluating chocolate, and judging competitions, in comparison with beer and other beverages and foods. \[ Updated to include commentary/notes. \]![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons-e89ea223-8226-45a3-a7ff-3d8e435754f8.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/Ep-218-ICCT-ICA---Featured1920x1080-6959a8a8-fc92-4520-aac7-7a2e895b2b98.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/chocolate-education-evaluation-judging-psc-218/) [Before the Judging Can Begin | #PSC 217OVERVIEW: Episode 217 of #PodSaveChocolate takes a look at typology, classification, and taxonomy – and how the lack of a formal, consistent, and defensible vocabulary is a gaping hole in how chocolate is taught and judged. Then ... what can be done to address the challenges?![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons-bf2ecee0-2f3b-4207-8af4-968ca5b31075.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/Ep-217-Typology---Featured1920x1080-37b06dc4-3692-4211-99a4-df14f72c1e87.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/before-the-judging-can-begin-psc-217/) [Evaluating Chocolate: the What, the Why, and the How | #PSC 215OVERVIEW: Episode 215 of #PodSaveChocolate takes a look back, and forward, at how chocolate is evaluated – and asks the question, “Have we been doing it wrong all these years?”![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons-65811837-2de7-42ae-957e-e9d4f04b3522.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/Ep-215-Judging-What-Why-How---Featured1920x1080-77de582a-fe23-4236-a148-05ef84bfa1cd.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/evaluating-chocolate-the-what-the-why-and-the-how-psc-215/) ### **Future Episodes** 🗓️ Tuesday, September 29th ****First Look @** the recently announced **Certified Ceremonial Cacao** certification. --- ### **Episode Hashtags** #cocoa #cacao #cacau #chocolate #chocolat #PodSaveChoc #PSC #LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife --- ### **#PodSaveChocolate and #TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archives** **To read an archived post** and find the links to watch archived episodes, click on one of the bookmark cards below. 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[#TheChocolateLifeLIVE ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2023/03/solen-feyissa-WG7v_wYZW4Q-unsplash-CalendarFeatured1920x1080.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/thechocolatelife-live-calendar/) ⁉️ After a year-long+ experiment, the audio-only versions of PodSaveChocolate episodes have been taken down after an end-of-year review. There were not enough listens to continue uploading episodes and paying for hosting. ## Not a Member? Live The Chocolate Life – Live La Vida Cocoa! Sign up for ****Free** to comment and receive members-only content. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Premium subscriptions available. ---