Complexity is a multi-dimensional and poorly-defined term that is employed frequently when wine is characterised organoleptically. The present study's aim was to investigate the sensorial nature of perceived complexity in white wine as a function of domain-specific expertise. Eightyseven French participants (16 wine professionals, 30 wine connoisseurs, and 41 wine consumers) evaluated thirteen Sauvignon blanc wines that had been produced in New Zealand. The wines were part of a wine innovation project aimed at increasing perceived complexity in Sauvignon wines.The within-subject design required each participant to evaluate all wines by two methods, free sorting and by judging complexity qualitatively and quantitatively. The latter involved measurement of perceived complexity and assumed sub-components of wine complexity via a questionnaire (Medel, 2011). Results showed that sorting behaviour across groups was similar qualitatively, with each group classifying the wines in much the same way. On the other hand, between-group differences were observed in variability with greater within-group consensus amongst oenologists than wine consumers. The complexity questionnaire data showed differences in ratings as a function of both participant expertise and wine. In terms of theories concerning cognitive processing associated with perception of wine complexity, the results are in keeping with the notion that complexity is associated with aspects of harmony and wine balance, rather than with perceptual separability of wine components.