food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington

The basic rule for wine and food
pairing indicates that the food acidity
level should be less than or equal to the
acidity level of the wine to be perceived
as a match. As you are tasting, you will
want to think about this theoretical relationship
and whether or not you believe
it applies. In a recent research project,
tasting panel members indicated that the
perceived level of acidity of the warmclimate
Chardonnay sample was somewhere
between the level of cow’s milk
MATERIALS NEEDED
STEPS
and yogurt. The perceived level of acidity
of the Fumé Blanc was higher than yogurt
but less than orange juice. The perceived
level of acidity of a moderateclimate
Sauvignon Blanc was about the
same as orange juice, and cool-climate
Sauvignon Blanc (in this case Sancerre)
was higher than orange juice but less
than grapefruit juice. What do these findings
indicate in terms of matching wines
with foods using vinaigrettes, marinades,
and other sour additives?
Table 5.13 Materials Needed for Exercise 5.6
OBJECTIVE
Prepackaged food items from Exercise 5.5 Napkins
Exercise 5.6 127
The objective of this exercise is to assess
acidity levels of wine and food together
and to evaluate the interaction of lower,
equal, or higher acidity when wine or
food are tasted together.
Mise en Place: Things to Do Before
the Exercise Prior to evaluation,
make sure the wines are still at the appropriate
tasting temperature and that
you have a sufficient amount of each
food item to taste a bite or two with each
wine sample.
Pasta mixture samples from Exercise 5.5 Drinking water for each student
Wines from Exercise 5.4 Glasses for water
1 copy Food and Wine Sensory Anchor Reference sheets
per student
4 wineglasses on paper placemats
Completed Wine and Food Acidity evaluation sheets Utensils for food items
4 or 8 Food Item and Wine Acidity Comparison sheets
per student
Paper plates or bowls to serve food
1. Provide a portion of each food item and an ounce of each wine sample for each taster. Write the name of one food item at the
top of each Food Item and Wine Acidity Comparison sheet.
2. Taste the food items in order of acidity (lowest to highest) and with each wine sample (least to most acid)—for example, milk
(or pasta tossed with olive oil) with all wine samples (least to most acid); yogurt (or pasta tossed with balsamic vinaigrette) with
all wine samples (least to most acid), and so on. Record your observations and focus on ranking the comparative level of food
item acidity relative to the wine sample. For example, is the milk less acid than the Chardonnay, and if so, by how much on a
scale of 0 to 4?
3. Based on your impressions, rank-order the food items that you feel have the best match with each wine sample.
a. Warm-climate Chardonnay
Worst match 1. 2.
3.
Observations:
4. Best match
b. Moderate- to cool-climate Chardonnay or moderate-climate Fumé Blanc
Worst match 1. 2.
3.
Observations:
4. Best match
c. Moderate-climate New Zealand, California, or Washington Sauvignon Blanc
Worst match 1. 2.
3.
Observations:
4. Best match