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

As indicated in the sweetness discussion (Chapter 5), high alcohol can also be perceived
as sweetness and often can be a key element in food-and-wine pairing considerations. A
California Chardonnay with its high level of alcohol will work in tandem with some sweetness
(natural or added) present in many prepared dishes.
THE IMPACT OF OAK
The addition of oak can be thought of as a ‘‘reverse marinade’’ for wine. A marinade is
a liquid that is used to flavor, tenderize, preserve, or ‘‘cook’’ a food item. Oak barrels provide
a solid agent that imparts flavor, color, aroma, and body to a liquid (wine)—thus the concept
of a ‘‘reverse marinade.’’ As with any marinating technique, the longer and stronger the
marinade, the bigger the impact on the final product. Just as the culinarian utilizes marinades
for a variety of purposes, the winemaker may use oak during the fermentation and aging
process to impart flavor, color, aroma, and texture to the finished wine. While oak aging
may do all of these things, from a pairing perspective one of its largest impacts is on the
texture or body style of the finished product. The long-standing tradition of serving white
wine with fish has been viewed as a cardinal rule. But the addition of oak to a Chardonnay
or Sauvignon Blanc can make them too rich for simply prepared fish dishes.
Wine is generally evaluated as having little, moderate, or heavy oak character, based
on the multiple ways in which oak impacts the senses. Did it impact the color of the wine?
Can you smell smoky, woody, or oaken aromas? Can you taste oak, wood, or smoke when
you savor the wine? Or is the mouthfeel of the wine sample richer or more tannic than
wines from the varietal that have not been aged in oak? Many whites and some reds will
have no oak present; New World wines have a tendency toward stronger oak than many
Old World wines, although the lines are definitely blurring between these traditions.
A final indicator of oak aging is price. All else being equal, wine that has been aged
in oak will cost more than unoaked versions of the same varietal from the same region of
the world and from a wine producer of equal reputation.
Unoaked fruity whites and reds with soft fruit work better with salads and other light
or sour food items. Aging in oak reduces the acidity level in white and red wines. Oaked
wines work well with cooking methods that impart a high degree of textures, such as grilling,
broiling, smoking, roasting, or braising. Oak in wine also works with other types of heavier
food textures such as grains or legumes—think of Cajun red beans and rice cooked with
smoked sausage. Even as oak has a large impact on wine texture, it also imparts flavor and
can interact with food flavors as well (the impact of flavors is discussed further in upcoming
chapters). While the presence of oak is not included as a separate texture element in the
wine and food pairing tool shown in the final section of this book, it is something to consider
when writing comments during the wine evaluation process. Oak is included as part of the
flavor type section of the pairing assessment tool. Earlier research indicates that an assessment
of oak aging’s effect on the texture of wine correlates strongly to judges’ assessment
of overall body. 13 A separate measurement of oak as texture would to some extent be redundant
and was not included to simplify the pairing tool and increase its reliability.
OVERALL WINE BODY
Tannin, alcohol, oak, extract, and other elements work in tandem to provide a feeling
of body and texture in wine. As previously noted, extract is basically particles of fruit that
remain suspended in a finished wine; it creates a sense of body and adds a chewy character
to wine. While all sweet wines are not full-bodied, sweetness in wine can also contribute to
the overall weight and viscosity of certain wines (Sauternes and ice wines are examples).
Overall Wine Body 157