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

number of reasons why these generalizations may hold, including differences in growing
conditions, differences in tradition, and taste preferences.
Old World traditions include classical music, refined fashion, stone castles, and stately
manor houses. In fine wine, there is a ‘‘bottled tradition’’ resulting from generations’ worth
of trial and error. The wines produced here are more commonly made under appellations
that control the style of wine to a certain extent (permitted grapes, boundaries of growing
area, maximum vineyard yield, minimum alcohol content [minimum ripeness levels]), viticulture
practices (irrigation), and vinification (aging requirements). 24 New World grape
growers and wine producers have a freer rein in decisions on viticulture issues and production
techniques, though this is becoming less evident as wine industry professionals determine
the best terroir to grow particular grapes of the highest quality and focus on wine styles that
are particular to a region and location. Ontario wine producers’ adherence to Vintners Quality
Assurance Ontario (VQA) requirements and the institutionalization of Ontario ice wine
are evidence of how wine products become a regional tradition.
As noted earlier, the idea of terroir is uniquely French in
origin. There is no direct translation into English, but Fanet provides
a good definition: ‘‘an umbrella term for a subtle interaction
of natural factors and human skills that define the characteristics
of each wine-growing area.’’ 25 The concept of terroir is applied to
both food and wine in France. The basic idea was established
through the appellations d’origine contrôlée (AOC) in response to a
portion of the population that was diametrically opposed to standardized
farming and intensive methods of production (a ‘‘homogenization’’
of agricultural production). The system is based on
limiting production to specific areas (terroirs) and the regulation
of production techniques used. The rationale for this idea is to
enhance the natural environment through the use of sustainable
farming and production methods. This leads to distinct products
with characteristics that cannot be duplicated elsewhere.
In terms of wine, the concept of terroir is important in the
Old World tradition of a perceived close connection between the
people and the land and soil. 26 The final Old World wine product
has, in many cases, earthy characteristics. The earthiness in wine
pairs well with many of the traditional food items that have a
substantial amount of earthy (and sometimes funky) character,
such as potatoes, truffles, cheeses, mushrooms, and the like. The
Old World wines are more likely to be made from grapes grown
in poor, rocky soil (i.e., Bordeaux, Douro [Port], and Mosel), and many aspects of life in the
Old World regions often seem to revolve around food. In many parts of the Old World,
wine with food is as common as having salt and pepper on the table is to us in North
America. The wines in these regions are styled to share the stage and complement the food.
Traditional foods and wines that accompany them have, in many cases, developed over many
years of refinement to meet local tastes, utilize local products, and create an additional taste
and flavor ‘‘layering’’ between the food and wine. Food flavors are, generally, deep and rich
but not bold.
The New World concept suggests a more recent perspective based on a fusion of
ethnic and cultural influences. North American and other New World traditions have a much
different history of music, fashion, and architecture. In contrast to European traditions, U.S.
traditions of music, fashion, and architecture have brought us rock ‘n’ roll, rhythm and blues,
T-shirts and caps, and imposing skyscrapers in steel and glass. New World wines are generally
described as fruit-driven or fruit-forward—bold, lush, opulent fruit rather than subtle
notes of earthiness and floral, spicy, or herbaceous flavors. 27
Table 3.2 provides an incorporation of the wine climate zone concept, the Old World/
New World descriptions of wine, and Old World/New World classic wine and food matches
Old World and New World 59
In the current global
marketplace, traditional
boundaries between the Old
World and New World are
becoming increasingly
blurred.