Food and Wine Pairing : A Sensory Experience

Exercise 5.3 117

Table 5.8 Wine and Food Sweetness Value Bands and Examples

Value

Bands

Level of Wine Sweetness

Description

Level of Food Item Sweetness

Description

0

1

Bone dry.The inability to pick up the

sensation of sweetness on the tongue.

Sweetness anchor: brut sparkling

wine.

Imperceptible:If the particular sensation is not

detectable or if this sensation fades almost

immediately. No perception or barely

perceptible levels.

2

3

Dry.Any level of sweet characteristics

are barely perceived and only with

difficulty and hard work on the

evaluator’s part.

Sweetness anchor: Chardonnay.

Barely perceptible:Any level of sweet

characteristics are barely perceived and only

with difficulty and hard work on the

evaluator’s part.

Sweetness example: Triscuit.

4

5

Medium-dry.A lightly sweet sensation

is identified and perceived at a

sufficient level.

Sweetness anchor: Gewu ̈rztraminer.

Little perception:A taste-smell sensation in

which one succeeds in identifying or

perceiving it in recognizable way, but the

stimulus is not well-defined. The level of

perception is still low. Sweetness example:

Wheat Thins.

6

7

Medium-sweet.A sweet sensation on

the tongue that is clearly identifiable

and in a very defined way. Sweetness

anchor: White Zinfandel.

Sufficiently perceived:A taste-smell sensation

in which one succeeds in identifying and

perceiving it in a sufficient level. An

intermediate level of perception.

8

9

Sweet.Sugary, full, noticeable

glycerin, containing residual sugar but

pleasant in taste.

Sweetness anchor: Sauternes.

Abundant Perception:A taste-smell sensation

in which one can clearly identify and perceive

in a very defined way. The taste-smell

sensation is at an emphasized level.

Sweetness example: graham cracker.

9

10

Very sweet.Sweetness is at an

unmistakably high level of perceptibility

with a lot of emphasis.

Sweetness anchor: Cream Sherry.

Highly perceived:A taste-smell sensation that

can be unmistakably identified with much

emphasis. One can identify a particular food

or clearly characterize a complex preparation.

High perceptibility with a lot of emphasis.

Sweetness example: Pepperidge Farms

Bordeaux Cookie.

STEPS

1.Place a portion of each food item and an ounce of each wine sample (six total) on place settings for each taster.

2.Write your name and the name of the food item at the top of each Food Item and Wine Sweetness Comparisons sheet (Figure
5.3).