Food and Wine Pairing : A Sensory Experience

Introduction 209

actions with competing flavors and other factors.^1 These in-

teractions are both physiological and psychological.

Flavor is perceived through both aroma inhaled nasally

and the retronasal smell when the food or wine is in the

mouth. For our purposes, the termflavorrefers to the retro-

nasal, or in-mouth, smells associated with food and beverage

products.

There is a wide range of specific and identifiable flavors,

but the major flavor categories includefruity, nutty, smoky,

herbal, spicy, cheesy, earthy,andmeaty. In terms of the pair-

ing process, the specific flavor of a food or wine and its degree

of persistence as well as the intensity of the flavor affect the

level of a particular match. In wine and food pairing, the dom-

inant flavors can be either similar or contrasting.

The food and wine flavor categories used in the evalu-

ation system (see Figures 10.1 and 10.2) include dominant fla-

vor(s), flavor intensity, flavor persistency, and spicy flavors.

The full evaluation form (see Chapter 11) also provides space

for the evaluator to note other important flavor descriptions.

This option is particularly useful when the flavor of the food

or wine packs a relatively high level of intensity.

____________________________________________________________

Food Item: __________________________________________________

0 5 10

Food Item: __________________________________________________

Food Item: __________________________________________________

Food Item: __________________________________________________

0

0

0

5

5

5

10

10

10

Flavor Intensity & ID______________

Flavor Intensity & ID______________

Flavor Intensity & ID______________

Flavor Intensity & ID______________

Flavor Type:

Mark all flavor categories that apply in the boxes

below

Flavor Type:

Mark all flavor categories that apply in the boxes

below

Mark all flavor categories that apply in the boxes

below

Mark all flavor categories that apply in the boxes

below

Flavor Type:

Flavor Type:

Fruity Nutty Smoky Herbal Earthy Other

Fruity Nutty Smoky Cheesy Herbal Earthy Other

Cheesy Umami

Umami

Flavor Persistency

Flavor Persistency

Flavor Persistency

Flavor Persistency

Evaluato’s Name:

Fruity Nutty Smoky Cheesy Herbal Umami Earthy Other

Fruity Nutty Smoky Cheesy Herbal Umami Earthy Other

Figure 10.2

Food Intensity and Persistency Level