The Interaction of Wine and Food Flavor Persistency 217
Many wine writers propose measuring and classifying flavor persistence on a hierar-
chical basis, using 3-second intervals (i.e., less than 3 seconds, 4–6 seconds, 7–9 seconds,
10–12 seconds, 13 or more seconds).^23 This hierarchical basis is used in the measurement
method presented in this text and is discussed further at the conclusion of this section.
Food Flavor Persistency Flavor profile analysis is a process in which ‘‘the judge
is asked to record aromas, flavors, and aftertastes in the order perceived and their intensities
using a constant rating scale.’’^24 Sensory analysts use the concept of the time-intensity curve
to tie intensity and persistency together in food products. The typical time-intensity curve
includes assessing maximum intensity, time to maximum, total duration, maximum rates of
onset and decay, lag time, plateau time, and areas before and after maximum intensity.^25
Persistency in food is part of an overall assessment of intensity, duration, and aftertaste.
While persistency in wine provides an indication of quality, persistency in food flavor is
more closely related to the intensity of ingredients included in the finished dish. The rela-
tionship with wine persistency is one of creating dishes that do not overpower the wine
served with them.
How Persistency Is Measured The basic process for assessing persistency is
similar for both wine and food. However, food requires chewing to release flavor compounds
and induce retronasal smells in the oral cavity. Steps in the process for assessing food-and-
wine flavor persistency are described below:
1.Take a good-sized sip of wine or small taste of food.
2.If you are tasting a liquid, roll the liquid around your gums, cheeks, and the
roof of your mouth for 2–3 seconds. If you are tasting a solid food, chew the
food to release the flavors and to cover all of the mouth surfaces, ensuring com-
plete contact with taste receptors.
3.Swallow or spit. (Don’t talk—talking closes the nasal cavity.)^26 Keep your mouth
closed and force the air out through your nose.
4.Count the number of seconds that the wine or food flavors persistent. Finish in
wine can last up to a minute in some cases.^27Following are the value bands for the number of seconds in a wine or food’s finish
(see Figures B.1 and B.2):
3 seconds or less!0–2 on the 10-point scale
4–6 seconds!2–4 on the 10-point scale
7–9 seconds!4–6 on the 10-point scale
10–12 seconds!6–8 on the 10-point scale
13 or more seconds!8–10 on the 10-point scaleTHE INTERACTION OF WINE AND
FOOD FLAVOR PERSISTENCY
Rule #12: Flavor persistency of wine and food should be equal.
A general definition for persistence is when the flavor continues to be perceptible for
a period of time after swallowing. While the basic level of persistence seems relatively
straightforward in terms of the number of seconds the flavor persists, the evaluator needs