Food and Wine Pairing : A Sensory Experience

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at all. Dryness and sweetness for the wine references will on average be correct, but you should already be

aware of variations that occur due to climate, winemaker, and region in which the wines are produced. The

use of these anchors in most cases will require judgment and experience to increase your overall consistency in

evaluating food and wine for each of these elements and predicting match levels based on your assessment.

Components Textures Flavors

Sweetness Acidity Bitter Saltiness Fattiness Overall

Body

Spiciness Flavor

Intensity

Flavor

Persistence

0 No spice No flavor

Pasta with

extra-virgin

olive oil only

Unsalted

popcorn

1 Triscuit Iceberg

lettuce

Skim milk Chicken

en

papillote

< 3 seconds

2

Milk Weak spice

Weak flavor

3 Wheat Thins Celery 2% milk 4–6 seconds

Pasta with

balsamic

vinaigrette

Frise

(^4) Popcorn
2 cups with
1/8 tsp salt
5 Plain yogurt Whole milk Grilled
pork loin
Moderately
intense
7–9 seconds
6 Graham Belgian
cracker Pasta with
balsamic
vinaigrette
and extra
vinegar
endive
7 Intense
spice
Intense
flavor

10–12

Orange juice seconds

Half-and-

half

8 Popcorn

(^9) Pepperidge
Farm
Bordeaux
cookie
Radicchio
2 cups with
1/4 tsp salt
Braised
beef
13 + seconds
Grapefruit
Juice
Heavy
cream
Powerfully
spicy
10 Pasta with
vinegar only
Powerful
flavor
Figure B.1
Food Sensory Anchor Scale
Chapter 5 presents the impact of sweetness and acidity. While they are separate and distinct elements in wine
and food, the close relationship between sweetness and acidity in wine means that these elements cannot be
considered fully in isolation. Chapter 6 describes the effect of food bitterness, food saltiness, and wine effer-
vescence. After completing the exercises in each chapter, you will be able to identify levels of food-and-wine
components and discern the role each plays in food-and-wine match perception.