Food and Wine Pairing : A Sensory Experience

158 Chapter 7 Wine Texture Characteristics: Tannin, Oak, and Body

Table 7.2 Levels of Overall Body in Wine

Value Bands Descriptions

0

1

2

Thin.Lacking in body—devoid of tannin, low in alcohol and, without

oak. Resembles a watery consistency. Skim milk; some Riesling, Chenin

Blanc, Gavi, Fendant, some sparkling wines.

2

3

4

Light.Agreeably light in body with relatively low tannin, alcohol, and

oak. 1% or 2% milk; Se ́millon, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer,

unoaked Chardonnay, Beaujolais Nouveau.

4

5

6

Moderate.Body that is identifiable at an intermediate level with

sufficient amounts of tannin, alcohol, and/or oak. Whole milk; Pinot

Noir, oaked Chardonnay, unoaked Barbera.

6

7

8

Full. Body in which elements of tannin, alcohol, or oak are unmistakably

identified and are significantly emphasized. A feeling of big, and bold

body and structure. Half-and-half; Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Syrah,

Merlot, oaked Chianti.

8

9

10

Heavy. A very robust and rich body with high tannin, high alcohol,

heavy oak and an unmistakable feeling of strong, heavy texture.

Whipping cream; some Cabernet Sauvignon, Barolo, Port, late-harvest

Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc ice wine.

Generally, a definition of body refers to the consistency or viscosity of wine, assessed

through tactile sensations in the mouth. It provides an impression of weight, size, and volume

in the mouth.^14 Wine evaluators use terms such assubstanceorplenty of reserveorpowerto

describe a full-bodied wine.^15 A typical analogy to describe various levels of body in wine is

to use a spectrum of milks and creams. These range from skim milk (light-bodied), whole

milk (medium-bodied), half-and-half (full-bodied), and whipping cream (very full-bodied).^16

One method to emphasize the differences between a full-bodied wine and a thin wine

is to select a full-bodied wine (such as a good Cabernet Sauvignon or even an oaked Char-

donnay) and create two samples: one that is the normal wine right out of the bottle and one

that has been diluted with 10 percent water. This exercise will reinforce in a hurry what is

meant by full-bodied wine.

Ranking wine on a perceived feeling of body can range from thin to robust. Value

bands and descriptions are provided in Table 7.2 to guide you in this process. Also included

are milk and cream samples to serve as references. Wine varietals that usually fall within

these value bands are included as well. The wine examples provide good diversity in body

levels, but as with other elements in wine, overall body can vary within the same wine varietal

and may have slightly higher or lower values of body than those indicated in Table 7.2.

Experts on wine and food pairing do not agree about the importance of matching the

body style of wine and food. Some authors suggest that it is the most important element to

match, while others indicate it is just one of many factors that may impact good wine and

food pairing. Given that wine and food have a natural affinity with each other, wine and

food matching is not a win-or-lose proposition but instead is a win-or-synergize proposition.

I believe that matching body style in wine and food is an important factor for creating great

matches and, ultimately, transforming the gastronomic experience from a refreshing one to

a memorable one. My belief is that texture elements play a secondary role only to compo-

nents in their importance in creating a synergistic relationship with food. It is common sense

to match lighter wines with lighter foods and robust wines with robust foods. When body

styles are contrasted (light to rich or rich to light), the lighter member of this equation will

generally serve as only a supporting actor on the gastronomic stage and doesn’t create the

ultimate goal of a synergistic wine and food match.