Wine and Food Pairing Instrument 249
WINE AND FOOD PAIRING INSTRUMENT
Figures 11.2a–11.2c constitute a three-page instrument that is useful in profiling wine
and food items and determining whether or not these items are a match. It incorporates
sequential tastings of the wine and the food and then a mixed tasting. As in the earlier
discussion of the hierarchy of taste and the wine and food sensory pyramid, the wine and
food elements are separated into three main categories: components, texture, and flavor
elements.
As in earlier exercises, the sensory reference anchors will be useful to more consistently
analyze wine and food elements using a 0-to-10-point scale (see Figure B.1, Food Sensory
Anchor Scales, and Figure B.2, Wine Sensory Anchor Scales).
Step 1: Wine Evaluation
1.Fill in the descriptive information at the top of the Key Wine Pairing Elements
sheet (Figure 11.2a).
2.Note the visual characteristics: color, clarity, consistency, and other observations.
3.Evaluate the wine components: sweetness level, acidity level, and amount of ef-
fervescence present, if any.
4.Evaluate the level of tannins present, alcohol level, and overall body.
5.Assess the level of spiciness, flavor intensity, and flavor persistence in the flavor
section. Identify the dominant flavor(s) and put checks in the flavor check boxes
where appropriate. If any spiciness is present, indicate if it is primarily hot spice,
savory spice, or sweet spice.
Finally, write down any additional thoughts or observations based on your evaluation of
the wine (general impressions, maturity, balance, food friendliness, quality, etc.).
Step 2: Food Evaluation
1.Fill in the descriptive information at the top of the Key Food Pairing Elements
sheet (Figure 11.2b). Check the box indicating whether it is served hot or cold.
2.Just as you did with the wine, evaluate the food based on visual characteristics:
color, shape, visual textures, height, portion size, and so on.
3.Evaluate the food components: sweetness, acidity, saltiness, and bitterness.
4.For texture, evaluate the fattiness level and overall body. Overall body is the
power in the mouthfeel for the entire dish and will be impacted by protein type,
cooking method, and the ingredients used.
5.Assess the level of spiciness, flavor intensity, and flavor persistence. Also, identify
the dominant flavor(s) and put checks in the flavor check boxes where appropri-
ate. If any spiciness is present, indicate if it is primarily hot spice, savory spice,
or sweet spice.
6.Finally, write down any additional thoughts or observations based on your evalu-
ation of the food (general impressions, balance, wine friendliness, quality, etc.).Step 3: Food and Wine Final Evaluation
1.Transfer the descriptions and ratings from Figures 11.2a and 11.2b to the Food-
and-Wine Pairing Evaluation sheet (Figure 11.2c).