F
or one experiment, try a food with flavors incorporating lemon, mustard, blue
cheese or vinaigrette — and all of a sudden, that dry, white wine seems less sharp.
The context of the “sharp” food interacts to blind our palates to the sour or tart
elements in the wine.
Besides this Albarino, wines that list Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
will react much the same way. Tasting wines like these in the company of crisper
flavors helps you decide if you prefer the interaction of acidic food with dry wines.
By contrast, sweet foods like huckleberry glaze, BBQ sauce or a slice of apple or peach may make dry wines seem strikingly
sour. Some tasters prefer this sour impression. You get to decide!
Pro Tip: As a quick rule-of-thumb, pink wines react deliciously in much the same way as white wines whose sweetness matches
the descriptions above. Pink wines usually contain more and different flavors.
No matter which interactions you prefer, knowing how your palate interacts with them means that you will also know how to
find more of them more easily. Taste may indeed have a large dose of fashion, but knowing how your preferences line up will
make you a clearer judge of the next wine across your palate. Bon Appétit!
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ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE