A MODERN SCIENCE: FOOD-AND-WINE CONNOISSEURSHIPWhat is food-and-wine connoisseurship ?It is a modern science which is trying to establish real connection between food and wine. When you have to marry a recipe, you should get the right wine behind the wine in the sense that you need to build up the perfect pairing based on the modern parameters and not only by following the old, but still valid rule of matching meat to red wine and fish to white wine.What do you mean when you are referring to real connection between food and wine ?There are 2 types of wine-food combinations:1. CONTRAST: the principle is based on the fact that the characteristics of the wine chosen for the pairing should be in contrast with the characteristics of the recipe. For example, if a recipe presents a strong succulence, the wine should be capable of drying the mouth with the tannins and the alcoholic dryness.2. CONCORDANCE: the principle is based on the fact that a characteristic of a recipe should correspond to the same characteristic present in the wine. For example, a sauce rich in aroma and perfume will combine very well with an aromatic or semi-aromatic wine. Is it possible to find aliments with which it is not advisable to pair with wine ?Generally speaking, the wine should never be served with recipes too much sour such as salads seasoned with abundant vinegar or lemon, raw artichokes, citrus fruits, grapes, fresh figs, ice cream and fruit salads seasoned with liquors or spirits. What are the most important senses to taste wines and foods ?The most important senses are, by far, the smell and the taste because they provide direct information about aliments and wines. You do not have to underestimate the psychological effect of the visual impact of a recipe, because its influence is rather important. What does the visual analysis of a recipe consist of ?It represents the first phase of the analysis of the food and it is realised by a precise observation. It is not so useful no pay attention to the psychological effect that a recipe can give to the person who is going to eat the food, because this fellow can be also mentally stimulated.What does the olfactory analysis of a recipe consist of ?It represents the second phase of the sensitive analysis of a food and it is made by a detailed evaluation of the perfumes perceived in the moment in which the dish is served.What does the gustative analysis of a recipe consist of ?It represents the third phase of the sensitive analysis of a food and it is carried out with great attention. As a matter of fact, it is the most important period of the food-tasting because this is a fundamental principle to make a good choice for the right wine for the recipe. By the gustative exam, you tend to evaluate the whole organoleptic characteristics that are decisive to the selection of the wine to combine with the food.These characteristics are defined by 4 essential flavours (sweet, sour, salty and bitter) detected in distinct level of perceptibleness depending on the ingredients and the preparation of the recipe. Therefore, you need to analyse gustative and gustative-olfactory sensations such as salty, bitterish tendency, sour tendency, sweetness, sweet tendency, spicy sensation, aromatic quality, gustative-olfactory persistence and still tactile sensations like oiliness, succulence and fatness.Which is your favourite combination ?I think that there are many nice wine-food combinations and I also believe it depends on the place you are because speaking about general rules, the best combination is the matching between a local, typical recipe and a local wine. Let me give some instance: if I am at home (Tuscany) I would like to marry grilled T-bone steak to a Brunello di Montalcino while if I am going to prepare a barbecue in Chile (the country in which I am working), it will be a pleasure uncork a Carmenere from Maipo Valley, and still if I am going to spend my holidays in France I will appreciate a lot some cold cut with a flute of Champagne.
