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FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 170

Wine and Beer in Western Culture

Lecture Outline

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Lecture 15 Sensory evaluation; Pairing wine and beer with food

Objectives

1)     Describe different systems for evaluation of wines and beers

2)     List how processes and defects impact on wine and beer flavor

3)     Describe food and wine/beer pairing rules

Definitions

Methyl anthranilate: compound that gives a foxy, Concord grape taste to wine

Oaky: flavors imparted from aging wine in oak (oily, vanilla, woody, smoky)

Astringency: A rough or dry, lip-puckering sensation caused by tannins

Body: "weight" of a wine in the mouth. Wines can be light-, medium-, or full-bodied

Bouquet and aroma: smell of wine; typically aroma used for young, bouquet for old

Nose: describes both aroma and bouquet

Dry: not sweet

Crisp: refreshing taste due to good acid balance in wine

Soft: wine that is not crisp

Fruity: wine with strong fruit aroma

Vintage: confusing term that means: A crop from a given year; Crops of exceptional quality in particular years; Harvest of grapes from a particular vineyard; Old wine

Physiology of Taste and Smell

Senses involved in perception of wine and beer: taste, smell, chemesthesis, sight, touch

Smell sensed through olfactory neurons, located at the base of the brain

Taste sensed through taste papillae located in the oral cavity

4 kinds of papillae: fungiform, circumvallate, foliate, filliform (no taste buds)

All taste can be perceived everywhere on the tongue

Evaluation Systems

For wines: Davis 20‑point system, Wine Spectator 100 point system

For beers: Meilgaard system

Alternative is Descriptive analysis; gave rise to Wine Aroma and Beer Flavor Wheels

Typical traits for wines and beers

Wines: Flavor is largely imparted by the skins, and can be impacted by various processing steps, including: Time skin remains in contact, Barrel selection (Level of toast, origin of wood, age of wood, stainless steel)

Beers: Flavor characteristics are driven, in descending order, by 1) Malt: level of toasting, 2) Hops: types and quantity used, 3) Yeast: lager (bottom-fermenting) or ale (top-fermenting) yeast strains

Impact of Processes and Defects

Wines

Malolactic fermentation: produces a buttery aroma

Aging in oak cooperage: contributes vanilla and clove notes

Oxidation (over-exposure to air): characteristic odor, like sherry

Volatile acidity (resulting from oxidation or Acetobacter spoilage): odors of acetic acid (vinegar) and/or ethyl acetate (nail polish remover) 

Brettanomyces (a spoilage yeast): characteristic odor described as horsy, barnyard, mousy (like a piece of old fashioned Band-Aid)

Corked (spoilage due to moldy cork): characteristic odor best experienced first hand

Beers

Wild yeast contaminants: Phenolic (old Band-Aid) and/or Fruity aromas

Insufficient aging: Diacetyl (buttery) aromas

Light-struck: Skunky odors

Oxidized: in lighter beers, paper/cardboard aroma; in darker beers, nutty/honey aromas

Changes that Occur When Cooking with Wine

As a wine is heated: Sweetness levels increase, Alcohol concentration decreases, Color darkens (especially with reds), Volatile components decrease, Alters flavor balance

Wine flavors are at their best when added to cooking about 10 minutes before serving

General rules for cooking with wine

More delicate wine flavors with more delicate seasonings

More powerful wine with more powerful seasonings

Wines with spiciness combine with spicy seasonings

Sweeter, fruitier wines with tarter, saltier seasonings

Too much strong seasoning can overpower wine

Some vegetable acids compete with wines (Dairy products can reduce these acids)

Never cook with a wine you would not drink; cooking doesn’t improve a wine

Better to cook with an inexpensive wine rather than “cooking wine”

Wine and Food Pairings

Only one firm rule - drink what you like. Other rules may enhance your wine experience

To selecting the proper wine, consider:

Season of the year (Lighter, fruitier, colder in Summer; Heavier reds in Fall & Winter)

Type of food

And Price (Know your comfort zone!)

Wine Use Objectives: Featuring wine or food? Which are you showcasing?

To showcase wine, serve simpler food with restrained seasonings

Myths and Realities of Wine-Food Pairing

Myth: Serve white wine with white meat, red wine with red meat

Reality: It is far more complicated

Consider not jus the color of the wine, but its general attributes

Consider not only the food, but how it is prepared

General Truths

Light dishes are complemented by light wines; heavy dishes by heavy wines

Fish is rarely heavy, but can be medium or light; Beef is rarely light; Veal, lamb and chicken depend on the preparation

Wines can roughly be divided into three groups:

Light: Chablis, Muscadet, Sancerre, Poilly-Fuissé

Medium: CA Chardonnay, Beaujolais, red Burgundy, red Bordeaux

Heavy: CA Cabernet and Zinfandel, Italian Barolo, and French Châteauneuf-du-Pape

There are no absolute rules; match the wine to the preparation and enjoy!

Suggested pairings

White wines

Riesling: semisweet, fruity, floral with Mild tasting foods with a bit of sweetness

Sauvignon blanc: herbal, green, full-bodied with Heartier preparation of chicken/veal with vegetal overtones

Gewürztraminer: semisweet, spicy with Foods with some spiciness and sweetness – often considered good match for Chinese food

Red wines

Merlot: fruity, low tannins, mild red fruits, mild taste with Grilled meats

Zinfandel: full-bodied, peppery, heavier red fruits with Grilled meats, stew, pizza

Home Experiment

Gather a Chenin blanc, Chardonnay, Dry Sherry, Red Zinfandel, and a Merlot

Try with a variety of foods: Andes mints, aged cheese, bread, chili potato chips

This will give you a feel for what goes together nicely and what does not

Many consider food-wine pairing an art – likened to setting up a blind date

Serving Temperature - Departs from ideal storage temperature of 55°

Simple whites and champagne: 45°; Complex, dry white: 55°; Sweet, light reds: 55°;

Complex reds: 65-70°

Order of Wine Use for Multiple Wine Meals

Young before old (so sweet before dry), White before red, Low alcohol before high

Glasses for particular wines Consider Stem length, Bowl size, Shape, Material/pattern

Beer-food pairing challenges

Bitterness of lagers cuts saltiness of snacks

Beer and tomatoes are difficult because of sweet acidity in tomatoes, and Sweet foods accentuate beer’s bitterness. Mouthfeel of beer is important in pairing with food texture.

Many items difficult to pair with wine (e.g., asparagus) do pair well with beer

General rule: Ale with red meat, Lager with white meat, but there are Many loopholes

Treat hopiness like acidity in wine

Cooking with Beer: Beers that accompany foods well can be added to the dish itself

As with wine, heating too long or at too high a temperature can have a negative impact

- Concentrates the bitterness and Destroys the savory flavors

According to Michael Jackson, Beer can be used in…

Vinaigrettes (lambics and Weiss types), Marinades (pale ales and smoked porters),

Soups (especially malty, sweetish lagers), Stews (IPA for fish, ales for other meats),

Braising (especially acidic Belgian “old brown” ale), Basting (dark lager), Batter (Hefeweizen), Baking (dark lager or Bock), Desserts (e.g., Substitute porter for sherry)