Bring It On Home: Wine and Music Pairing

As the author of a best selling wine pairing tool, The Wine Wheel®, you could say that I am pretty obsessed with wine and food. I recently came across an article in the New York Post about a unique dinner pairing happening at Becco in NYC: The Great Led Zeppelin Wine Pairing. Being a huge Zeppelin fan, I howled and my mind leaped to possible pairings. In the article, they say that “the wine-and-music mash-ups will veer from the conceptual to the tongue-in-cheek (e.g. 'Going to California' and Central Coast pinot noir). 'There are definitely taste sensations both olfactory and gustatory that can be directly paralleled with sensations you hear in the songs,' says [Joe] Bastianich. Science appears to back him up: Last year, a study conducted by researchers in Edinburgh found that music can indeed influence the taste of wine. According to the findings, Cabernet Sauvignon was most affected by 'powerful and heavy' tunes from bands like The Who and the Rolling Stones. "

So what is it that makes us want to pair wine with other elements? I even posed the question on my Facebook page: “Besides food, what do you like to pair wine with?” I got answers like cheese, music and even one came back with the answer of sex! Woohoo! I believe the alluring nature of wine captivates us and our EQ kicks into overdrive. The weight or weightlessness of the wine stirs ours emotions. For those not in the know, I am talking about the body of the wine.

From the technical side of pairings, you should always start with the body of the wine. It's the leading factor when pairing food and wine together. Yes, acid, dry vs. sweet, fruity vs. earthy, intensity, oak, tannin and complexity all play a role, but the weight and body is key.

So as I start to “Ramble On,” and am thrilled to share “Whole Lotta Love” for wine pairings with you. I mean to say, “Hey Hey What Can I Do” for “I Can’t Quit You Baby." And off I go for a riveting tempranillo from Spain.