YOU MAY NOT think that anything could influence your enjoyment of wine. You’re not that fussy, after all.
Some new research, however, has revealed that certain factors may add to or detract from your experience with wine.
The study, undertaken by Campo Viejo, showed that colour and sound can significantly affect your enjoyment of the vino.
Nearly 3,000 people participated in the experiment, which took place over four days in a lab and monitored how the surrounds affected the taste of wine. Participants were exposed to ‘sweet’ musical selections like Trois Gymnopédies, No.2 Lent et triste by Erik Satie and ‘sour’ music like Superscriptio by Brian Ferneyhough.
Per Vice, they then wandered through rooms under “white, green and red light” all while sipping the same glass of wine and rating the experience.
The so-called “world’s largest multisensory wine experiment” found that red light and ‘sweet’ music enhanced the taste of one’s wine by up to nine per cent, while green light and ‘sour’ music increased freshness and minimised intensity by fourteen per cent.
Speaking on the conclusion, winemaker Roberto Vicente had these nuggets of wisdom to impart:
If you typically prefer a fruity wine, and want to enhance its flavour, try laying a red tablecloth or use red wine glasses.
If fresh, “zingy” wine is more to your taste, then go for green table settings – really give your dinner guests something to talk about at the table.
Meanwhile, still no word on what colours/sounds will improve the taste of a €4 bottle from Spar.
