Better together
During these torrid times we all need a spot of respite. A cheeky Claret to calm the anxiety, paired with a nice Gouda or Cheddar can provide a perfect escape from one’s troubles.
Wine has for centuries been the elixir of choice to celebrate and commiserate. Our endless fascination with the fermentation of grapes has spawned innumerable industries wholly dedicated to oenophilia – many of them exploring wine’s relationship to food.
Consequently, ‘wining and dining’ has become a mantra for virtually all of humanity. One can find wine anywhere people are, even in space (astronauts have taken dehydrated wine to the galaxies), and wherever wine is you can be assured there is a nearby food pairing to accompany it.
The favourite accompaniment is, as ever, cheese. In fact, it goes so well with wine that it piqued the curiosity of France’s Centre de Sciences du Gout et de l’Alimentation (Center for Taste and Feeding Behaviour) to conduct thorough research to finally find out if this pairing actually made wine taste better. It turns out – it does.
Publishing in the Journal of Food Science the Centre showed that research group subjects asked to describe the taste of wine before and after eating cheese were resoundingly in favour of the drink after a cheesy nibble.
Interestingly, the type of cheese did not vary the results which were explained as partially due to our psychosomatic association with the pairing, alongside the soft taste palates of a fermented food with a fermented drink.
This undoubtedly important discovery merits one’s own research; we invite you to indulge in some excellent fromage et vin. Since one cannot venture to the shops to buy these delicacies, let them come to you – try these wonderful delivery services to stock up and start your research:
The Cheese Society — From £35 a month
Neal’s Yard Dairy Cheese of the Month Subscription — From £149 for three months
Laithwaite’s — 12 bottles – from £99.99
Virgin Wines — 12 bottles – from £99
Berry Brothers & Rudd — Free deliveries over £200