According to a number of studies, pairing music with wine can change and even improve our perception of what's in the glass. So if you find Pinot Grigio too bland or Zinfandel too sweet, perhaps switching up your playlist will help.
In Puglia, winemaker Pasquale Petrera uses what he calls music therapy in his cellar. Its goal is to “emphasize the elegance, freshness and authenticity of Primitivo” by optimizing the oxygenation process. This happens naturally through the wood, but he believes the extra sound waves bouncing off the barrel help move the wine particles in a non-invasive and ultimately beneficial way. It includes birdsong and sounds of flowing water, rustling leaves, wind, rain, thunder, and rolling waves. Does this really make the wine better? Interestingly, his Fatalone winery produces the best Primitivo wine in the country.
In the north, on the shores of Lake Garda, the Olivini family has been playing classical music in the cellar since its renovation in 2018. “When sound waves move through air, water or earth, the vibrations affect the behavior of these molecules. We believe that stimulating the yeast particles has a positive effect,” says winemaker Jüri Botti.
And in Tuscany, Carlo Cignozzi went even further. At his Paradiso di Frassina estate in Montalcino, more than 35 speakers are installed to spread the same musical vibrations to the vines themselves. Throughout the growing season, he plays only Mozart due to the composer's preference for lower frequencies. Not only do lower frequencies travel further, but some believe they have natural healing abilities. “Music not only creates a beneficial resonance for the plant, but also repels pathogens and pests. Mozart bothers them and they leave.”
In one supermarket, playing French music led to increased sales of French wine. Susan R. Lin, a Master of Wine who wrote a thesis on how classical music influences the perception of non-vintage Brut Champagne, believes that music can have a positive effect on the drinker.
“Various combinations of musical elements (e.g., pitch, tempo, articulation, timbre) have been shown to influence sensory perception,” she says. “So if you're looking to enhance the perception of certain sensory characteristics of a wine, say brightness and freshness, you might find music with a faster tempo, higher pitch, dynamic articulation and vibrant timbre.”
“Try different music genre combinations with wine, even if they are styles you don't usually listen to or wines you don't drink! You might be surprised,” she says. “The most important thing is to allow yourself to feel what your senses intuitively perceive; this is where the magic begins.”
Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
16:17, June 28
Khloe Kardashian turns 4015:21, June 28
Tom Hanks, Robin Wright reunite on screen in Here14:50, June 28
Who is Bill Gates' daughter dating?14:19, June 28
Michael Jackson owed more than $500M at the time of death, as per court documents13:16, June 28
Kendell Jenner gives herself private nighttime barefoot tour of the Louvre12:20, June 28
Kylie Jenner has plane turned around due to anxiety21:18, June 27
Flowers for the home and beyond: A simple way to get rid of annoying weeds19:33, June 27
‘Wolf in cashmere’: World’s richest man works 24 hours a day, dreams of new ideas when he sleeps16:13, June 27
Vera Wang, 75, proves she has found ‘fountain of youth’15:23, June 27
Kourtney Kardashian share fears about vaginal prolapse after childbirth14:33, June 27
Paulina Porizkova, 59, in bikini: ‘Older is better’13:43, June 27
Britney Spears feels 'betrayed' by recent paparazzi photos