Revolutionary Pairing Theory Developed by Rebel Master of Wine, Tim Hanni

RENEGADE WINE EXPERT CREATES NEW PRODUCT TO ENHANCE THE WINE/FOOD EXPERIENCE: VIGNON, BY NAPA SEASONING COMPANY, TO LAUNCH IN JUNE! ENJOY ANY WINE WITH ANY FOOD.

I remember the first wine that flipped my pancakes. It was in the early 1980s, when tasting Sebastiani’s Blanc de Noir, Eye of the Swan—a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. I’ve always looked back at that and laughed, belittling my own baby steps towards acquiring a taste towards superior, drier wines.

Upon hearing my story, Master of Wine, Tim Hanni, might step in and defend the young adult who loved the light, slightly sweet wine. “Acquired tastes come from a positive association, reinforcement or payoff”, Hanni noted. If you did not like a flavor in the first place, and you eventually found yourself enjoying it, a positive experience may have caused you to associate the food or drink with “delicious”. Waking up to the smell of fresh coffee may give children a sense of comfort: a mother is out in the kitchen taking care of them. Furthermore, the adults are drinking it, and you can’t have it, so coffee becomes something many people aspire to drink.

The same principle applies to those who no longer appreciate a certain wine because of a negative judgment associated with it. White zinfandel has such a reputation in the wine world. “Many times entire genres of popular wines are categorically dismissed as unsuitable for any food”, Hanni confirmed.

Hanni has worked with researchers who revealed not only that memories impact our likes and dislikes, but that there are vast biological differences among individuals’ palates.