An Experiment: Sauvignon Blanc vs. Vinegar

Following the instructions of an online food/wine pairing guide, a group of friends and I got together the other night to find out the nitty gritty on Sauv. Blanc--that drinkable, refreshing, "pairs-with-anything" wine that many of us turn to on a warm summer evening. What I discovered was somewhat surprising.

The online guide explained that Sauvignon Blanc is often appreciated for its tart, crisp, acidity, which can be completely masked (if not ruined) if paired with the wrong foods. To illustrate this point, the guide instructed us to taste a crisp, light, California Sauv. Blanc (like Duckhorn 2007, which is pretty tasty), then taste vinegar, then taste the wine again. The results were interesting: first of all, we all really enjoyed the tangy effervescence of the Duckhorn upon first sip. And many of us actually enjoyed the taste of vinegar after (even though we were initially really put off by the thought of drinking straight vinegar). My sister even remarked "Wow this is really good!" I thought she was talking about the wine, but she was talking about the vinegar! Bizarre, but beside the point. Anyway, when we revisited the wine after tasting the vinegar, it was flat, boring, and almost sweet. The vinegar saturated our palates, and completely sapped the wine of that bright acidity that we all enjoyed so much in our first few sips.

The take-home: don't pair Sauvignon Blanc with highly acidic foods because it will "ruin" the flavor of the wine. Instead, pair with creamy/fatty foods, and also herby vegetables, specifically: brie and mango quesadillas, asparagus, and light olive oil citrus vinaigrette.

This is just the tip of the iceberg though. What about oak vs. un-oaked? I'm planning a follow-up with some friends, so I'll let you know what we find out!