Pinosthesia: How to Pair Wine and Tunes

Last month we traveled to Wellington, New Zealand for the Pinot Noir 2017 conference. We learned a lot about pinot noir, sure. And about New Zealand, certainly. And about dubstep. Why?

A highlight of the conference for me was sonic artist and wine writer Jo Burzynska's experiential presentation on pairing wine with five sound experiences. We tasted Crown Range Cellar's Signature Selection Gibbston Pinot Noir 2012 five times, with five sounds. My tasting notes are below.

Next week we'll try this again in the office, with a different grape variety and our team in New York. Stay tuned!

Silence: fruit-driven nose, acid-driven palate. Simple.

Datsik by Gecko (Dubstep): bubblegum nose, bland palate (the expert's opinion: dubstep is a poor choice for pinot, "turns it into primitivo'")

Summer by Vivaldi (Baroque): earthy nose, more elegant palate, noticeable tannin. My favorite pairing.

Hard Rock: fruity nose, no floral component, bland but acidic palate. Not tasty. Better with a big red.

Ambient (Jo's own 'signature pinot track'): savory, umami nose and palate