This week, I experienced something truly unique where science and art came together to create the perfect wine tasting experience. It wasn’t food and wine, it wasn’t art and wine but it was in fact music and wine! I attended the launch of the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild concept called “Tasting Notes” at Ernie Els in Stellenbosch. It is a world-first concept where music and wine came together in a pairing such as this – The wine was Cabernet Sauvignon and the music was specifically composed to pair with it.
Music and wine pairing
The experience began with a tasting of a Cabernet Sauvignon called “Tasting Notes” which was crafted by the Cape Winemakers Guild protégés. The wine was lovely and we all enjoyed it. We were then asked to put on headphones and try the wine again. The experience was elevated and I was amazed to feel how the wine developed on my palate as the specially composed music began to play.
If you want to experience it for yourself, you can grab any bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and play the specially composed music at this link: https://nedbankcwg.co.za/
So where does the science come in?
neuroscientists have collaborated to create a piece of music that pairs with any glass of Cabernet Sauvignon – scientifically and creatively using music notes to interact with your brain to enhance the tasting notes of the wine.
The scientific process entailed translating a Cabernet Sauvignon’s tasting map into an instrumentation map (Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most available and recognised grape varietals the world over). This was achieved by gathering data through wearable electroencephalogram (EEG) headset technology that measured emotional responses during various rounds of sensory wine-tasting experiences. The data was then combined with sound to taste mapping to plot the tasting experience into a piece of music. After an extensive testing period, the result is a composition that peels away the flavours of any Cabernet Sauvignon – backed by science and bolstered by imagination.
Thank you Nedbank and Cape Winemakers Guild
‘Over the past year the South African wine industry has gone through significant challenges due to Covid-19. So Nedbank, as a long-term supporter of wine, together with the Cape Winemakers Guild, set out to transform the way people see wine through music,’ says Khensani Nobanda, Nedbank Group Executive for Marketing and Corporate Affairs.
‘Music is a universal language and the right wine can make any experience more pleasurable. We all know wine pairs with food, but could we tap into our collective love of music and create a literal wine-and-music pairing to achieve our goal of opening up wine to new audiences?’ asks Nobanda.
“Tasting Notes represents the inclusivity and innovation of Nedbank, the Cape Winemakers Guild and the Protégé Programme. Together, we have reimagined a new way to connect people with wine -through music on both scientific and Oenological levels, whilst appealing to those who appreciate the passionate artistry behind wine,” said Andrea Mullineux, Cape Winemakers Guild member, co-owner and winemaker of Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines.
You can experience it too!
Buy any bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from your local bottle store and go to http://nedbankcwg.co.za to experience Tasting Notes: A Story of Sound and Wine for yourself.
Thank you Nedbank, Cape Winemakers Guild and the host venue Ernie Els for this truly unique experience!
