Bogus Gold

Good news for those of us who like a little well crafted noise as well as a glass of wine with our evening meal from across the pond.

Playing a certain type of music can enhance the way wine tastes, research by psychologists suggests.

The Heriot Watt University study found people rated the change in taste by up to 60% depending on the melody heard. ...

Professor Adrian North said the study could lead retailers to put music recommendations on their wine bottles.

Unfortunately I detected a flaw in the research methodology.

The research involved 250 students at the university who were offered a free glass of wine in exchange for their views.

Four types of music were played - Carmina Burana by Orff ("powerful and heavy"), Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky ("subtle and refined"), Just Can't Get Enough by Nouvelle Vague ("zingy and refreshing") and Slow Breakdown by Michael Brook ("mellow and soft")

College students? Very unrefined palates as well as generally poor musical taste. And there was a glaring omission from the musical choices presented.



Here are your recommended Hall & Oates wine pairings:

Cabernet Sauvignon: The study concluded Cab best paired with "powerful and heavy" music, so kick back with a nice glass of Staggs Leap Cabernet and "Maneater" on your iPod.

Chardonnay: Our study found this went best with "zingy and refreshing" sounds. So how about a glass of Chalk Hill Chardonnay with "Rich Girl" on the stereo.

Pinot Noir: No word on this wine in the study, but I'm going to induce that "subtle and refined" is called for here. Which makes pairing a delicious Alderbrook Pinot Noir with "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)."

Merlot: "Mellow and soft" is our final category, and I'm assuming that's a natural fit for a nice merlot. So pair a glass of Titus Merlot with "Sara Smile."