It’s official — wine tastes better with a nice ambience!

Do music and room colour have an effect on wine taste? Yes, very much, says a new study. Results of the world's largest multi-sensory wine experiment revealed that a simple change in colour and sound

By: Editorial Team | | Published: June 23, 2014 9:09 pm

Do music and room colour have an effect on wine taste? Yes, very much, says a new study. Results of the world’s largest multi-sensory wine experiment revealed that a simple change in colour and sound can affect the taste of wine by around 10 percent. ‘Conducting the world’s largest multi-sensory experiment over four days meant that we were able to show that colour and sound together have a far greater effect on people’s taste perceptions than light by itself,’ Charles Spence, professor of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University, was quoted as saying. (Read: Can drinking red wine prevent ‘bad’ cholesterol build-up?)

Listening to supposedly ‘sweet’ and ‘sour’ music in a room with red or green lighting can significantly alter the taste of a glass of wine, according to the findings. An experiment at London’s Southbank Centre tested how drinkers enjoyed a glass of wine when lighting and music were changed. Green light and ‘sour’ music increased freshness and reduced intensity by 14 per cent. (Read: Green tea, red wine can stop onset of Alzheimer’s) Also Read - Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: 4 reasons an eco-friendly Ganesha is good for you

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Red lighting on its own brought out the fruitier notes of the wine, and green light on its own brought out the wine’s freshness. If people can’t change the paint or light in a room, the study claimed a change in dinner place settings can have a similar effect. People who prefer a fruity wine, and want to enhance its flavour, can try laying a red tablecloth or use red wine glasses. For fresh wine, one should go for green table settings or green food. ‘We knew an effect was likely, but the results went far beyond what we were hoping for,’ Spence added. (Read: A bottle of wine a day can keep the doctor away!) Also Read - 5 non-alcoholic substitutes of wine that you can use for cooking

Here are some reasons drinking moderate amounts of red wine is actually good for your health:

1. Can help prevent cholesterol build up

Research has shown that antioxidants in wine known as polyphenols can help prevent cholesterol build up and thus prevent heart disease. In today’s times, when more and more young people are falling prey to heart disease consuming foods rich in antioxidants and avoiding junk food is a good idea. Besides wine, green tea and vegetables like spinach are also good sources of antioxidants. (Read: 8 natural cholesterol busters)

2. May help you live longer and healthier

Death is a certainty in life. Yet, people want to slow down the ageing process as much as possible. Researchers have found that a compound contained in red wine called resveratrol helps you live longer! The study administered resveratrol to bees. After administration, the bees showed a decrease in food intake and showed a tendency to live longer. (Read: Interesting facts about ageing)

3. Can prevent hearing loss

Not only does reseveratrol present in wine help increase longevity, it also helps prevent hearing loss. In a study conducted by the Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, healthy rats administered resveratrol were less likely to suffer noise-induced hearing loss for a long period of time. Read more about 7 ways red wine is great for your health

With inputs from IANS

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Published : June 23, 2014 9:09 pm

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