Since wine in moderation is healthy and science is a part of this story, I decided this was the best place for this article. Eating cheese ruins the flavours of wine and makes fine vintages indistinguishable from cheap plonk, research has revealed.

While the two are often served together in the belief they make a sophisticated combination, scientists have discovered even expert tasters could not distinguish between wines after eating cheese.

Scientists in California asked trained wine tasters to try eight different cheeses before presenting them with four different varieties of cheap and expensive wines.

Strong cheeses overpowered the flavours more than milder varieties, but flavours of all the wines were smothered. The research found cheese only enhanced wines with a butter aroma.

They suggested this was probably because cheese itself contains the molecule responsible for the buttery wine smell.

Another theory from the research, published in New Scientist magazine today, is that fat from the cheese could coat the mouth, deadening the taster's perception of the drink's flavours.

So remember, if you're planning to throw a wine and cheese party, serve the cheapest bingo you can get and spend your money on good cheeses. Oh, and serve the cheese first, so your guests palates are suitably deadened. Helps sell the wine. Oh and pour the wine in some decanters or expensive wine bottles to further fool your guests.

Bon appetit.


http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=89162006