Scientists explain why cheese is the best appetizer for wine

French scientists have found scientific evidence that cheese and wine go well together.

They conducted a study that showed that cheese contains substances that soften the bitterness and astringency of tannins, the tannins found in wine, Science Daily reports.

As you know, any fatty food is rich in lipids, including cheese. Studies have shown that tannins can interact with lipids at the molecular level. Scientists decided to test how these two substances interact. They experimented: they added the grape tannin catechin to an emulsion of olive oil, water, and a phospholipid emulsifier.

After that, experts studied the lipids in the emulsion using various biophysical methods. It was found that catechin penetrates the emulsifier layer that surrounds the oil droplets, causing an increase in oil composition over time. This process formed something similar to cream: the upper part of the emulsion (rich in oil droplets) became creamy, and the lower part became transparent.

At the same time, the scientists wanted to understand how this effect affects human taste buds. To do this, they recruited volunteers and gave them a "tasting" of the tannin solution, after giving them a spoonful of rapeseed or olive oil. As it turned out, this "snack" made the tannin solution less viscous and even gave it a fruity note.

Combining the biophysical and sensory results, the researchers concluded that tannins can interact with lipids in fatty foods (in fact, in cheese) to make them softer. That is why cheese emphasizes the taste of wine well and sometimes softens its "aggressive" notes.