White Wine, Sparkling White Wine and Black Caviar – The Sensory Experience of Pairing of Flavours

Food and beverage pairings are increasingly explored through sensory science to understand how combinations of high-quality products shape the overall perception. This study investigated how the sequence of intake and mode of combination (sequential tasting and simultaneous mixing) influence the sensory perception of two Swedish white wines (still and sparkling) paired with two premium black caviars produced through warm and cold stabilization. Sixteen combinations were evaluated by a trained analytical sensory panel using quantitative descriptive analysis. Significant sensory differences were observed across combinations, primarily driven by intake order rather than caviar type. When caviar preceded wine, assessors perceived higher intensities of fruity
flavours, sourness, tingliness, and mouth dryness. Conversely, combinations beginning with wine accentuated
earthy and salty attributes. Mixed wine–caviar samples produced intermediate sensory profiles, with an emergent liquorice attribute that increased with mixing time, particularly in combinations including cold-stabilised Pearl caviar. Principal component analysis for both wine types revealed distinct clustering based on sequence and mixing method, with sparkling wine generating more pronounced differences between the two caviars, likely due to its higher acidity and tactile effect. Correlation of data further demonstrated two stable groups of sensory attributes reflecting contrasting perceptual pathways shaped by intake order. Overall, the findings highlight the critical role of temporal dynamics and multisensory interactions in shaping wine–caviar pairings and underscore
the potential of Swedish wines and caviars to create distinctive culinary experiences. Future research should explore multisensory extensions, including visual and auditory cues, to deepen understanding of complex flavour
combinations.