You Might Want to Do This Before Your Guests Arrive
Nathan Myhrvold, former Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft and likely prototype for the characters on Big Bang Theory, displays the nerd’s affinity for substance over form:
Wine lovers have known for centuries that decanting wine before serving it often improves its flavor. Whatever the dominant process, the traditional decanter is a rather pathetic tool to accomplish it. A few years ago, I found I could get much better results by using an ordinary kitchen blender. I just pour the wine in, frappé away at the highest power setting for 30 to 60 seconds, and then allow the froth to subside (which happens quickly) before serving. I call it “hyperdecanting.”
It is difficult to imagine sentimental and more intellectually constricted wine lovers beating the crap out of fine wine in a blender. Myhrvold acknowledges the horror he advocates, but challenges the curious to conduct a “scientifically rigorous triangle test” to see if he is right or not. He recommends involving at least ten people, to get a meaningful statistical sample.
You’ll probably find that hyperdecanting does clearly change the flavor of the wine. To determine with scientific rigor whether your tasters prefer the hyperdecanted wine requires a more complex trial called a “paired preference” test, or “square” test. But a blind side-by-side comparison works passably well, too, and requires no math.
Myhrvold is, by the way, a trained chef and lead author of the five-volume, 40-pound cooking guide Modernist Cuisine.
October 3rd, 2011 at 11:33 AM
“Myhrvold is, by the way, a trained chef and lead author of the five-volume, 40-pound cooking guide…”
He might also be a solid humorist.