Appropriate food and wine pairings and wine provenance information: potential tools for developing memorable dining experiences

Abstract This study explored food and wine pairing-related gastronomic experiences under blind and informed (wine provenance) conditions. Based on three descriptive analyses (food alone, wine alone, and food and wine together) by the same tasting panel, specific food and wine pairings (n = 8) were selected for consumer tastings, which explored the pre-consumption (informed vs blind condition), core-consumption (liking, appropriateness of pairing, balance, sensory complexity, and expected price), and post-consumption (vividness, remembered liking, memorability, and loyalty) experiences in relation to the sensory profiles of the pairings. All tastings were conducted in a sensory laboratory to standardise the environment effect. During core-consumption, information level significantly impacted consumer ratings for both sensory complexity and 15 emotions. Appropriate pairings corresponded with increased liking, sensory complexity, and expected prices for wine, and emotions of positive valence, but no pairing by information level interactions were evident. Perhaps the context of dining had larger impact on consumer behaviour than provenance information. In the post-consumption experience, information level affected the vividness of the tasting, whereas the most appropriate pairings commanded significant vividness, remembered liking, memorability and loyalty ratings. The significant pairing by information level interaction on remembered liking may be beneficial for the word-of-mouth effect. Appropriate pairings may be important for positive gastronomic experiences, and could provide businesses with higher customer satisfaction and spending.