A chiudere l’assemblea costitutiva di Vinthropology aps, abbiamo celebrato con una degustazione guidata virtuale. Un momento per brindare alla nascente associazione, per stare vicini anche se lontani, ed avviare il nostro viaggio.
In degustazione il Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut DOCG “Prior” millesimato di Bortolomiol, un vino delicato ed espressivo allo tempo stesso, che risulta elegante per il suo perlage e la lunga persistenza aromatica. In abbinamento la mozzarella di bufala campana D.o.p. abbinata ad un filetto di alici a bilanciare la pizzicolezza delle bollicine ed esaltare l’aromaticità del vino, lasciando la bocca pulita e profumata.
Guidando l’analisi sensoriale del vino abbiamo effettuato una presentazione delle fasi di degustazione, incluse illustrazioni e parole chiave per incentivare i soci ad esprimere sensazioni e pareri. Seguendo la degustazione, abbiamo provato l’abbinamento cibo-vino spiegando brevemente come le componenti del piatto interagiscano col vino creando un effetto armonico e piacevole, esaltando i pregi di entrambi.
Dopo qualche calice e qualche risata, la conversazione spontaneamente è andata verso riflessioni sulla soggettività delle nostre esperienze e l’oggettività della qualità di un vino. Si è convenuto che possa piacere qualcosa anche se non di ottima qualità, come d’altro canto possa non piacere qualcos’altro nonostante sia di un livello qualitativo elevato. Piacere e Qualitá sono pertanto due aspetti diversi? Cos’è la qualità? Come e quanto può influenzare la nostra esperienza?
Parlando di soggettività, partendo dal nostro bagaglio esperienziale di vita, maturiamo percezioni e sensazioni differenti. Il linguaggio, oltre che per la semplice comunicazione, è stato sin dal principio il mezzo utilizzato dall’uomo per condividere e trasmettere idee ed esperienze personali. Nel processo evolutivo le parole hanno acquistato significati codificati che hanno permesso e permettono la condivisione di concetti via via più complessi, assumendo spesso sfaccettature opinabili e differenti a seconda dell’idioma.
Probabilmente solo i numeri hanno sin dal principio assolto ad una funzione oggettiva nella comunicazione. Il vocabolario di un degustatore è mirato a rendere la descrizione comprensibile per quanto soggettivamente opinabile, in fase di degustazione, crea un parametro comune, quantificabile come numeri, cercando di oggettivare l’esperienza soggettiva il più possibile.
Discorsi questi da riprendere certamente e non vediamo l’ora che ciò accada! In ogni caso è stato molto interessante e stimolante osservare la spontaneità di queste riflessioni durante l’evento.
Vinthropology 
I’m currently pasting into Google Translate so will have a specific response soon. I measure time taken or needed to be approximately one glass of wine, as opposed to some of your aesthetic posts which require three glasses. However, without translation this looks like an exceptionally professional post and set up. Have another Prosecco 🍾🍾 I’ll be back 👍
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🤣 Thank you Dr. B! It’s a great feeling to see an idea in your head become something real!
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It’ll be Dr D soon! A wizard just like Dr Dee himself 👏👏👏🤣 You may have to Google him… from Medieval times. Interesting character
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By the way I’ve just opened a treat bottle of wine and immediately tasted Fraxetin which was a big surprise. Has my anaesthetic not worn off yet?
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Should you be drinking in your condition? 😅 hope all is well!
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All is fine, no painkillers, pain has almost gone. I needed a bit of cheering up.
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I’m very pleased for you Danell, you’ve put in a lot of work for this and your constitutive meeting is a real milestone. Having a toast is also a cultural ritual of course, a marker for a rite of passage.
I would never have thought of a mozzarella and anchovies with a Prosecco, I like all of them individually but no idea about their complimenting each other. “Experiential baggage”? Surely you meant Experiential Treasure Chest? 😂😂
Anyway, looks like you’ve had an excellent start, I really look forward to future meetings being described.
By the way, random question, do you know the Aurelio Zen novels and videos?
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Your encouragement means a lot to me, as always. Just to think about a year ago I had almost given up blogging entirely! As for the wine and food pairing, try it! You might be surprised. “Experiential baggage” is an Italian phrase which actually has a positive connotation, but you’re right, it is a treasure. I’ve never heard of Aurelio Zen, I’ll look it up. 🥂
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Italian detective
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The Translate button did work this time Danell. And I was thankful to read your post. Something to note, it can’t be read in the WP reader in English, but works well on the world wide web.
In regard to your post, I agree with all you say except for one thing. The common belief that numbers are non-functional and do not express emotion or communication is erroneous. All of our being is a series of numbers.
Thinking about music, it too is an expression of numerical formulas. Each one different due to one miniscule change in the formula. And music makes us feel all kinds of things, and communicates a diverse range of emotion.
So numbers, mathematics, is what all of our systems are built on, including our universe. Our digitized communication is a series of numbers, our planetary orbits are a series of numbers, everything is a series of numbers. How we express those numbers is up to us. And they can elicit such joy.
Can you tell I love numbers? 🙂
Sorry to pull the conversation away from wine and culture. I love those too!
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Thanks for the heads up about the translate button. Apparently WordPress doesn’t support google translate any more and there doesn’t seem to be another option. Shame really, but thanks for taking the time to translate it.
I will admit that numbers are not my forte. I guess what I meant is that 2+2=4 is an objective fact in a way that “this wine is nice” isn’t. The words we use to describe our sensations are part of a complex web of experience, associations and learned behaviour, making them more subjective. For example, there’s a big difference between qualifying something versus quantifying it, the latter lending itself much more to a consistent common framework based on the concept of numeration. That being said, it’s also true that the whole is greater than the sum of all parts, as you’ve described. It’s not the individual numbers and words that transmit meaning, but how they are applied and work together to convey a concept or feeling.
I’ve been fascinated by the world of chemistry, despite my lack of knowledge and understanding, and mathematics may prove the same! I’d love to delve into the theory of divine proportion, maths and music!
And don’t apologise, what’s more cultural than maths? 🥂
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Excellent points Danell. One point I will reiterate is that numbers are not just quantitative. Though they are believed to be by many, They can be qualitative too. Perhaps they don’t describe emotions, but when put together in a particular sequence they express emotion, again I refer to music. But this can be applied to just about anything. Our current digital world and all that data that can be algorithmically sequenced is another case in point.
You’re right chemistry is fascinating. Physics more so for me.
Thank you for your always superbly engaging conversations. I can only imagine what they would be like in person over a glass of wine under the Italian sunshine. Dreaming now. 🙂
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I have no doubt. Science as art and art as science, what an interesting combination! If you’re ever in the south of Italy, you can participate in one of our association’s events, we’d love to have you!
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I’d love to Danell. Thank you very much for the invite! Now, to get to Italy. 😄
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