A Meditation on Wine Tasting
Federica Piccoli, from Turin, is a great connoisseur of her region and of its local products, that she channels into a sensational experience that heightens the mind and delights the senses.
Her project “Degustare per Meditare” (Tasting Meditation) allows consciousness and the senses to flow blissfully in unison. Slow-tasting is essential and peace of mind is required to savor the wine, that should be accompanied by a small piece of food (such as chocolate). This is the premise embraced by Federica Piccoli to allow people to discover, through a different perspective, her homeland and products. As she explains: “In the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato we are fortunate to be able to experience first hand the link between territory and the earth’s fruits: wine, hazelnuts, vegetables and much more. Sometimes, living far from places where this kind of bond is so strong, weakens our ability to appreciate the quality of genuine products.”
The Tasting Meditation uses wine not only for the inebriating pleasure it provides, but also to reinforce our consciousness within sensory participation. This creates an osmosis between the pleasure of the taste buds and that of the soul. This is not a new concept. During the Seventies the expression “meditation wine” became popular thanks to famous Italian gastronome, Luigi Veronelli, who coined the term “vino da meditazione.” It usually refers to a type of wine that is sweet and without bubbles, but the concept extends to the manner in which you drink the wine: with an attitude of understanding its history and complexity.
The meditation that Federica Piccoli proposes has a dual-purpose: it serves as a way to train the five senses, and is a means to reconnect with the territory. It begins by focusing on breathing techniques, to concentrate on the five senses. What follows is meditation. Participants will traverse a phase of reflection after a wine tasting, to circumnavigate sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, thanks to techniques of concentration and contemplation. More wine is savored with a new awareness, acquired by the self-examination process. The experience concludes with an addition of food to the tasting, that enables to develop the pleasure that rises from the conscious encounter with our senses. Quality wine coalesces with sublime gastronomic creations, through a sensory journey that has the aim of leading participants on a path of self-discovery.
