The notes between the notes

Wine is often described in musical terms. We talk about notes, length, harmony. A bright red can feel like a taut solo. A full-bodied white, like a swell of strings. Some vintages are like symphonies. Others flow straight like a bassline. There are silences on the palate, buildups, reprises. But what if wine and music shared more than just vocabulary?

Scientists are digging into this. So are winemakers. In this article, we explore how certain pieces of music can alter our perception of wine — and how, this year, the winemakers at Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite have chosen to let their wines speak through music.

Taste has ears

For a long time, wine tasting was considered a strictly oenological affair. Then came neuroscience. Researchers began asking: does what we hear affect how we taste? The answer is yes. In 2007, psychologist Adrian North (University of Edinburgh) conducted an experiment with a hundred students. Each of them tasted the same wine — but in different musical environments: Carl Orff for intensity, Tchaikovsky for delicacy, Nouvelle Vague for freshness, Michael Brook for softness.

The results were crystal clear: with Orff, the wine was perceived as ‘powerful and heavy’; with Tchaikovsky, ‘subtle and refined’. The wine didn’t change — their perceptions did. At Oxford University, Professor Charles Spence is delving further into this phenomena, something he calls ‘crossmodal correspondences’: spontaneous, often unconscious associations between the senses.

A high-pitched frequency can enhance a wine’s acidity. A low frequency can soften its tannins. A fluid melody can stretch out the finish, while a jerky rhythm might break it up. If listening changes how we taste, the reverse can also be true.

For many artists, a glass of wine can spark a sound, a rhythm, or even a sensation.
Not because of intoxication — but because of sensory resonance.

One sip can summon a chord. A flash of acidity can stir a memory. Composers like Poulenc, Ravel and Bernstein often spoke of that sweet spot between control and surrender, where the music seems to come from elsewhere. Neuroscience again has an answer: this is the moment when activity in the prefrontal cortex — our centre for analytical thinking — is momentarily dialled down. Less reasoning, more intuition.

At DBR Lafite, wine comes with a soundtrack.

A family of estates. A playlist for each one: Château L’Évangile, Rieussec, Domaine d’Aussières, Château Lafite Rothschild, Bodegas CARO, Viña Los Vascos, Château Duhart-Milon, Domaine William Fèvre.

Tracks to share — just like you open a bottle with friends. Because some wines, like some songs, say more about a year than any speech could. Our winemakers have turned up the volume. Each estate now has a playlist paired with its wine — a choice guided by heart, by ear, and by palate.

Discover our curated Spotify playlists.

Press play, swirl your glass, and let each vintage share its story through music. After all, a great wine isn’t always revealed on the label—sometimes it’s best experienced in stereo.