General Rules:
• Spicy food will exaggerate the tannin and bitterness of a wine. Salt
and sour additions to the food will counteract this effect on the wine.
• White wines tend to be higher in acidity than red wines.
• There is a wide range of sweetness levels in many beverages and foods.
• Savoury taste is found naturally occurring in almost all food to some
degree.
• Bitterness is extracted from many foods like vegetables and herbs
during cooking, especially at high temperatures.
• The astringency is the "tannic" taste of a wine. It is actually a
sensation and not a taste.