Art and wine have a lot more in common than the usual glass of red or white you’re served at an art opening. A new series titled “The Art of Wine” at Mystic Art Center explores the multi-faceted connections between the two. 

The first Monday evening of every month through December will feature an MAC guest speaker and a discussion and tasting by Stephen Clemente, owner of Frizzante Wine Bar, which recently opened at 15 Water St. in Mystic, adjacent to MAC’s new gallery space. 

“You can look at the connection between art and wine as aesthetic and you can look at the connoisseurship shared by both art forms — the art of winemaking and art making,” says Dawn Salerno, director of education at MAC. “It’s not just about enjoying something but recognizing all that goes into the fine points that contribute to the work of art or the wine. 

“We’re all born with the tools to enjoy wine, to enjoy art,” Salerno continues. “You’re born with eyes to see and taste buds to taste. The point is to pay attention. We will taste up to five wines in two hours and show three to five artworks. We will provide all the tools you need to understand the art, understand the wine.” 

Art of Wine subjects 

The April 6 session is titled “Abstraction.” 

Clemente explains that attendees will taste exotic varietals from around the world, 95 percent of which they will have never consumed by the glass and are considered to be experimental wines, just as abstract art is experimental. 

“It’s about looking at art and wine through a different prism,” he says. “We’re trying to get the patron to look at art differently and wine differently. “We’re pushing people out of their comfort zones to experience new things.” 

The subject of the May 4 session is “Landscapes.” 

“We know there are threads that can be drawn between the subject matter of a painting, the landscape and how it affects the flavor of the grape,” Salerno says. 

“Grapes are crops, so they’re living things and they change with the climatology,” Clemente adds. “(Whether the grapes are grown) by the banks of a river or neat the ocean, that alone is going to have a profound impact on how the grapes taste, how the wine is made, whether it’s on the softer or bolder side … and when vineyards are between 1,000 and 1,500 years old in Italy, France, Germany, that adds a tremendous amount of complexity to the wine. Wine grown in the same location for such a sustained period of time takes on a distinct personality and flavor. 

Clemente points out that “Old World Art & Wine” on June 1 followed by “New World Art & Wine” on July 6 will emphasize the difference between European and American wine the same way one would look at classic European art, influenced by the Renaissance, and American art, which is fresher and newer and more revolutionary in nature. 

As expected, “Color Theory - White” on Aug. 3 will feature only white wines, and “Color Theory - Red” on Oct. 5 will feature only red wines. The idea is to get people to understand all red wines and all white wines are not created equal. For example, Clemente notes, the color density of the wine will be directly affected by whether the grapes were grown in a warm or cold climate — and the weight and texture will have a lot to do with how the wine was aged. 

“Emotions” on Sept. 7 is aimed at one’s gut reactions to art and wine. 

“In every work there is what you bring to it, and (the idea that) if you’re getting out of the art what the artist intended, that’s a successful artwork,” Salerno says. “Or my theory, if you enjoy art, you enjoy it, it doesn’t matter what the ‘experts’ think.” 

The final two sessions are fairly self-explanatory. “Art & Wine Collecting” on Nov. 2 will be about curating and building one’s own art and wine collections. “The Art of the Label” on Dec. 7 will talk about the explosion in the number of wines now available and how people are swayed or dissuaded by the design of the label, which may have nothing to do with the quality of the wine. 

“The program draws aesthetic, thematic, and personal connections between art and wine,” Salerno says. “And, of course, we’re bringing this to the public as an education.”

The Art of Wine series

April 6: Abstraction at MAC

May 4: Landscapes at MAC

June 1: Old World Art & Wine at Frizzante

July 6: New World Art & Wine at 15 Water St. Gallery

Aug. 3: Color Theory White at Frizzante

Sept. 7: Emotions at Frizzante

Oct. 5: Color Theory Red at Frizzante

Nov. 2: Art & Wine Collecting at Frizzante

Dec. 7: Art of the Label at MAC

Talks take place on the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m. Members are $20; public $25. Frizzante is in same building as 15 Water Street Gallery and MAC is at 9 Water St. For more information, call MAC at 860-536-7601 or online mysticarts.org.