Wine Wednesday – WINE MYTHS

If wine wasn’t already part of many people’s daily lives, due to self isolation it now is!  Or perhaps that is just me? 

We see articles like wine is good for you, wine helps you lose weight – my personal favorite and white wine should NEVER be consumed with red meat.  Are these fact or fiction?  Well let’s find out…

WINE MYTHS

Wine has to “Breath”

While wine does sometimes need to open up, it does not need to breathe from the bottle when opened.  The glass should be half-filled so that the aroma and flavors can easily soften and the wine can be fully exposed to the air.

Never mix different types of wine

Apparently, it causes hangovers.  Well, of course it will if you drink too much of it.  Different wines with different foods over a long meal can be very pleasurable and enjoyable.  It is all about moderation, that is what makes the difference not the mixing of wine!

Wine improves with age

While certain wines benefit from a few years of aging not all wines do.  Those that have a lot of tannins and high intense flavors such as Cabernet Sauvignons and heavier whites such as Chardonnays and Burgundies may improve for a few years but tend to stop after about three to five years. This does not mean that wines will turn after a few years.

Drink white wine with fish and red wine with meat

While many believe this is a rule, it is not.  It is more of a guideline.  The only rule about wine is that you should drink what you like and enjoy. 

“Legs” indicate a higher quality of wine

This myth was debunked years ago.  Legs or tears are the streams that you can see running down the inside of a glass.  While this may indicate a higher level of alcohol, it does not indicate the quality of the wine in any way.

If a wine has a screw cap, its ‘cheap’ or a poor quality

I am a bit of a cork snob. I think its because I love the process of opening wine. A metal cap you have screw off doesn’t seem as elegant or romantic. Sadly, this is another myth. Introduced in Australia and New Zealand a few decades ago, the screw cap is both economical and has the same abilities as a cork and… can protect the wine from TCA, a nasty little bacterium that can affect some cork wines.  Many wineries across the globe now use screw caps, especially if the wine is meant to be right away and not aged for a longer period.

If you are interested in learning more, a super book to read on this topic is Wine Myths and Reality by Benjamin Lewinn.