Five Wine Myths That Need to Spoil In Hell! (Vol I)
See through the silliness of some of the biggest wine myths so you can enjoy wine to the fullest.
An oracle, probably a bit drunk mused: the only thing worse than ignorance is buying the lie. Wonder what tipple might have brought on that moment of clarity but it is abundantly clear that the universe of wine is plagued by a litany of myths, some borderline harmless banter and some so egregious, the only purpose is to take the fun out of savouring the joys of wine itself.
So let’s herein take the veritable sledgehammer to some ridiculous yet strikingly common place myths and consign them to the bonfire of folly one last time. So, no, sparkling wine is not like soda, rose wine isn’t just for the ladies, please don’t add diet coke to the Chardonnay and freezing the Bordeaux will not make it age faster! For god’s sake….
Red Wine At Room Temperature. Not!
This myth is like a bad penny and one not to be underestimated. While this myth was an acceptable fact until 20th century Europe when even the summers were relatively cool, today this notion is plain loony. Red wine has to be served at between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius which can only be achieved in the depth of winter or very good air conditioners. Yet it’s amazing how not just home party hosts but even some restaurants and hotels that repeat offend by serving their wine warm based on this outdated and now entirely misplaced belief. But don’t you allow yourself to suffer warm, undrinkable tipple. Dispatch this myth and chill your reds down.Wine Under Cork better that screwcap…
This misgiving is so 1990s, it’s embarrassing. While the screwcap did start off facing the perception of being cork’s cheaper substitute, it’s currency has risen considerably in the new world, especially Australia and New Zealand. Other countries, even in Europe have caught on, given the screwcap’s spotless track record compared to cork that does still spoil some wine. So please don’t scoff at having to pay top dollar for a screw capped New Zealand white or Australian red and you’ll be surprised at the stunning ferment that pour out. Screw capped wines are as good as those under cork so please let that one go.
Sparkling Wine Only In Tulip Glasses
Now sparkling wine’s had a bit of strange history of glassware choices, none more puzzling than the akward Champagne saucer which can only now be found in 1970s Bond movies. The present tulip glass which has undergone some smart design overhauls is the widely accepted choice of glass but feel free to go with a white wine glass. It isn’t unusual for connoisseurs to savour vintage Champagnes and Cavas in Sauvignon Blanc glasses, that give the wine more surface contact to breathe and release delicate flavours. So by all means, go for it.
