7 Wine Myths Uncorked

When you thought you knew everything about wine, you read something new which makes you wonder if you will ever grasp every aspect of this divine drink. Maybe these 7 facts will surprise you.

1)red wines should be drunk when eating meat, white wines should be drunk when eating fish.

You can pair a red wine with fish, as long if it’s a very meaty, fatty fish. Tuna and Salmon are incredibly tasty when drunk with the right bottle of red wine. Now the opposite is also possible. A fruity Chenin Blanc for example can be paired with beef. A Chardonnay goes well with chicken breast.

 2) screw caps are inferior to corks to maintain a wine’s highest quality

First of all: not all corks are high quality. Why? Because high quality corks can cost the manufacturer up to 50 cents per bottle! This expensive price is why producers will fill low-quality corks with cork dust and glue. Winemakers add sulfites to the wine to protect it from oxidation. If you have a high quality cork, your wine will age well. If not, too much oxygen that comes into your wine each year will affect the aging process of your wine by breaking down these sulfites.

Screw caps are perfect for short-term wines as well as long-term wines. Studies have shown positive results on long-term aging. Thy are affordable and they prevent your wine from getting tainted with TCA. Overall screw caps are a better choice, unless you absolutely sure your wine is sealed with high quality cork and you’re planning to let it age considerably.

3) red wines should be drunk at room temperature

FALSE FALSE FALSE! QelviQ's wine specialists and sommeliers such as Wim De Schutter and Patrick Cappiello warn you should never drink a red wine at room temperature. Check this table to see at what temperature your red wine should be chilled.

4) wines generally have the same amount of alcohol

Not true because it all depends on how much sugar is turned into alcohol by fermentation is in your bottle of wine. An American Riesling for example has 12% alcohol, whereas a Shiraz can contain up to almost 16% of alcohol per bottle. Most Grenaches and Zinfandels will have an alcohol level of 14%-15%.

5) boxed wine is bad wine

Also not true. Boxed wine is cheaper than bottled wine for the only reason that they cut expenses on packaging and shipping. They do not make cuts on the quality of the wine. Wine snobs should not look down on it and you shouldn’t be ashamed about drinking it!

6) the bigger the wine legs, the higher the quality

Legs form because of the alcohol content of the wine and the effects of surface tension, adhesion and evaporation. Alcohol tends to crawl up the glass, because of the lower surface tension. So basically: the bigger the legs, the higher the alcohol level.

7) a white wine tastes better when it’s ice cold

This is a stone cold lie. When a wine is too cold the molecules shrink and the taste buds on your tongue will numb. Look at this table to see at what temperature your white wine should be drunk.

Do you want to enjoy your wine at the optimal temperature and taste?
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