Many people think that wine is better after it has aged or if it has been in a barrel for many years, but what if I were to tell you that both of those statements are false? Wine is something that has been drank for thousands of years even before books were a recording device. With thousands of years of the same sort of drink, we are bound to spread rumors and share secrets about wine that may not have been true in the first place. There are many more sayings or history that have been passed down from generation to generation talking about myths of the bottled fruit juice that has had people talking for years. Now we are going to clear up some of the misunderstandings in order to make sure everyone knows what they are talking about when discussing wine.
The older the wine, the better:
The first debunking of a myth will come from the statement that the older the wine is the better it will be. Now this can be true in certain cases, but most types of wine should be drunk when the winery establishes it as adequate. Most wines have a time that it is designated to drink and if the wine is drank after the fact you could be unimpressed because of what it tastes like. Young wines that are rated for more recent consumption should be consumed in a maximum of one year.
Red is for meat and white is for fish:
This is the most widespread myths that has ever circulated the alcoholic beverage. While it is true that certain wines pair with stronger dishes and some are better with milder dishes. With that being said red wine pairs perfectly with an oily or fatty fish, while white wine could pair perfectly with white meat like chicken. In the world of wine you cannot go wrong with what you pair your wine with, it all depends on your personal preferences and experiments.
Red wine is served at room temperature:
Most people will tell a beginner to only put white wine or sparkling wines in the fridge and some say red should never be made cold. While most of the red wine in the world is better at warmer temperatures than whites do, but there are always exceptions. The best red wines that can be chilled are usually a light to medium body and low levels of tannins. Don’t be afraid to try and experiment chilling different wines as well as trying some white wines at room temperature.
Cava or champagne is only for desserts:
When cava or champagne is consumed it is normally paired with desserts as a way to toast the end of the meal. When we think of sparkling alcoholic beverages, we think of special occasions as well as celebrations. While we use them to toast at the end of the good meal, we recommend that you experience this wine by itself because it is an absolutely amazing beverages. The finesse of sparkling wine is something that will stick out to you and bring you in for more.
Open the bottle of wine to let it breathe:
When a bottle of wine is open it immediately starts oxygenating, but leaving the cork off of the bottle while enjoying it won’t affect the wine as much as you think. Oxygen running down the neck of the bottle is definitely harder than most people think, and that is why most wine glasses have a wide neck of the glass. Once it is poured into the glass the wine can properly be oxygenated which helps give the wine legs and improves the mouthfeel. So leaving the cork out of the bottle while you enjoy it will not affect the wine too much.
Great wines have great ‘legs’:
The clinging dribbles of wine after swirling it around in a class is called legs and this is believed to be the indication of an incredible wine. While this can be a telling sign of a great wine, it is not truly the sign that indicates a great wine. A great wine is determined by quality, taste, and how it personally makes you feel. Legs don’t determine a wine, you do.