Debunked! It’s time to can these common wine myths.
Today we’ve debunked our least favourite wine myths. Often created to keep the mystery and prestige of the wine industry alive for the privileged few, and keep the rest of us confused, many myths still withstand the test of time. And frankly, we think it’s time it stopped. Here at Kiss of Wine, we strive to make wine accessible to everyone, anywhere and have set about debunking some top wine myths so you can enjoy your wine however you like it
The more expensive, the better
Perhaps our most favourite wine myth to debunk — good wine does not have to be expensive wine! While, admittedly, spending more is a good rule of thumb for quality, this isn’t to say the opposite is true. Many factors such as location, grape or producer familiarity, region size and taxation can influence pricing.
The older the wine, the better
A myth as old as wine itself, and true for a small percentage of only the most premium wines with a high tannin or acid content. The fact of the matter is, wines at most levels of quality are meant to be drunk in the first couple of years.
Red wine shouldn’t be chilled
Says who? Okay, so some features of red wine are better expressed at warmer temperatures, however, this is not a one size fits all rule. Some light to medium-bodied reds go quite well when a little chilled. On the flip side, not all whites enjoy being too cold either. Some quick research can help you with this on a wine by wine basis.
All Chardonnays are rich and buttery
(so I hate them!)
Debunked! The Chardonnay grape is actually neutral, and its flavour is often determined by the soil it’s grown in and the style of the winemaker. Don’t believe us? Check out our Chardonnay that is everything but.
You shouldn’t drink red wine with fish
(or white wine with steak)
Many food and wine pairings will tell you that red wine is better suited to red meats and white to light, right? Well yes, but this is not exact science and rules are meant to be broken. Texture and flavour play a role, and there is more than one way to cook a fish.
A Cork indicates quality
This simply isn’t true. Despite traditionalists banging on about it, there isn’t any evidence to indicate that corked wine is somehow better. Between screw caps and canned wine, differences in wine quality based on these factors has become negligible. With these trends taking off in recent years, quality has had to take a front seat. Some premium wine producers in Germany, for example, now bottle their wine exclusively with screw caps so it’s about time we shook this myth for good.
As for canned wine, while it has a shorter shelf life, research on the can versus glass debate show little difference in flavour preference. Features of low-quality wine may be intensified when drinking from a can but let’s be honest, no one here should be drinking poor quality wine in the first place, so it’s otherwise not a problem.
Winemaking is steeped in tradition, and for good reason too. However, often these areas can be exploited to suit the old fashioned narrative that good wine is set aside for a higher class, and this simply isn’t true. As technologies change, so have some areas of winemaking and storage, and many myths have stuck around due to excellent marketing. Like most things, the art of enjoying wine is just that, an art — never exact and open to personal preference. So we say, have it as you enjoy it.