Ten Wine myths debunked

by Jennifer Larmie

May 1,2009

A huge part of the snobbery and intimidation that prevents wine from gaining a larger audience is balderdash. Some of the most popular “wine knowledge” is based on half-truths or passed-along hearsay. Over the years I have been lucky to live with a winemaker who keeps me informed of all scientific aspects of winemaking – like it or not. So I’m not saying I know everything about our noble grape, but I do know enough to get a slight migraine when I hear people repeating their misconceptions.

Here are several popular myths:

1. There is a direct correlation between price of the wine and taste. NO. Price is solely a function of supply and demand. There are unlimited terrific wine values available at supermarkets, wine shops and big club stores that would reign supreme to even some of the most expensive bottles. I’m not saying that a Romanee Conte, Silver Oak Cab or 1998 Bordeaux could compare to “Two-Buck Chuck.” I’m just saying, “get over the price issue, and try some wines under $15.” For instance, try the Maipe Malbec Mendoza wine at this site: www.klwines.com
2. Drier is better. Sweet is bad. Nope. Maybe because we’ve been brought up on sweet soft drinks, we equate sweet with bad quality. Many slightly sweet wines (residual sugar – not added sugar) are some of the best accompaniments to spicy foods. Think of a slightly sweet Riesling or Gewurztraminer. These two wines have suffered over the past couple decades due to poorly made commercial versions, and they are actually some of the most versatile for food pairing with their food-friendly acidity and light body. For example, try this site: www.ste-michelle.com.
3. “Reserve” wines are top of the line. Not necessarily. “Reserve” is a term given to a specific wine to imply that it is of a higher quality than usual, a wine that has been aged before being sold, or both. Traditionally, winemakers would “reserve” some of their best wine rather than sell it immediately, thus coining the term. In some countries, the use of the term reserve/reserva/riserva is regulated, but here in the United States, it is not. “Reserve” is used at the discretion of the winemaker and can be nothing but a marketing ploy. Buyer beware!
4. Screw caps are for cheap wine. Nada. Screw caps are found on younger wines, but they are not all low quality. Screw cap closures keep the wine fresh, and there is never a chance that the bottle will be spoiled by cork taint. As I’ve reported before, on average, up to 10 percent of cork-sealed wines are ruined by cork taint. Screw caps avoid this problem because they effectively keep out oxygen. The other added benefit is that they are easy to open and reseal, which pleases lazy wine lovers everywhere. For example, try the 2007 Condrum, Calif., wine at www.klwines.com
5. Large producers produce inferior wines. Quite the opposite. Larger wine companies have a lot of advantages in their winemaking capabilities. They have access to huge labs and some of the best vineyards and winemaking talent, and the results can appear in some of the wines you least expect. Gallo, Beringer and many other big-bottle producers win gold medals for their outstanding quality. Just because they’re prolific doesn’t mean they don’t do a good job.
6. A wine with a high rating must be good. Depends. The power of wine ratings is in their simplicity. However, scores aren’t scientific; they are just one person’s opinion of a particular wine at a particular time. As we should know by now, the best wines are the wines you like. Who cares if they scored 98 in the Spectator? Ratings are subjective, so don’t give them ultimate power over your buying decisions.
7. Sulfites in red wine give you headaches. Doubtful. Sulfites only cause headaches in about 1 percent of the population. They are present naturally in wine and are used as a preservative. The amount of added sulfites is small, and all whites will have more than reds. There are several other reasons, other than the obvious, why wine could give you a headache. Aged or fermented food and drink have histamine triggers that cause blood vessels in your brain to dilate, which is where reds will get you. There are also compounds that come from the wood and byproducts produced during the fermentation process that can trigger headaches.
8. Organic wines mean no sulfites. FALSE. Organic wine is, first and foremost, a wine made out of grapes that were grown organically with no pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, etc. There is no such thing as a sulfite-free wine. Sulfites are a natural byproduct of the fermentation process; however, today winemakers can choose to add much fewer sulfites than in times past. But sulfites are still important to ensure stability in the wine. For instance, take a look at this winery’s products: www.store.frogsleap.com
9. Aged wines are better than young wines. Au contraire! There are factors that determine whether aging will increase the enjoyment of wine. First, the wine must be made to age, and secondly, the storage conditions must be constant. Consumers don’t realize that wine has a lot in common with fresh produce. It changes as it ages. Just like bananas, some prefer firm and barely ripe, and others prefer soft, pungent and fully ripe. It’s a matter of personal taste. Most experts would agree that, comparatively, few wines actually taste better when aged more than five years past vintage dates. This perception could have stemmed in part from the fact that some wines increase in monetary value as they get older. But in most cases, the increase in value is due to rarity, not quality.
10. Sniffing the cork. PUH-LEASE! First of all, when you smell the cork, you usually just smell the cork. Even if the cork smells like old, damp, musty cardboard, it doesn’t necessarily mean your wine smells that way, too. Sometimes, I can detect TCA (cork taint), which usually means the wine is flawed. But I used to sell cork, so my “sniffer” can pick out that nasty stuff a lot easier than the typical consumer. The best way to ensure that the wine is up to your standards is to pour a little in the glass, swirl it, sniff it and taste. Don’t buy into the cork-sniffing racket. Leave the cork on the table. It’s less embarrassing.