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Wine Myths Debunked

View from above 3 wine glasses filled with different wines

“In vino veritas (In wine there is truth),” said Alcaeus, a Greek poet who lived in the 6th century BC. Wine should be fun, and always an adventure. While we love all things wine, there are some outdated ideas that need correcting. Here we dissect a few of the most pervasive misconceptions and get to the truth of the matter.

1. Money Matters

The most expensive wine doesn’t always mean the best wine. Factors such as wine region, affiliations, varietal, and image can drive up the cost of a bottle of wine. Look for wines with great QPR (Quality to Price Ratio).

Wine bottles with dollar sign tag hanging from 1 bottle

2. Sulfite Suspect

A small percentage of people, often those with asthma, report reactions to wines with added sulfites – headaches, hives, itching. These reactions can be serious. But most people are not allergic to sulfites. So what if you get a headache after drinking wine? Wine can create headaches because the alcohol can cause dehydration. Tannins can also be a contributing factor,  so if you are experiencing headaches after drinking wine but don’t suspect a sulfite allergy, switch it up! Take a chance on gently aged reds, or young, softer reds like Pinot Noir, Sangiovese and Grenache.

Red wine pouring into wine glasses

3. Shape Doesn’t Matter

Wine glasses come in different shapes, and each has its purpose:

  • Red Wine Glass: The bowl is deeper with a narrow rim. This helps bring out the aromatics and the characteristics of the flavors by allowing a full swirl.
  • White Wine Glass: Not as deep and broad as the red glass, but still has a narrow rim. This allows for less vigorous swirling.
  • Flute: The long, narrow bowl that helps form the bubbles we all love. The length of the bowl also helps keep the champagne or sparkling wine from going flat.

Sparkling Wine in wine glasses

 

TIP: Always hold a wine glass by its stem (not its bowl) to avoid transferring heat from your hand to the wine.

4. Older Is Better

Years in the cellar can transform finely made, boisterous young Cabernet into a magical mix of rich texture, multilayered flavor and complex nuances of oak and tannin. But not all varietals benefit from age, and a poorly made wine will not improve with time. Also, some people simply prefer the fresh, fruity flavors of a younger wine.

Dusty old wine bottles on cellar racks

5. Pink = Sweet

The pink “pop wines” that gained runaway popularity in the 1980s are simple and sweet. But they are a world away from the tart, bone-dry, fruity deliciousness that you can find in a well-made Rosé.

6. Screw Caps = Low Quality

Ubiquitous in New Zealand and Australia, screw caps are becoming increasingly popular with artisan winemakers in the US. The reasons vary from fear of cork taint to simply looking for a cheaper, easier closure. Also, some think wines stay fresher longer with screwcaps. “To hold a bottle five to 10 years, the screw cap is the way to go.” – Dale Goode, Murphy-Goode Winery, Sonoma County

The California Wine Club

Since 1990, it’s been our wine club’s mission to help artisan wineries share their small-batch wines with wine enthusiasts everywhere. At The California Wine Club we happen to think these wines simply taste better than the mass-produced wines that dominate store shelves.

We visit the wineries, meet the families and winemakers behind the wines and then invite them to share their favorite wines with our wine club members. Every wine featured in our five monthly wine clubs comes from a real-working winery.

If quality and service matter to you, and you’ve been searching for a wine of the month club to try out, we invite you to give our wine club a try.

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