There are several myths that make good wine trivia. These myths and truths are a great way to quiz your wine loving friends and give them and yourself and education at the same time. Here are the top ten wine myths revealed.
1. Aged Wine is Better than Young Wine
Not all wines require aging. In fact, many wines are intended to be drunk young and they do not require aging. Typically, red wines that have high tannins are the only wines that require aging. There are also some white wines that will benefit from aging, such as Rieslings, but in general they are intended to be drunk young as well. There are also those wines that taste worse after being aged and those that will not change much at all.
2. Red Wine Should Never Be Chilled
There are some light reds such as the Beaujolais that will benefit from being chilled. Beaujolais Nouveau is the first wine that is made from each year’s harvest. The wine was originally made for the workers of the winery, but the wine quickly spread in popularity to local bistros. There are several festivals that are held around the world that celebrate the wine’s release.
3. “Reserve” Wines Are Top of the Line
On American labels, “reserve” has no true meaning and is used at the discretion of the winemaker. The term is often used to designate a special wine, although the reputation of the vineyard will often have an effect on the quality and price of the wine.
4. Wines With Sulfates Will Give You a Headache
Sulfates only cause headaches in about one percent of the population and this tends to be those who suffer from asthma. Sulfates are naturally present in wine and sulfur is abundant in various forms in all living things. Sulfites are used as a preservative by winemakers worldwide and only the United States notes the sulfite warning on the label. The amounts of added sulfites are small and all whites will have more than reds.
There are several other reasons that you may be having a headache. These causes may be:
Histamines: Histamines cause the blood vessels in your brain to dilate and are higher in red wines than whites. They are found in aged and fermented foods.
Tyramines: Found in cultured foods such as cheese and yogurt as well as ferment foods such as wine, dark beer, soy sauce, chocolate and a few other foods. Tyramines cause your blood vessels to constrict.
Congeners: These are organic compounds that are found in the by-products of the fermentation process and give wine its flavor. When they enter your blood stream, the immune system recognizes them as poisons and releases cytokines to eliminate them. These are more prevalent in red wines.
Prostaglandins: These are naturally occurring in your body and are pain producers. The dilation of the arteries triggers their release. They may also be responsible for migraine headaches.
Sensitivities to Elements in Wine Production: Some people are sensitive to certain types of wood while other are sensitive to the chemicals that are used in a particular area.
5. All German Wines Are Sweet
There are a variety of German wines and they range from dry to very sweet like wines that are produced in various other countries. If you see “trocken” on a German wine label it means “dry.”
6. Screw tops Are a Sign of Cheap Wine
More and more wineries are using screw tops so that they may avoid cork contamination of their wines. Don’t be surprised if you find a high dollar bottle with a screw top.
7. Wines Should Always Breathe
Allowing a wine to breathe is generally only necessary for those wines that need further aging. Breathing also allows the wine to be exposed to air and to soften the tannins.
8. All Wines Have the Same Amount of Alcohol
The level of alcohol in a wine depends on the amount of sugar that has been converted during fermentation. There are also wines that have been fortified with alcohol to raise the alcohol content.
9. The More a Wine Costs, the Better It Is
The price of a wine depends on numerous factors. The land of the vineyard, the price of the packaging, the types of grapes that are used, how the wine is aged and the reputation of the winery or winemaker all have an effect on the price of a bottle of wine. You may find a fairly expensive bottle of wine and think that it will be good when in fact you wish you hadn’t spent so much on it.
10. Zinfandel is a Pink Wine
Zinfandel is actually a red grape, but the name has become very popular due to the blush wine, the White Zinfandel. There are several good red Zinfandels.
Makenna
A common wellspring of confusion is wine literature. Many excellent wine books are currently available to lay readers. Most of them praise the vintages of individual regions, debate wine’s subtle food harmonies, or relate pleasant sojourns among the vineyards enjoyed by the authors.
Although always delectable reading, they rarely spare space to rehearse the ABC’s of wine. When an occasional writer does discuss the subject in grade-school terms, he leaps so abruptly to the post-graduate level that the novices among his readers are left completely befogged. Wine volumes heretofore published have thereby helped to create the need for the present one.
From the various sources available, largely gourmets and writers in Great Britain, but also in recent years from those of the United States, have also come many of the rules which surround fashionable wine selection and service. These rules did not come from the wine countries of Europe, where the average citizen consumes his wine as freely as most Americans gulp their ice water. The ordinary Frenchman, Italian, Spaniard, or Portuguese, to whom wine is among the staple necessities of life, is happily ignorant of its abracadabra, and if he ever were told that red wine should not be served with fish, would regard it as so much nonsense.
American winegrowers have done little to clear up the maze. Most of them would be happier if their product could be freed of the enigmas and paradoxes which hinder its broader sale. Yet few would be willing to strip wine of its noble traditions and its undeniably valuable romantic atmosphere. Half-hearted attempts have occasionally been made to depart from the time-honored, but ambiguous, wine-type nomenclature inherited from Europe, only to be frustrated because the Old World wine names have become permanently anchored in the English language. And European vintners, whose principal customers already know how to buy and enjoy their merchandise, lack any motive to change their perplexing labels.
All of this confusion helps to make wine more intriguing than if it were simple. It also helps to account for the growing numbers of wine snobs. For on a subject as tangled as wine, almost anybody can expound safely, because hardly anyone else knows what is right or wrong. What is wine snobbery? Let’s first get the terms straight by distinguishing among wine experts, wine connoisseurs, and wine snobs.
A genuine wine expert is one who can readily distinguish among the world’s principal wines without reading the labels-a Tocai, http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/Tocai/, from a Trebbiano, http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/Trebbiano/. The number of such people is surprisingly few. You can become one, if your senses of taste and smell are keen, by sampling a sufficient number of wines with an open mind and a retentive memory, and by learning, at the same time, about the principal wine grape varieties and how wines are made.
To be a wine connoisseur, it is not necessary to be such an expert. Surely you are already a connoisseur (that is to say, a critical judge) of steaks, roasts, coffee, cheese, and also, perhaps, of liquor and cigarettes. In fact, we are all connoisseurs of the things we especially enjoy in food, drink, and entertainment. We are not shy about discussing our likes and dislikes among such items. Why be suddenly shy about our likes and dislikes among wines? Your taste is unique just as your thumb print is. You alone are the judge of what pleases your discriminating palate. It should be maintained that you are a connoisseur of wines when you have sampled enough of them to know which ones please you and which do not.
You are a wine snob, on the other hand, if (a) you look for a wine’s faults instead of its virtues, if (b) you behave like an expert when you are not, if (c) you are influenced by a wine’s price instead of by its flavor, if (d) you turn up your nose at bottles that lack famous names or vintage dates, if (e) you belittle wines simply because they do not come from Europe, or, in general, if you drink the label instead of the wine, whether it be a Merlot or a Viognier. More information on these grape types can be found at http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/Merlot/ and http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/Viognier/.
From the above distinctions it is readily apparent that while wine snobs are not necessarily experts or connoisseurs, you are likely to find many connoisseurs and some experts behaving like wine snobs.
Yet there is no particular harm in wine snobbery. In fact, it is fun, and might even be recommended as an easily acquired mark of gentility. Other cultural endeavors get welcome support from art snobs, book snobs, and music snobs, to name a few kinds. All of them enjoy themselves and derive benefit there from.
Judith
Wine connoisseurs and those casual wine lovers will put much effort in finding that perfect wine rack. A fine wine rack will always raise the atmosphere in the room. A well chosen wine rack will add to the overall value of one’s home and it will bring out that special flair of luxury. Buying a wine rack is almost certain to raise some questions. Questions like why you should need a wine rack or which material to choose for a rack will come up.
More than one dilemma is going to cross your mind before you actually go into action.
Why should one buy a wine bottle storage rack? Perhaps you are a wine lover that wants to manifest his passion and it just does not feel right to store those fine bottles anywhere else.
As much as the right storage of bottles is important a beautiful wine rack will also become a real eye-catcher when friends come to visit you. A quality wine rack still emits that special aura of exclusivity. Wine bottle rack is still a strong statement of wealth and a healthy life style.
Which material should I choose for my wine rack?
Besides classic materials like wood or metal, a custom made wine rack can satisfy one’s wildest imagination concerning the choice of different materials. Despite the great selection of different materials, metal and wood still dominate the market. Regarding wood, nowadays every serious wine rack producer offers at least 5 different wood sorts to choose from. Metal wine racks offer the choice of all kinds of metal that will match most sophisticated taste of any true wine lover.
Which wine rack will keep its value for a longer time?
The first step should be to decide what kind of a rack you need in terms of different racking types: a wall mounted wine rack, a free standing one, handing rack or a table top wine rack. Afterwards you will be able to estimate the limits of your budget when thinking of purchasing middle- to upper class wine rack. A decision that rarely brings any disappointment is a decision to buy a hardwood wine rack. Short but bulletproof advice.
Does it matter where I put my wine rack?
In a small to mid-size apartment a wine rack would traditionally find its place in the kitchen or in a dining room. People who consider themselves as burning lovers of wine colleting will scarify almost any other piece of furniture just to put their beautiful wine rack in living room. Wine rack is never a problematic piece of furniture and it will go along with furniture in any room. Those true wine lovers will tend to have their wine collection displayed in a room where family and friends spend majority of their time.
Is a new wine rack too expensive for me?
Starting price for a middle size wine rack storing up to 100 bottles will begin at 50 to 60 USD. Quality wood wine rack storing 60-70 bottles will cost you over 200 USD. Wrought iron wine racks are much more expensive than those entry models of hardwood racks. 350 to 400 USD is the price to count with.
It does not matter whether it is a hanging wine rack in the kitchen or a wall mounted wine rack in a dining room, carefully chosen wine rack will fit any furniture and any special taste of its owner. Wine racks are that additional piece of classy furniture that nobody really needs, but everyone passionately wants to own one.
Carla
Monthly wine clubs introduce you to the world of wine in a unique way that is appreciated by both novices looking to their first introduction as well as experienced wine connoisseurs. Quality wine clubs are a great way to learn about wine and sample the best wines from around the world every month. A quality online wine club offers something for every level of appreciation.
As a member of a quality wine club, you enjoy the benefits of having your own personal enologist and wine merchant to take you on a journey of wine discovery. The world of wine is brought right to your door at terrific prices. You experience great wines to which you otherwise would not have access.
When it comes to buying wine there’s a lot of choice out there, with supermarkets, independent wine shops, wine mail order companies and online wine retailers all vying for a share of the market. A few decades ago it was far simpler, with the local wine merchant the only place to consider. Then came supermarkets, and more recently still the Internet has shifted things once again. Recent reports are beginning to suggest that the High Street has seen its heyday, in favour of the Internet. So why is this? Well, when you consider the advantages of buying wine online, it’s not hard to see why.
Online wine retailers have the advantage that they don’t incur many of the costs (such as rent, heating, lighting and shop floor staff) experienced by traditional wine merchants, meaning that they can offer you cheaper wine. Similarly, whereas a high street wine shop or a supermarket may be restricted by shelf space when it comes to displaying wines, online wine retailers don’t have that problem. This means a far greater choice of wine for you.
One of the key things that sets Internet wine retailers apart from traditional wine merchants is the fact that you can buy wine from the comfort of your armchair. With no parking hassles, car journeys or closing times to work around, you’ve got total freedom and flexibility to buy wine when it suits you best. And once you’ve ordered you wines, you don’t have to move an inch to receive them. Online wine retailers pride themselves on wine delivery direct to your door, so forget the heavy trolleys and cars to unload.
A drawback with high street wine merchants is that when you find yourself in a small, intimidating environment you are more likely to be pressurised into buying something you don’t really want. Buy wine direct from an online wine retailer however and you won’t feel this uneasiness. Simply spend as long as you need browsing and researching the wines in your own time, knowing that help is there should you need it.
Online wine retailers also have the advantage that they can more easily tailor the shopping experience to your tastes and preferences. So whilst you’ll be faced with rows and rows of wines to look through at your local supermarket or wine shop, with an online wine store you can usually very quickly filter out the wines that you dislike. More sophisticated websites often tailor what you see to your preferences, or encourage you to sign up to emails that are based around the type of wines that you are likely to be interested in.
Finally, it’s worth considering the quality of the wine. Internet wine merchants are unlikely to be swayed by the producer’s buying influence in the marketplace, as shelf space isn’t an issue. So instead of big branded mass-produced wines which tend to line the shelves of the supermarkets, Internet wine retailers are likely to look beyond the purchasing power, which leads to a greater selection of more original wines for you.
Admittedly, it has not all been plain sailing with the Internet, with consumer concerns about online security and limited take up in the early years. But with developments in technology quickly overcoming these barriers, it’s not hard to see why more and more consumers are fleeing the high streets in favour of online shopping. Virgin Wines is one example of an online wine retailer that has benefited from this trend, with an enormous sales growth in recent years. To find out more, visit our site.
Janiya
Let’s just say, you’d be crazy not to join the Virgin Wines’ Discovery Wine Club. Boutique wines, a personalised service and all the flexibility from a wine club that you could possibility need. Do you know of any other wine club offering these benefits?
Virgin Wines believes in selecting handcrafted, boutique wines especially for you. We steer clear of big brands, famous names and popular labels. Why? Because we want to offer you the best value wines possible and you won’t get that from mass produced, heavily marketed wines. So instead, we look to bring you the most exciting, best quality wines from up and coming, undiscovered winemakers. Pure gems just for you.
When you sign up to the Virgin Wines’ Discovery Wine Club, you’ll become part of a personalised approach to buying wine. We recognise that all our customers are different and like different wines, so that’s why we pick out a unique selection of wines for you to enjoy each quarter. What’s more, we offer two levels to our wine club, so you can choose to join the plan that suits you best. Should you wish to make further purchases of wine, we have a dedicated team of wine advisors on hand to help you personally with your wine recommendations. In addition, we have developed unique technology that will allow you to see only the wines that we think you will love when you sign in to our website.
Virgin Wines believes in providing our customers with as much information as possible about our wines. And honest information at that. Every week we add over 1000 unedited consumer wine reviews to our website. Why? Because it helps you with your wine choices, and helps us learn which wines to buy more of.
As a thank you for joining our wine club, you will enjoy a number of member benefits, such as a half price wine club welcome case. And that’s not all. You’ll also receive a saving of 20% on future Discovery Wine Club cases, plus an exclusive opportunity to buy extra supplies of wine at a 15% discount off the regular price customers pay.
Finally, when you sign up to the Virgin Wines Discovery Wine Club you can rest assured that you are in complete control. There’s no fixed term contracts or hidden charges to contend with. If you decide that you want to skip a case or even cancel your wine club membership, just tell us and we’ll be pleased to assist. If we’re about to send you a wine in your case that you don’t like the sound of, we’ll change it. And if you then don’t like the wine after you’ve tasted it, we’ll refund it with our “no questions asked money back guarantee”. No problem.
The Virgin Wines Discovery Wine Club isn’t just any old wine club. It’s different. Personalised. Flexible. And what’s more, you can rest assured that you will be getting a whole host of benefits to help you get the most out of your wines. To find out more, visit virginwine(dot)com
Fiona
If you think it is difficult to choose a fine wine for your self or as a gift you are not completely wrong, buying such a wine is something you need to do some research for. But when you know what to look for it is much easier then you would think. There are many resources you can use online as well as offline. But when you are looking for a wine for yourself the key factor is your own personal preference, because it does not matter if the wine won big awards and how highly recommended a wine is , if the wine is not at your taste it is just not for you.
If you do not like that award winning, highly recommended, fine wine, it does not mean there is something wrong with your taste it just means that you have not found the right type of wine. Wine comes in different types a Merlot, chardonnay, Riesling, zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon or others. If you discover that you are a Merlot drinker and someone gives you an excellent Riesling that is a real fine wine, probably the best on the market, don’t automatically assume that you will love it just because it is highly recommend. When a wine is not your type you will just not like it.
Affordable fine wines
Drinking wine is not just something only the rich and wealthy can afford, good wines have become more affordable these days. And this is a good thing there was a time that wine, wine tasting and wine drinking was just for a certain type of people, and there was a high ’snob’ appeal surrounding it. Luckily this is no longer the case. Fine wines can still come with a higher price tag then the wines that are considered ordinary and can be bought at any wine store.
Wines can win prizes for there taste and when this is the case, the prizes can be pretty expensive. But there are ways to drink fine wines for a reasonable price, for example you can join clubs that give you access to wines at a normal price than what you would pay outside these kind of clubs. Picking out wines from smaller vineyards can also help you with finding fine wines at a very reasonable price.
Developing a taste for it
When you are just starting with drinking wine, you need to discover what kind of wines are to your taste and you can do this by tasting less high-end wines. By doing this you learn what type of wines you like and don’t like. When you know what you like and you buy a fine wine that has the same flavors and characteristics but is of a better quality you will know what everybody was talking about for years.
Wine that needs to age
Some wines will become better when they are are left in the cellar for a couple of years, but when you do not have the right facilities or you do not have a wine cellar you should not buy these wines otherwise it is possible that your expensive bottle of fine wine will taste like awful vinegar when you finally open it.
Genesis
Wine is truly a wonderful loved epicurean beverage all over the world. It is a drink to be savored, with many different intricate, delicate or even bold aromas and flavors mingling together to provide a truly enjoyable experience. There are many different varietals of grapes, which add to the excitement because each kind of grape used has different characteristics and even the geographic location where the grape is grown can add nuances to the bottle of wine you end up purchasing. Wine accessory gift sets can really help you experience some of the world’s best wines and can be a well-deserved gift to some of the most special people in your life. Wine accessory gift sets can also be an excellent deal if you’re looking to try new wines or indulge in your favorite wines. Find the right wine accessory gift set can provide you with a great bottle of wine as well as beautiful glasses or useful and decorative items such as wine bottle stoppers or novelty cork screws.
If you know little about wine, it’s best not to just jump right in and purchase the first wine accessory gift set you see. If you’re buying for a wine enthusiastic, it’s best to know what type of wine they truly enjoy. There’s nothing worse than buying a wine snob a couple of bottle of a wine he detests. People can be vary picky about what kind of wine they like, and will boycott a brand, a particular type of grape, or an entire country. Also, the biggest division between wine lovers is the difference between the white and the red. Some people will drink both kinds, but there are many people who won’t touch one of the other. It is also important to know the taste of the person or people you buying the wine accessory gift set for. Do the glasses or bottle stopper reflect their sense of style. Will the items fit in well with their home décor or be packed away into a box never to be seen again?
If you really want you gift to be a hit and not forgotten, as with all gifts it really pays to know enough about the recipient’s personal tastes.
Where Do You Find A Wine Companion Gift Set?
Some great places to find the perfect wine companion gift set is your local wine store, winery, or wine tasting room. These places are staffed with just the right people who are passionate about wine and willing to help you with your every need. They will go out of their way to make sure you’re picking the perfect wine accessory gift set, and bottle of wine if the set doesn’t include one. If the wine accessory gift set of your choice doesn’t include wine, the worst mistake you’ll make is to not buy a few bottles to go with it, especially if it is a special occasion.
You can also find great websites online that sell top notch wines and wine companion gift sets to go along with them. If the recipient lives in certain states, there are some laws that will prohibit the actual shipment of wine, so in these states a wine accessory gift set is all you can purchase. Whatever you circumstance, with just a little thought your wine accessory gift set will really come off as a hit.
Robyn
