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 The wine was originally made for the workers of the winery, but the wine quickly spread in popularity to local bistros.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
Selecting a good wine off of a wine list can be a real challenge, especially if you have never heard of them before. You meal won’t likely be ruined by your wine selection, but you want to be able to enjoy your food and your wine together. Here are a few strategies to help.
The first strategy is to know which wines are food-friendly. You want your food to pair well with your wine selection. If you are ordering a bottle or two for a whole table, you will want a versatile wine that goes with everyone’s meal choices.
A food-friendly red wine is a Pinot Noir. A food-friendly white wine is a Riesling. Chances are that any respectable wine-serving restaurant will have both on the menu. There are great Pinot Noirs from Oregon and California. The best Rieslings are from Alsace and Germany, but if those aren’t options New York and Canada have good Rieslings as well.
The next strategy is to get a copy of the wine list in advance. This is great if you are trying to impress a group of friends or family with your wine knowledge. Take the wine list and do some research on the Internet if you need to. You can even look up pronunciations so that you can practice before ordering. Several restaurants have web sites or they can fax you a copy as well. Most restaurants will have no problems with sending you the list.
The third strategy is to ask for help. The person you would want to ask is a sommelier. They know wine and they will be able to answer all of your wine questions. Not all restaurants have sommeliers, but if you need to you can get a copy of the wine list and work through it with the sommelier. They will know a lot about the wines and will help you pair what people might be ordering with wines off of the list.
If the restaurant does have sommelier, they will know their wine list intimately. They are taking care of all the aspects of the wine at the restaurant. In most cases, they have personally chosen the wines, stored them, written the descriptions and trained their staff.
In some restaurants, the wine list can be your friend. The list will also let you know what quality of wine is available at the restaurant. The list can be very simple with just a blush, a white and a red. On the other hand, you may have several options for each category. Some lists will provide household wine names that are highly advertised, popular and considered “everyday” wines. If the restaurant really cares about your wine experience, they will offer a variety of different brands and types so that you can mix and match throughout your meal.
Once you have a wine list, you may have to do some deciphering. The list may be very basic and only list the names of the wine and the price. This can be difficult if they are wines that you have never heard of before. Then the wine list may be divided by country or varietal. This is a little more helpful as you will know where the wine is coming from and if it is red or white. Another wine list that is extremely helpful is the “stylish” wine list. These listing the wines under headings of “Dry and Crisp” or “Full-Bodied Reds.” They may even include descriptions such as “oaky” or “hints of chocolate.” This gives you a better idea of what you are getting when you order that wine. The progrogessive wine list may include all of the above. They will most likely list the wines from lightest to richest, or sweet to dry. The price may also be progressive with the most expensive being at the bottom of each section.
Now that you have an idea of what you are going to order, how do you know if it goes with your food? Look for chef suggestions in a menu first. These wines will be off the wine list and have been tested to see what dishes they go with best. The dish you are ordering may have a suggested wine below it.
If a food leaves a sour taste in your mouth, then a wine that is high in acid will complement it. A sour food might include fish with lemon squirted on it or a vinaigrette dressing on a salad. A wine with a high acidity level might be a Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling or Chenin Blanc.
The sweeter the food, the less sweet the wine will taste. If you order dessert, get a wine that is sweeter than your dessert. Even a moderately sweet wine may taste bitter if paired with something really sweet. Suggested sweet pairings include New York Cheesecake and Muscat, Tiramisu and Port, or Bread Pudding with a late harvest Riesling.
If your food has a hint of bitterness, you will want a wine with some bitterness such as a red wine with some tannin. For example, you may choose a Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz.
Regina
If you hankering for fine German wine and food, why not consider the Mosel region of central western Germany on the border of Luxembourg? While I can’t guarantee that you’ll find a bargain, I know you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local white Riesling tasted with several meals and paired with imported cheeses.
The Mosel Valley has long been considered one of the most beautiful river valleys in the world. This region, formerly known as Mosel-Saar-Ruwer in honor of its three rivers, is proud of its Riesling wine. Some of the greatest Rieslings in Germany and in fact in the entire world come from the Mosel Valley. Experts can often identify Mosel Rieslings because of the slate in the local soil, which may impart a taste of flint. Mosel vineyard slopes are among the steepest in the wine-producing world, sometimes attaining 70 degrees. The soil is so precious that every spring local workers lug pails of soil up these slopes. This arduous activity temporarily reverses the effect of the rains that wash the soil down every winter.
Mosel is fifth among the thirteen German wine regions with respect to both vineyard acreage and total wine production. Slightly more than three quarters of the wine produced here is QbA and somewhat less than one quarter is higher quality QmP wine. Only one percent is table wine. More than half of all Mosel wine is Riesling. The German hybrid Mueller-Thurgau represents about 20% of the wine production. In third place is the historic variety Elbing that dates back to Roman times and is the major grape variety in the neighboring country of Luxembourg. Only about 2% of Mosel wine is red.
Basically the Mosel Valley runs from Koblenz not far from Germany’s former capital Bonn to the city of Trier that sits very close to the border. These two cities are linked by the Mosel Weinstrasse (Mosel Wine Road) which is about 140 miles (224 kilometers) long on the eastern side of the river and somewhat less on the western side. Of course, you could take the autobahn to get between Koblenz and Trier at breakneck speed. If you do, you’ll miss the interesting little towns and vineyards along the way.
Bernkastel-Kues is a town of about eight thousand that sits astride the Mosel River with Bernkastel on the east bank and Kues on the west bank. Bernkastel is about seven hundred years old but the area itself was first inhabited thousands of years ago. Bernkastel’s medieval town square is lovely with numerous half-timbered houses, some of which were built in the Fifteenth Century. St. Michaelsbrunnen (St. Michael’s Fountain) is right on the square and other historic fountains are nearby. Make sure to see the ruins of Burgruine Landshut (Castle of Landshut) for an excellent view of the city and surrounding vineyards. The first weekend of September marks the annual Weinfest der Mittelmosel (Wine Festival of the Middle Moselle River Valley) that includes a festive procession and a great fireworks display.
Bernkastel is home to the Bernkasteler Doctor vineyard producing one of Germany’s most expensive wines. According to popular legend a Fourteenth Century Archbishop of Trier was too sick to be helped by traditional medicine. He tasted some of the local wine, recovered, and said, “The best doctor grows in this vineyard in Bernkastel.” Due to questionable changes in German wine laws wine bottles labeled Bernkasteler Doctor may now be made by thirteen producers instead of three as previously. Let the buyer beware.
Kues was home to the Fifteenth Century theologian and philosopher Nikolaus Casanus, founder of the St.-Nikolaus-Hospital that operates a wine estate and the Mosel-Weinmuseum (Mosel Wine Museum). The museum’s library is open for tours and its wine cellar is open for tastings. Several local winemakers hold Tage der offenen Weinkeller (Open wine cellar days) in which they present and sell their wine in their own wine cellars.
Before we review the Mosel wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are some suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Gaensestopfleher (Foie Gras). For your second course enjoy Entenbrust an Brombeerjus (Duck Breast in Blackberry Juice). And for dessert indulge yourself with Schokoladencreme (Chocolate Mousse).
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed St. Urbans-Hof Riesling Kabinett 2005 8.6% alcohol about $20.00
Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. The 2005 Piesporter Goldtroepfchen Riesling Kabinett - still manages to show true Kabinett delicacy on the palate, which Weis attributes in part to earlier harvest and frankly in part to this site’s compatibility with higher yields. Skin contact and minimal clarification in the cellar help compensate for any danger of dilution. (Lower-yielding parcels nowadays must result in Spaetlese or Auslese.) Pineapple, grapefruit, black currant, and Golden Delicious apple dominate the proceedings, suffused with an aura of smoky, crushed stone, and mouthwatering acidity. This is once again a ‘little’ Mosel archetype and a terrific value … And now for the review.
Before the meal I thought to taste this wine on its own. It was delicately acidic and palate cleansing with light bubbles. Then I started with sweet and sour purchased barbecued chicken wings. The wine was fine with light acidity. Now I was ready to begin, so to speak. My initial pairing involved a commercial barbecued chicken leg with the paprika-coated skin, potatoes roasted in chicken fat, and some disappointing pickle slices. The wine’s fruit intensified to meet the chicken’s fat. This Riesling was quite round when dealing with the melt-in-your-mouth potatoes.
The next meal was an omelet with a local Provolone cheese and Turkish salad. The wine was round, thick, and pleasantly sweet. The word feathery came to mind. It sort of floated especially after the Turkish salad. Then I savored a high-quality, chocolate-coated vanilla ice cream bar. The wine retained its acidity; it was almost a good match.
The final meal was more of a snack. I ate some packaged Texas corn fritters with generous dollops of 14% sour cream. The wine was bold, sweet, and pleasantly acidic but frankly wasted on such plebian fare. I did finish the bottle with home made barbecued chicken to which the wine did honor. Even though the barbecue sauce wasn’t sweet the combination was excellent.
The initial cheese pairing was with a Dutch Edam that was nutty, a bit fatty, and somewhat sour. The Riesling’s sweetness seemed to step up a notch and it displayed tingling acidity. It’s been a long time since I enjoyed a wine and cheese pairing this much. Then I went to a mild-tasting Italian Friulano. The wine was acidic with sugar in the background.
Final verdict. This Riesling is a winner. I wouldn’t hesitate to pair it with a top of the line German poultry dish, the kind that you pay big bucks for over there. At 8.9% this is one of the least alcoholic wines that I have tasted in a long, long time. And you know what, I didn’t miss it a bit.
