Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the world of wine? You’re not alone. With over 10,000 grape varieties worldwide, some better for winemaking than others, it’s no wonder things can get confusing. But don’t worry, we are here to clear things up by debunking some of the most common wine myths.
ALL WINE GETS BETTER WITH AGE
Not all wines are made to age. Some are best enjoyed within a year or two, while others can improve over decades and it all depends on how they are crafted.
You’ve likely heard, “The older the wine, the better the taste.” But aging really hinges on factors like tannins and acidity (which we’ll explore in another post).
In fact, 99% of wines worldwide are meant to be enjoyed within five years of bottling. Only a small percentage are built to age gracefully.
So next time you hear that age-old myth, remember: most wines are delicious young, and the best wine is simply the one you enjoy.
THE MORE EXPENSIVE THE WINE, THE BETTER IT TASTES
There’s a tasty little secret from the wine world: price doesn’t always equal quality.
Professor Jens Gaab, a placebo researcher from the University of Basel, found that people rated wine better when they were told it was more expensive,even though it wasn’t. Turns out, our brains love a fancy price tag.
But in reality? Most of us can’t tell a £6 bottle from a £26 one. And that’s totally fine.
Wine is personal. What’s “expensive” depends on your budget, and what’s “good” depends on your taste buds. So forget the price anxiety, if you like it, it’s a good bottle.
Because at the end of the day, the best wine is the one that makes you happy.
BOTTLES OF WINE SEALED WITH A CORK ARE BETTER THAN THOSE WITH A SCREW-CAP
This one's a classic wine-world debate and a bit of a mental tug-of-war every time we try to buy a bottle: Cork or screw cap?
Screw caps first showed up in the late 1950's and were quickly embraced by wine lovers in Australia and New Zealand. Why? Because studies showed they actually do a great job of preserving all those lovely fruit aromas and flavors.
But still, the screw cap stigma lives on, like it somehow screams “cheap wine.” Spoiler alert: it doesn’t. Let’s not overthink it. What really matters is what’s inside the bottle, not what’s sealing it.
If we could just drop the cork snobbery, wine shopping (and life) would be so much simpler.
RED WINE WITH MEAT, WHITE WINE WITH FISH
It sounds like a strict rule when you say it out loud, but honestly, it’s only half true. When it comes to pairing food and wine, there’s no secret code or wine police. It’s all about what you like. Your taste buds, your rules. If you want to drink Pinot Noir with pizza or Chardonnay with chips, go for it. Wine matching is more personal adventure than science experiment (though both can involve explosions).
THE CORRECT SERVING TEMPERATURE FOR RED WINE IS “ROOM TEMPERATURE” AND FOR WHITE WINE IS COLD
Ah yes, the classic wine advice: “Serve red wine at room temperature.”Sounds simple until you realize nobody agrees on what room temperature actually is.
For me, it’s a cozy 21–23°C. For you, maybe it’s a brisk 18°C or a tropical 26°C. So if we are going by personal thermostat settings, we would all be drinking red wine very differently.
But when it comes to wine, room temperature has a proper definition: around 16–18°C, especially for full-bodied reds. That’s a bit cooler than your living room, unless you live in a wine cellar, in which case, lucky you.
Lighter red wines? They actually love it a little cooler. Chill them slightly and they’ll thank you with more flavor and less alcohol punch.
And as for white wines, here’s the plot twist: some of them taste better at room temperature. Not straight-from-the-fridge Arctic levels. Think cool, not cold.
So go ahead and experiment. Wine doesn’t bite (unless it’s way too warm). Try different temps and find your personal wine sweet spot. It’s science… but the fun kind.
''At the end of the day, you really can’t make a wrong choice.
As long as you pay attention to what it is that you don’t like about a wine
each bottle will get you closer to what you do like.
Take it one glass at a time!''