The Truth Behind These 5 Common Wine Myths & Misconceptions

Wine is a sophisticated and enjoyable way to complement food, or simply to savour on its own as you socialise or relax. However, if you don’t currently have much experience as a wine drinker, the myths and jargon associated with the wine industry can be rather daunting. This is a shame, as you are missing out on some enriching and fun experiences. 

Here’s a look at the truth behind some common misconceptions about wine, to help you enjoy and understand it to the fullest.

You should only drink wine produced in France or Italy

It’s certainly true that France and Italy produce some of the world’s best quality wines, so by all means do drink wine from these countries. However, there are now many emerging wine producing countries such as Bulgaria, which has a reputation for wines that provide exceptional taste and value. 

Don’t rule out English wines either! At one time, a bottle of wine produced in England was admittedly rather rare and perhaps of questionable quality. However, southern counties such as Surrey, Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire now boast award-winning vineyards, and sparkling English wines in particular are building up a global reputation and achieving strong sales.

You should avoid screw-top wines

Traditionally, wine was stored and sold in corked bottles, but now it’s widely available in screw cap bottles. There is a persistent myth that a screw cap is a sign of interior quality wine, but this is not the case; many experts think it makes no difference to the wine, and may even have some benefits as there is less risk of oxidation.

Screw caps are obviously also easier to open and make it easier to reseal the wine after pouring. 

Wine needs to be aged to taste good

Certain types of red wine can improve with age, but the wine needs to be produced in a certain way with particular grape varieties, and stored in specific environmental conditions. Most other types of wine are best consumed within a few years of being produced.  

You can make rosé wine by mixing red and white together

Many people assume that they can make their own rosé (a translucent pink hued wine) simply by mixing red and white wine together, but this is not true. Rosé wine is produced from red or black grapes with their skins left on, just as red wine is. However, the grapes are fermented for a much shorter time and at a lower temperature. 

This results in a pale pink wine with a delicate fruity flavour that is best enjoyed chilled. 

Red wine should always be served at room temperature

Bold and full-bodied red wines are generally best tasted at room temperature. However, light and medium bodied reds can be served chilled, and even full bodied red wines should be served within the range of 13-18 °C, which is probably lower than the average room temperature when the heating is on.