Wine Myths: BUSTED
Paris Trollope
There are a number of myths that have come up over the years relating to wine...so how do you know which are fact and which are fiction? Just ask us! But we know your time is precious so we've put together a list of 4 common wine myths and why they might not be exactly as they seem...
See the full explanation below the infographic!
Myth: ‘All wine is meant to be aged’
Fact: ‘Cellaring’ wine is a wonderful way to help the flavors marry better and develop a more complex and deep experience. While it's a wonderful method for enhancing the quality of your wine, it’s definitely not meant for every wine. Although wine does carry a lengthy shelf-life if stored properly, only about 5% of wines produced are meant to be aged for more than a few years. Various factors such as amount of tannins, temperature, as well as pH all contribute to a wine qualifying for the aging process. If you have questions about a particular wine from one of your Wine Club shipments, please call us and we'll let you know the recommended aging time for your wine.
Myth: ‘Leaking corks are a sure sign that the wine is corked’
Fact: While a leaky cork is not a great sign, it’s different than a wine being corked. When a cork is compromised in any way, wine is likely to leak. This issue can be caused from many things, heat damage can shrivel the cork and heat the wine, causing the cork to rise and, in some cases, partially stick out of the bottle. It also could be caused by a cork made with materials that were too dry. It doesn’t mean the wine is a total goner, some wines can be perfectly fine with a leaky cork, proceed with caution and always taste test!
Myth: ‘Champagne is for special occasions only’
Fact: This century-old tradition of Champagne being considered a fancy drink to be consumed during celebrations dates back to European Royalty around 1789. It was widely accepted that only people of high class and sophistication could love the novelty of sparkling bubbles. Once the French Revolution ended they utilized it for more religious and formal events such as weddings, baptisms, and evening send-offs for ships.
That brings us to today, where we continue to find ourselves using Champagne to toast similar events and celebrations. Back then, Champagne was quite the expense, hence another factor in why it was for special occasions only. You can find the event of even opening a Champagne bottle to be something special, a symbolic way to mark a day of joy. Nowadays you can experience Champagne at a fair price and in any market or store. Make everyday a special occasion and pop some corks! If you're looking for such a bottle of Champagne, check out our Annual Champagne Special! We exclusively import 1 special Champagne per year from France to share specifically with you.
Myth: ‘Sulphites give you headaches’
Fact: While there could be a few contributing factors to why that glass of Cabernet you consumed while binging your favorite show caused you a headache, sulphites are not to blame. Most of us can say that headache was caused simply by drinking too much without enough water, but there are a few who experience this painful headache even after one glass. Experts report multiple reasons that can cause this, from tannins, sugar, even histamines that can bring on that head-splitting pain. It all depends on how your body processes chemicals and sets certain triggers in the brain. There are people who are allergic to sulphites themselves, but for those who aren’t, your headaches are likely attributed to one of those 3 factors.
Do you have any other wine myths you'd like fact-checked or debunked? Let us know!
Cheers!