As the consumption of wine in India increases, so do the myths and misconceptions associated with it, especially when there are few ways to educate the general public about wine. Here are some of the most common myths that we at WineInstincts try to dismiss.
Myth # 1: Fruitiness and Sweetness are similar.
This is the most common misconception a newbie develops when tasting a wine.The wine's sweetness is often mistaken for its fruitiness. In reality, there are few wines that can be considered as sweet, but many can be called fruity. A wine's fruitiness is often judged by the process of smelling the wine. For instance, when we use phrases like "notes of almond, or ripe apples, and red cherries", then we are talking about fruitiness. But if we mention smells of honey or pineapple, it doesn't mean that it is sweet. However, some white wines can be considered sweet, but finding a sweet red wine is rare.
Myth # 2: Red wine can give you headaches because of its sulfur content.
One of my best friends always complained about how he gets headaches after drinking red wine. So I decided to dig deeper as I do not want him to be deprived of enjoying earth's best prepared drink for mankind. Unless one has rare allergy to sulfites, the headache you get after drinking a glass of vintage red wine can be blamed more on dehydration rather than sulfites. In reality, these sulfites are actually beneficial to wine making, as these act partly as preservatives and help wine age better and longer.
This being said, those wines that are being promoted as "sulfite-free" have actually a much shorter lifespan. So before sipping a glass of red wine from South Africa, try popping in a Disprin tablet (or any headache pill) and drink up a tall glass of water. As a matter of fact, white wine has more sulfur than reds.
Myth # 3: Using screw caps means cheaper wines than natural corks
Some think wines that come in screw caps are not proper wines but made from grape concentrate instead of actual grapes. In actuality, wine experts truly believe that a screw cap (or stelvin enclosure), is simply guaranteeing the precious vintage of wine. Of course, it looses its charm of opening a wine the traditional way compared to opening a wine sealed with a cork, but natural corks may also carry chemical compounds, called TCA, that is very harmful to the wine.
Most wines that come in a cork are prone to having the cork's "essence" seep into the wine, creating an aroma that is best described as that of wet cardboard. So don't pass judgment right away if you encounter a wine packed with a screw-cap, or a plastic cork even. You will not be missing out on quality if you select a twist-off; however, you might miss the sound and anticipation of the cork leaving the bottle!
Myth #4: Cooking wine should be the cheapest kind of wine.
It's a common notion to use a day-old, unfinished red wine or get the cheaper ones out of your collection for cooking that ultimate dish for your friends. Not necessarily. You don't sacrifice your dinner by pairing it with a cheap, unappealing wine, so why do the same when cooking food?
Cooking with a rich wine means adding wine's concentrated flavors that makes the dish enticing. If you focus on cooking with a cheap wine, this would only indulge in adding poor flavors that result in a mediocre meal. So, next time, try adding a few more Rupees (Indian currency for my expat friends) and spend on a wine that tastes so good, it would taste better when being cooked.
Myth # 5: White wine isn't made for aging.
White wine and red wine are produced in almost the same manner. The main difference of the two is that white wine is manufactured from fermented grapes (including red ones) whose skin is separated from the fruit during fermentation, while in red wine the skin is intact during the same process. But that doesn't mean all red wines can be aged for a very long time either. Just like red wine, white wine can be aged too, sometimes even for more than a decade or more. For instance, top ranked white Burgundies can be cellared for a decade as it is increases complexity and richness when cellared. Also, German Rieslings from Mosel & Rhine, can be long-lived, and will develop wondrous complexity with age.
Romie Rattan Babra is an ex-Wall Street exec, and owner of WineInstincts.com, the exclusive hub for wine lovers in India. With this platform, he caters to the curious soul with information ranging on all topics related to wine and helps you in finding the best wines in India.
