It’s all too easy to fall prey to misconceptions about wine. So we got the expert word on what you should believe, and what you shouldn’t:
Cork is good, screw-on cap is bad
People believe that bottles that are corked indicate better quality wines than those that use screwed-on caps. But that isn’t true. In fact, natural corks sometimes contain a compound called TCA that can spoil wine, imparting (as experts describe it) “a wet cardboard taste”. Fine wines from Germany, Austria, Australia, the US and New Zealand are now going the screw-on cap way.
You should wait a good long while before opening that bottle
Yes, that’s certainly true — with the best vintages of wines. But experts say most of the better quality wines reach their peak within a decade — and that too, only when they are stored properly. Waiting longer than that is pointless. Any good, regular wine should be consumed within the first 1-5 years of its life.
White wine with fish and poultry, red wine with red meat
Now this is a well-accepted guideline. But a guideline shouldn’t be taken as the hard-and-fast rule. While this works well for beginners, they advise that as you get more familiar with various types of wines and their flavours and strengths, you should experiment with the food that is paired with them. Grilled salmon, for instance, goes well with a red like Pinot Noir. Pork dishes pair equally well with red and white wines.
Red wine causes headaches because of sulphur
Most wines do contain a certain amount of sulphur as it acts as a preservative. Yes, some people could be allergic to sulphites, but most wine-related headaches are due to dehydration. And white wines have a lot more sulphur than reds.
