Debunking wine misconceptions

By Sherwin Lao

Wine is a very mysterious drink. This is also the reason why the wine enthusiasts are fascinated no end by the multitude of flavors, all coming from just one fruit?grapes. There are, however, many misconceptions and even myths that need to be demystified before anyone can go to the next level in terms of fully understanding wine. I have summarized below the most common misconceptions I received in my over 10 years of teaching, writing, and marketing in this industry.

1. The older the wine, the better

How often do we hear this? A lot of people seem to believe in the myth that the older the red wine, the better it gets. While this is the case for most premium red wines, it is definitely a huge fallacy. A light bodied red wine, meant for early drinking, will die naturally when cellared past its prime. And think about this, if the wine you are drinking is bad now, adding a few more years of aging will not miraculously transform it to become a better wine?we are not that lucky. And even premium wines, like those grand cru Bordeaux wines, are not guaranteed for long-term keeping. It depends on the vintage and basically the viscosity and body of the wine.

Stronger, high-tannin wines need time to mellow down before achieving its optimal flavor and taste profile. Only this type of wines, the full bodied, high tannin and well-oaked are worth cellaring. Other good long haul keeping reds aside from Bordeaux, include Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Shiraz, Tuscan Sangiovese, and Spanish Toro wines.

2. White wine does not age

This is another sweeping statement. I know all of us at one time or another experienced bad white wines because we kept them too long before drinking. We see white wines that turn gold and amber in color, and lose its aromatic qualities. While we attribute it to lack of longevity of the whites, the usual culprit is poor storage. White wines are more sensitive to UV rays due to lightly colored or even transparent bottles. Also, white whites contain less tannins and alcohol, both factors in preserving the wine. Most white wines that does not last beyond three years are light-bodied wines. This is in contrast to the fuller whites of Bordeaux, particularly the Sauternes and Barsac region, German Trockenbeerenauslese made from Riesling, and even the Coteaux du Layon wines of Loire made from Chenin Blanc. It is no coincidence that all these above-mentioned whites are on the sweeter, higher residual sugar side. For the dryer longer keeping whites, I would go with the Cote de Beaune, Burgundy trio of Meursault, Puligny Montrachet, and Chassagne Montrachet wines made from the omnipresent Chardonnay grapes.

3. Wine is a healthy drink

While this belief contributed to the huge renaissance of wines, in particular red wines in the late 1990s (the French Paradox syndrome), this is highly deceiving. I know... I?m in the wine trade, and a health endorsement can be very beneficial, but it is too general, and abuse of wine, like other alcoholic beverages, has its worst consequence. The health angle of wines come from the antioxidant and anti-clotting properties of flavanoids that fight cardiovascular diseases. It is more preventive than cure. On the other hand, too much alcohol intake will lead to cirrhosis of the liver, and eventually, liver cancer, which are both a lot more harmful. So, wine, red or white, has to be taken in moderation, 2 to 3 glasses per meal is acceptable. That is why sharing a bottle (normal 750 ml) with a friend or loved one is always great. Each person can have maximum 3 glasses, well within the moderation rate. If you have two major meals a day, lunch and dinner, that can mean 6 glasses of wine a day or roughly 1 full bottle in a spaced out span of 7 to 8 hours. Not shabby at all.

4. Screwcap wines are cheap and of poor quality

It will probably take more than a lifetime (or maybe never) before a Screaming Eagle or Chateau Margaux will be closed in screwcap instead of natural cork?the former, a cult wine from Napa, being more a possibility than the latter French first growth grand cru Bordeaux wine.

The reason for this is mostly image and aesthetics. The New World wines have embraced this closure concept as evidenced by the surfacing screwcap-ed wines from Australia, California, New Zealand, and even South America. The screwcap closure or correctly termed as Stelvin, created from highest French technology, is actually an excellent closure. The Stelvin closure not only substitute for the dwindling problem of cork oaks, but it can eradicate the dreaded TCA (or Trichoroanisole) or ?cork taint? that still affect over 2 percent of the world?s cork closure wines.

TCA is a compound that surfaced when chlorine used in cleaning and bleaching interacts with molds inherent in the cork. This can either happen in the cork producers side because chlorine solution is used to clean the bark of the cork oak, or at the winery. TCA is vulnerable in many areas of a winery?s bottling facilities, from drains, tanks to the barrels. One of the largest wine markets in the world, the United Kingdom, is extremely partial to Stelvin closures due to their bad experience with corked wines and TCA. This has contributed to the popularity of Stelvin wines as of late. So, the bottom line is screwcap is a mere closure?nothing to do with quality.

However, on the other hand, not all screwcaps are Stelvins... the cheaper generic wines you see at P200/bottle retail price... well, they are what it seem... cheap.

5. Red wine served at room temperature means serving at 18?C

We see people chilling and icing down red wines because they wanted their wine served at room temperature, but not just any room temperature, more like Europe in particular, around 16-18?C. But then that?s Europe, not here in tropical Philippines. The problem with this concept is red wine over chilled loses its aromatic components, and tannins also become more pronounced when served to us here in our temperature. The concept is really more about acclimatization and physiological adaptation. Room temperature is first and foremost relative.

What is room temperature in Paris is really super cold when compared to Manila. By forcing the red wine to reach this Paris room temperature level, the wine taste and feel very cold, and our body physiologically also notice this. So, it is not going to do justice to the drinking. To make it right, you may opt to chill your red wine to make it cold, but after 10-15 minutes of chilling, leave the wine out in the table and let the wine acclimatize to its prevailing room temperature.

To me, room temperature should mean comfortable ?air-conditioned? temperature of 21-24?C.

At this temperature, the red wine will drink beautifully. Of course, if you are in Paris and it is 16?C there, your body can adapt and the same red wine will show its same aromas as if it was served in Manila at our 21?C.

6. Wines with labels that say Reserve are always better

Again, this is over-rated, and manipulated by wine marketing geniuses bordering being unscrupulous. Terms like Reserve, Estate, Premium, and similar ?quality? terms are purely proprietary. There are no legal definition for them other than those in Spain and some parts of Italy. Even in Spain and the Tuscan region of Italy, Reserva or Riserva (Italian) only guarantee oak aging minimums, not exactly a quality assurance. Oak, of course, has always been known to improve complexity and flavors of wines, but the harvest and the resultant wine will still be the main factor. In the Spanish model, a wine can only be labeled as Reserva if the wine went through a minimum of three years holding period, of which minimum of one full year is in oak barrel and the rest cellar aged. So there is no Reserva from Spain that will be 2006 vintage in retail stores when it is just January 2009 now. On the other hand, many Chilean wines out in the market has Reserva in their label, yet the vintages on these wines are either 2006 or 2007, not quite the same. Though, terms like Reserve used by New World wineries can mean a higher level wine?just no regulation on how they are made better than their regular wines.

7. All cheeses go well with wine

A very general statement that is actually very deterrent to wine appreciation if the wrong cheeses are paired with the wrong wines. Have you tried a blue cheese with a red Burgundy? The most readily available cheese is the commercial cheddar cheeses, and this type of cheese is quite safe with both basic red and white wine. However, if you want an epicurean experience, you have to go beyond this. White wines are actually more compatible than reds. The acid structure of white wine makes it a better pair to saltier cheeses similar to Feta and Provolone. In fact, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, both Loire?s white wines are some of the best ?cheese wines.? Like wines, cheeses come from different regions, have different classifications and varietal names as well. So it is important to know the characteristics and pair accordingly. Soft, flavorful, creamy cheeses like the popular Brie and Camembert are better for red wines with good tannin structure like Cabernet Sauvignon.

Likewise sweeter wines, either the full bodied ones more prominent in dessert wines like Sauternes, Barsac, Canadian icewines and even the fortified ones like Port and sweet sherry are great with the blue cheeses like Stilton and Roquefort.

8. Red meat for red wine, white meat for white wine

That was what we were told for as long as I remember, and while it is still a useful guide, it is not very precise. This is the case because in the past, red wines were often fuller bodied than their white wine counterparts. Since beef typifies red meat (higher weight), and fish typifies white meat (lighter weight), that adage of ?red wine for red meat, white wine for white meat? in effect was based on matching the weight of food with weight of wine. But this saying doesn?t hold that accurate anymore. As there are now many red wines that are light bodied, like the Beaujolais, made from the often soft Gamay grapes, and great with chicken (white meat).

And there are plenty of full bodied whites, especially made from the Chardonnay grapes, like those heavily oaked Californian version and the incredible Meursault, a white Burgundy, which goes well with heartier meats similar to a creamy Beef Straganoff dish. So, the key is to match the weight of the food with the weight of the wine, regardless of the color. After determining the weight of the food and wine, it is now time to figure out the dominant food characteristics, and offer a wine that either complement, mirror or give counterpoint to the food. If you know both your wine and food, this can be really fun and you will be rewarded with a wonderful flavor chemistry in the mouth.

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For comments, suggested topics, inquiries, wine consultancy, wine event coverage, and other related issues, please e-mail me at protegeinc@yahoo.com. Announcement: PAGO Wine Bar in Greenhills is now open for wine parties and small wine events. Good for 20-30 people. Pago Wine Bar is a concept bar located at the ground floor of Promenade Building, Wilson Street corner P. Guevarra Street, San Juan, same building as Santi?s and Mini Stop. For additional information, please call 474-3602, 727-1337 or call Rachelle at 0917-761-3553.