Debra Li

    debra_lidan@163.com

    AN increasing number of Chinese people are embracing the taste of wine. But according to Lulu Zhang, an ASC Fine Wines representative, some common beliefs about wine are really common misunderstandings — myths that aren’t true. During a recent mini wine-tasting workshop at Hyatt Place in Dongmen, she helped attendees set the record straight about these myths.

    MYTH NO. 1 A SCREW-CAP

    CLOSURE INDICATES

    LOWER-QUALITY WINE

    Not very long ago, this statement was true, but it’s no longer the case. Screw-off caps are still the most common closures on large “jug” bottles of old-fashioned, inexpensive wines, but that type of wine is a dying breed. Meanwhile, sleek and modern screw-off caps have emerged on the scene as the closure of choice on many bottles of fine wine, especially white wines. In addition, research in New Zealand has proven that wines can age and develop in bottles closed with screw caps the same as wine does in cork-sealed bottles. The cork industry would like you to believe otherwise, but don’t buy it. Screw caps are here to stay, and you won’t have a problem letting your wines age.

    MYTH NO. 2 YOU CAN DISCERN WINE QUALITY BY

    LOOKING AT THE LEGS

    If you swirl your wine around your wine glass, set it down and notice the thin, clear layer of liquid that has stuck to the inside of the glass and begins to drip down. Sometimes referred to as tears, this is simply a small amount of alcohol and water that adheres to the surface of the glass. As the alcohol evaporates, water is left dripping its way back down. Why? Water is a primary component in wine, and alcohol evaporates much quicker, so when left on the glass, the alcohol evaporates and the surface tension of the water increases, forming drops that gravity takes control of. This is not a measure of the quality of the wine. Rather, it has more to do with the sugar and alcohol percentage of the wine.

    MYTH NO. 3 PAIR WHITE WINE WITH FISH OR CHICKEN AND

    RED WINE WITH RED MEAT

    Although this is the most common answer to “what wine should I pair with what food,” it is not the best. The better way to pair food and wine is by analyzing the flavors of the food and the flavors of the wine. For example, if you are grilling fish and decide to season it with a little salt, lemon, and butter, a nice Sauvignon Blanc with citrus notes or a Chardonnay with buttery flavors would work great. The wise thing to do is to read the description of the wine from the label or a review on a blog and then pair like with like. It’s also helpful to understand that wines with firm tannins work better with salty dishes, acidic wines need a dish with a bit of acid and spicy food works better with wines with some residual sugar and not a high alcohol level.

    MYTH NO. 4 DRINK RED WINE

    AT ROOM TEMPERATURE,

    WHITE WINE CHILLED

    Although this idea isn’t necessarily wrong, its interpretation often is. Many think this means letting a red wine sit out on the counter so it can reach the current room temperature before it is opened while a bottle of white wine should be opened right out of the fridge. The real idea behind room temperature for red wine is that it should be served at around 16 degrees Celsius, the typical temperature of a room when this saying was popularized. Many professionals agree that the best way to enjoy wine is to put your red wines in the fridge for about 5 to 15 minutes before consuming, white wines about 20 to 30 minutes. If you store your wine in the fridge, take the whites out for at least 15 minutes before serving, reds at least 30. Again, it isn’t an exact science, but typically, you’re looking for around 16 degrees Celsius on a red, a little below that for a white and a bit colder for anything that sparkles.

    MYTH NO. 5 ALL WINES

    GET BETTER WITH AGE

    A very small number of wines have the proper structure to hold up to aging. Most wines are made to be opened within a few years. Only a small amount of trophy wines have been built for longer aging, and most people don’t even buy those wines.

    MYTH NO. 6 THE PUNT OF

    A BOTTLE IS EVIDENCE OF

    ITS HIGH QUALITY

    The “punt” of a bottle is the indentation at the base of the bottle. For champagne and sparkling wine, it helps to give structural integrity to the bottle, which has to be pretty strong to hold the pressure of the bubbles. Also, it helps the bottles stack if you are putting them one on top of another during the second fermentation stage. For red wines, it helps the residues, formed by the tiny traces of grape peel or seeds that have passed the filters, to stay at the bottom of the bottle when people pour them out. There is certainly no reason to fuss about the punt. Some people think a deeper punt goes with a better-quality wine, which is just another common myth.