Wine myths debunked: We have taken on six of them to see if they are true or false
We’ve all heard at least some of them, how many have you fallen for? There are plenty of common misconceptions floating around the wine sphere and they gradually become unquestioned and unanswered. This inevitably puts up fences on our ability to expand our wine knowledge and closes the door on the vast and unexplored territory of wines. So, let’s clarify some of these common ones, break some fences and explore more about the endless possibilities with wines!
Desserts can only be paired with dessert wines.
How often are we told that a sweet wine like a late harvest, port or any other dessert wines should be paired with your dessert? Well, we’re here to tell you that your choices aren’t only limited to sweet wines but there are countless pairings with other wines that will suit your after-dinner treat. Try out a glass of our Postcard Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz with any robust, dark and not-too-sweet chocolate dessert or a berry-driven red such as our Postcard Pinot Noir or Merum Reserve Shiraz will be a match made in heaven with any berry inspired desserts such as chocolate covered strawberries. Your options are infinite so get experimenting!
Red wine shouldn’t be chilled.
One of the first things most of us are told when starting off with wine is that reds are always served at room temperature. Well, you are in for a treat as there is an exception to that rule. Yes, in most cases the characteristics in red wine are best expressed at room temperature however light to medium bodied reds with low levels of tannins like our property-grown Postcard Pinot Noir is perfect lightly chilled. Not only will you find that the chill factor will lift the body and the delicate flavours of the Pinot Noir, but you’ll have the perfect summer red! So, put your bottle of Pinot Noir in the fridge 30-45mins before you open the bottle or at about 13 degrees Celsius and enjoy!
White wine must always be served ice cold.
Just like red wines, there is also a rule of thumb with white wines and that is to serve them ice cold and well chilled however there are certainly white wines that will do well just lightly chilled. Allowing a full-bodied white wine such as an oaked Chardonnay time to warm up from being in the fridge will open a world of flavour in the wine and aromas are much more noticeable when the characteristics of the wine aren’t masked by the chill. We have several Chardonnays in our wine ranges that you can try this out with, we highly recommend our Merum Reserve Chardonnay!
Wine always gets better with age.
It’s easy to assume that all wine gets better with age especially when you hear about wine auctions that sell exquisite old wines for a huge sum of money but truthfully, only a small number of wines will benefit from ageing. When a wine has notably high levels of tannins and/or acidity or has been aged on oak for a long period of time, it will enjoy time being cellared as all those elements will mature well and soften. However, these elements also help to preserve wine to benefit from the ageing so a wine that hasn’t be oaked for a long time or doesn’t have rigid and robust tannins doesn’t need the cellaring time and are best drunk within a couple years of bottling. Try out any whites in our Postcard range such as the Sauvignon Blanc or Unwooded Chardonnay which are all ready to drink now.
Only red wines are great for cellaring.
Red wines aren’t the only wines that are age-worthy. There are certain white wines that will deliver a different spectrum of flavours from what you would taste in its younger version. To name a few, our Premium Reserve Porongurup Riesling’s flavours will evolve, and new flavours will develop only from time spent in the bottle. Our Premium Reserve Sparkling White and Chardonnay will also benefit from bottle aging so hang on to these bottles for as long as you can resist and enjoy them in a few years.
White wines are only for fish.
White wines go hand in hand with all the fresh produce from the sea however there are many white wines that have enough structure, body and flavours to stand up to a red meat. Of course, white meats such as chicken or turkey are much easier to pair with whites such as a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay but a white wine that is full bodied, oaked and shows plenty of tannins will marry perfectly with the protein of the meat. Enjoy your red meat and white wines and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
