While many adages you’ve heard about wine may seem like common sense, some of them are more myth than fact.
Michigan Wine Country asked Ping Ho, owner and wine director at The Royce wine bar in Detroit, to bust some wine myths common among consumers.
Myth #1: Screw-top wines are inferior to corked wines.
Corks may be traditional, but that doesn’t mean consumers should overlook screw-top wines.
“These days, a lot of great producers [of] higher-end wines are going screw top,” Ho says.
Myth #2: Price directly correlates with quality.
Ho says many factors help determine the price of a wine, not just the quality.
“Some of it has to do with where the grapes are grown and the regions,” she says. For example, wines from Napa Valley tend to be pricy, regardless of quality, and “sometimes you can find really great-value wines from … lesser-known regions.”
Myth #3: Rosé is only a summer wine.
Contrary to popular belief, rosés can be an excellent choice no matter the season.
“These wines are deemed to be summer wines, … but really, they can be all-year-round great beverages and pairings,” Ho says.
Myth #4: White wines should always be served chilled.
Not only is it not always necessary to serve whites chilled, but if you do choose to chill wine before drinking it, it can take away from the experience.
“Some of it is a matter of preference, but really, when it’s that chilled, a lot of the flavors and the fruit components are lost,” Ho says.
Myth #5: Wine always gets better with age.
“Some wines are meant to aged, … but not all, for sure,” Ho says. “Some are really just meant to be fresh and drunk within a year or two of production.”
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the 2023 Michigan Wine Country magazine.
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