It’s time to uncork these little-known wine secrets.
From serving to storage, some of our common vino habits would make sommeliers cringe — but not to fear, the industry experts have dispelled the myths and misconceptions.
Price and score
For starters, the higher the price tag doesn’t mean the better the taste, Rodolphe Boulanger, Total Wine & More’s vice president of wine merchandising, told HuffPost.
“One of my favorite wine experiences in the past month was enjoying a $12 French Pinot Noir from Cambos Feret,” added Boulanger. “It surprised me by overdelivering on quality.”
The same holds true for critics’ wine score, he continued. A high rating doesn’t necessarily ensure all consumers will enjoy a glass.
“The concept of critics’ ratings and scores can create a false sense that there’s only one true hierarchy of wine, or that a 100-point wine is objectively the best,” Boulanger explained.
“Ratings can be helpful when making a selection, but sometimes what’s more important is what you and your guests like.”
Storage
Next up on the chopping block: storage.
Michelle Feldman, a level 1 sommelier, told HuffPost that not all wines are created equal, meaning they’re not all meant to be stored for long periods of time.
“Unless you’re buying a specific wine that’s meant to be aged, don’t save your wine,” the Good Clean Wine founder warned.
That pristine bottle you’ve been saving to uncork after a promotion or anniversary may not be the delicious celebration you’ll be hoping for, since “not all wines get better with age,” she added. In fact, only 1% of all wine is meant to be aged, and “most wines should be opened and enjoyed now, or within a year of purchasing.”
“Sparkling wines are meant to be enjoyed fresh, so go ahead and pop the bottle now,” she explained. “Still wines tend to reach peak maturity around two years after bottling.”
Temperature
After a bottle is opened, leftover wine belongs in the fridge — yes, even your pinot noir.
“The fridge is a good place to store any wine leftovers, because cooler temperatures slow down chemical processes, including oxidation,” Feldman said, adding that refrigerating red wine won’t “alter its profile.”
“While the cool temperature can’t prevent oxidation, it significantly slows the process. It’s standard practice among restaurants, sommeliers and winemakers to store wine this way.”
In fact, red and white wine are both often served at the wrong temperature, which can affect taste, according to Florent Latour, the CEO of Maison Louis Latour.
“The proper temperature to serve red and white wines is often misunderstood, and people serve red wine too warm or white wine too cold, which can dull the flavor of the wines,” he told HuffPost.
“I’d recommend chilling red wine for 20 minutes before serving. On the other hand, pre-chilled white wines should be taken out of the refrigerator about 25 minutes before serving for optimal enjoyment.”
And, in the wrong conditions, wine — even unopened bottles — can spoil.
“Once wine is above 70 to 75 degrees [Fahrenheit], it will start to spoil, which means, in the case of wine, that it will start to turn to vinegar,” Wander + Ivy founder Dana Spaulding, a level 2 sommelier, told HuffPost.
Serving
When the vino starts flowing, how it’s served also matters. The cardinal rule of wine, however, is that ice cubes are strictly forbidden.
“No judgments, but if you truly want to enjoy a wine the way the winemaker intended, ice isn’t a good idea,” said Spaulding, who recommends chilling wine glasses or using frozen grapes instead. “Ice cubes will dilute the wine and water it down.”
And, when downing a glass of bubbly — which, experts say, should not be uncorked with a fountain of fizz — a champagne flute is not required, according to Zero Bond and Sartiano wine director Cameron Nadler.
“A good all-purpose wine glass is a great vessel for drinking champagne, because it really allows you to get all the flavors and experience the wine as the producer intended,” he explained to HuffPost.
“Champagne flutes are not a thing of the past, but I do find that it’s better to drink Champagne from a larger glass.”
Pairings
There is also the issue of pairings. While red wine is traditionally believed to go with red meat and white with fish dishes, experts say that is not necessarily a hard and fast rule.
Linda Trotta, the vice president of global winemaking and sourcing at WX Brands and the director of winemaking of Bread & Butter Wines, told HuffPost that people commonly “overthink their food and wine pairings.”
She added: “If done correctly, you can enjoy a red wine with seafood or a high-end champagne with fast-food french fries.”
