Hi all!
Summer continues with our saga of misconceptions about wine :-)!
Have you ever been persuaded of something that in reality was not true! Here we will try to clear some misconceptions about wine of course!
Last month, we zoomed in on the deposit is a defect of the wine / Champagne is served in cups or flutes / un good wine is necessarily expensive. (article of June 2019: the received ideas on the in, 1st part). This time, we're going to talk about:
- an old wine is better than a young wine
- only red wines age in barrels
- white wine is only made with white grapes
Myth n°4: An old wine is better than a young wine
First of all, it is important to know that not all wines are good at aging. Some wines are produced to be consumed young (thirst wines) while others will need to age a certain number of years to express their full potential (wines for ageing).
As for saying that an old wine is better than a young wine, this is again a matter of taste.
Indeed, young wines can be tannic and / or have a lot of ripe fruit, spices and some will love it. Others will prefer the undergrowth, prune and silky tannins of old wines.
Myth n°5: Only red wines age in barrels
It's not true! White wines can just as much as red wines be placed in barrels for aging.
It is a choice that belongs to the winegrower according to the different flavors he wishes to bring to his wine. Note that the passage in barrels does not necessarily influence the color of the wine.
The action of the barrel on the flavors brought to the wine, will be different depending on whether it is a red wine or a white wine. For a white wine, the barrel will give the wine more roundness and texture. For a red wine, it will first soften the tannins and then bring woody notes.
Received idea n°6: We only make white wine with white grapes
False! Let's take the example of champagne, it is made from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier which are red grape varieties and yet it is indeed a white wine.
The color of the wine is found in anthocyanins which are coloring molecules contained in the skin of the grape. They alone are at the origin of the color. The juice of the grape is always colorless whether it is red or white grape variety. So to obtain a white wine from red grapes, it is enough to press the grape directly after its harvest.
See you soon for our summer series on preconceived ideas :-)!
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