The World in a Glass
WORDS: Ange Seddon
There can be a lot of confusion in the world of wine, some common beliefs are myths or outdated tropes. So, I thought in this month's column and next we could settle, once and for all, which are solid facts, and which are works of pure fiction. Hopefully in doing so we can have a better understanding of this fascinating and diverse drink, enhance our appreciation, and help us make more informed decisions when it comes to choosing and enjoying wines.
Some of these I have mentioned in earlier articles, but I thought it would be useful to have them all together.
Blended wines are inferior to single varietal wines
Granted, there are some spectacular single varietal wines that command premium prices like Grand Cru Romanée Conti (pinot noir) and Petrus (merlot), but many winemakers use blends to create wines with great complexity and balance. The Rhône Valley is famous for its signature blend of grenache, syrah and mouvèdre (GSM) and Chateauneuf du Pape can sometimes have up to 13 different grapes in a blend. Provence, just next door, uses the GSM blend too for its beautiful rosés, often adding rolle (vermentino) to bring some bright acidity to the mix.
Champagne, while can be single variety in Blanc de Blanc using only chardonnay, but they often use a blend of 3 important grapes, chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier.
Expensive = better
Rather than relying on price as an indicator of quality, we should be looking at what we enjoy in a wine. While some higher priced wines may be exceptional, it's important to look at other factors such as grape variety, terroir, winemaking techniques; all of these can make a difference to wines taste and quality
Wine should be about what you enjoy, not one-upmanship. Context matters in our perception of a wine. That chilled glass of Assyrtiko with your seafood on a Greek holiday with friends, or the bargain Bordeaux you have with your steak at home on a date night. They can turn out to be the best wines, not because of cost, but the joy it brings in that moment.
Whites and rosés should be ice cold and reds warm
The original instruction that red wine should be served at room temperature was made before the days of double glazing and central heating. Rooms were cooler and so should your red wine be. Ideally most should be served between 13-18C so it would benefit from being in the fridge just for 20 minutes before serving it. Lighter reds such as pinot noir, Gamay and Beaujolais are better at the cooler end. To serve reds too warm makes them taste overly alcoholic and their flavours become dull and flabby.
Conversely, whites and rosés served straight from a domestic fridge are too cold, these wines would benefit from being out of the fridge for 20 minutes before serving them. Serving it too cold mutes any flavours or aromas. Try it for yourself next time you get a nice glass of chilled something, smell and taste it straight from the fridge, then leave it for 20 mins and then smell and taste again. You will really notice a difference. Full bodied whites should be served even warmer at up to 12C.
Screw cap closures indicate inferior quality wines
Screw caps have previously been associated with cheap, low-quality wines, but this is changing as more winemakers are choosing to use them. They are more reliable than natural corks (see next point below), they have the ability to maintain freshness, but also simply for their ease of use.
Some topflight wine producers, particularly in Australia and New Zealand use screw caps and their use is becoming more accepted worldwide.
‘Corked’ wine is wine that has bits of cork floating in it
Wine that is corked, or cork tainted is a faulty wine caused by a chemical compound that some corks are infected with. It’s recognisable by the distinct smell of wet cardboard or damp dog, that's definitely not something you want in your wine and renders it undrinkable. About 1-3% of wines closed by a natural cork are affected by this.
But bits of cork that have broken off and are floating in your wine can be fished out and don’t affect the flavour at all.
So, there we have it, next month we will explore some more myths and debunk them accordingly.
Recommendations
Lady A Provence Rosé
We discovered this wine while on holiday in Cornwall last month. But it is available more locally thankfully. The bottle itself is beautiful with artwork by Damien Hirst, and my brother pointed out that it was perfect “Ange” wine because it is called Lady A. So of course I had to try it. Crisp, bone dry and refreshing, with very zippy acidity. There is a definite taste of pink grapefruit, giving it a tart edge, but there is peach and raspberry there too, helping it to soften a little. This is definitely a wine that is robust enough to drink all year round, not just for summer.
Available at Ocado, £18 (though currently on offer at £16) ocado.com and M&S, £18, marksandspencer.com
Bonkers (v2) Chardonnay
It is going to seem a bit mean of me to recommend a wine that is sold out in many places, but I urge you, if you see it on a menu or in an independent wine shop, please try it. I tasted this at the Michelin starred restaurant Mana in Manchester. I had read about this wine as it had developed a sort of cult status. Made in the South Downs, a multi vintage chardonnay, going through several processes to create this incredible wine. The producer Sugrue, has won awards left right and centre for pretty much anything they make. Its full name is Bonkers Zombie Robot Alien Monsters From The Future Ate My Brain (sur lie), but don’t let the name put you off, lauded by every wine critic going, the next batch will be released in late 2025. It is crisp, refreshing, creamy, complex, the taste of the English countryside in a glass and I loved it.
Available on pre-order by the case (6) £155 from sugruesouthdowns.com
Cin cin et salute a tutti,
Ange
Hungry for more?
Read up on the latest news, delicious eats, travel treats and seasonal style trends in FEATURES, or browse a curated selection of our FEATURED PRODUCTS, meander through our guide to the finest things to do in Cheshire and beyond in WHATS ON or partake in our COMPETITIONS.
About The CHESHIRE Magazine
We are the definitive guide to luxury lifestyle in the North West. Latest news, delicious eats, travel treats and seasonal style trends. The Cheshire Magazine is the largest luxury lifestyle title for the North West of England, dropping directly through the letterboxes of VIP subscribers from the Wirral to Greater Manchester plus all the villages and towns in between and digitally available as a subscription in print and digital on issuu.com worldwide. We specialise in connecting luxury brands to likeminded consumers.
If you are interested on how you can partner with The CHESHIRE Magazine, read more about us. Or get in touch to find out more about marketing, featuring or partnering with the Cheshire Magazine in print or online.
