8 Things you really didn’t know
about wine
I sure didn’t know about ‘em and believe me: if there is anyone who should know a lot about wine, it should be me. But alas. During our two year anniversary party, the company who catered our wine invited us to drop by for a crash course about wine. So we invited some of our Dutch readers to tag along on the ride and tried nine different types of wine (from rosé cava to a light white and a very bold red). Hereby some important things we learned.
1. the heavier the flavor, the more weight you’ll gain
Yeah, sorry, this was a question of mine. I prefer my glasses of white to be as bold as possible. According to our wine expert: the higher the alcohol percentage, the more weight you will gain.
2. you can make white wine from red grapes too
You can’t make red wine from white grapes, but vice versa it does work. All you have to do is peel off the exterior layer of the grape. Whatever is left of the grape is perfect for a bottle of white.
3. Champagne is actually very cheap
The champagne region is very small, so the grapes that grow there come with a whooping price tag. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you need about fourteen euros worth of grapes for one bottle. Plus, the champagne bar has been set extremely high so people have become very critical about the quality and fermentation process. So technically, if you know this, a bottle of champagne is practically a cheap bargain.
4. Cava is a method of procedure
Champagne is the name of the region linked to the product, and cava is the name of the production process. Cava is made in various areas of Spain.
5. cava too is luxurious
If you’re not looking to be luxurious or chic, the idea of serving cava or prosecco is still viewed upon as cheap. Someone, these two will always feel like the cheaper versions of champagne which is complete BS according to our wine experts. There are bottles of cava that cost more than a hundred euros. The only problem is, is that cava has an problem with its image and everyone opting to be more luxurious, will always serve champagne.
6. our idea of room temperature is wrong
We always say that red wine should be served at room temperature, but we’re wrong. Back in the golden olden days, long before we had proper heating and sat in front of fireplaces to heat up, room temperatures were a lot less appealing for us but perfect for wine. Red wine thrives better around 17 degrees. So just store your bottles somewhere in your basement or hallway to leave it at a proper room temperature.
7. different bottles of the same kind should never be mixed
It frequently occurs that when we’ve finished a bottle of wine, we’ll order a second and the waiter will pour the wine into the glasses we had already been using.
I had always been taught not to do this, but happens in even some of the worlds best restaurants. You should expect the wines to taste the same because they come from the same grape district, they’re made up of the same grapes, etc, but…
The older the wine, the bigger the odds that the wine fermentation inside the bottle has changed somewhat. Plus, the temperature of the room you’re drinking your wine in is not the same as the one where the new bottle came from. So it’s best you finish what was already in your glass before you pour yourself a new one.
8. i bet you didn’t know this either
If you order a second bottle of the same wine, you don’t have to taste test it yourself – your waiter can do this for you. If you’re ordering a second bottle then clearly you like the flavor. All your waiter is going to do is see if ’technically’ all is as it should be.
These were my lessons in wine. Our throats are starting to feel rather dry. I’m sure it’s wine o’clock somewhere?
