We get lots of questions about wine, so we thought we would share some of the most common ones in hopes they satisfy your curiosity. Keep those questions coming!
Q: Is it proper to chill a red wine?
A: Absolutely. Lighter wines, in particular, taste much better with a chill. Even producers of beaujolais — a low alcohol, lighter wine — recommend it be chilled. The same is true for grenache and most syrah. However, we extend chilling to all red wine, especially in summer months when al fresco dining can warm wine quickly.
If you have a cellar or wine cooler, your wine is probably 55-60 degrees. But it can warm fast over an hour-long meal. We use a chiller jacket that is kept in the freezer. They are very inexpensive. Or, you can dunk the bottle in an ice bath. However, chilling it below 55 degrees closes down the flavors and accentuates the tannins.
Q: Why can’t I find a good wine under $15? It seems like the average price of wine is rising. Is it me?
A: Indeed, the cost of wine is rising along with milk and a lot of groceries. While we remember spending $8 for a bottle of good wine in the 1990s, you can’t do that any longer if you still demand quality. The sweet spot for inexpensive but good wine is closer to $20 today.
According to a Wine Analytics Report, wines below $11 saw a decline in value and volume. But wines in the $15 to $19.99 tiers saw 1% growth while the $25-plus tier saw 1.5% growth. Consumers might be more comfortable with the economy and thus more willing to pay more for good wine.
If you’re on a budget, you should try bulk wine in cans and boxes. We were surprised to find palatable wines in this volume, even if we don’t see ourselves drinking it. Look for producers Juliet and Tablas Creek.
Otherwise, look for wines from Portugal and Spain — two areas making fabulous wine under $25.
And, wines from Argentina’s Domaine Bousquet are really good for the money and easy to find.
Q: How long will wine last after it is opened?
A: We never keep wine for more than a few days, even if we use a preservation system that removes the oxygen. There are expensive systems costing more than $200 that arguably will protect open bottles for a week or more, but we suspect most of our readers aren’t willing to spend that much on a preservation system.
An open bottle of red wine is best preserved by pumping out oxygen with a $30 reusable Vacu-Vin and putting it in the refrigerator. Chilling helps preserve a red wine, but be sure to let the temperature come up to 60 degrees or so when you re-open it.
Wine, especially white, that has been open for more than few days will taste oxidized.
Q: I need to find wines for my son’s wedding. Do you have any suggestions?
A: We have been to a couple of weddings this year and have been largely disappointed in the selections. Frankly, couples don’t have much choice because the caterer or restaurant offer few options. If you can bring your own wine, you will find better value.
First, don’t bother offering expensive champagne. Guests will probably have the one glass offered as a toast and they won’t be focused on quality. Prosecco is fine.
Second, include a rosé, a versatile wine and generally inexpensive. We find it reliable at low costs and universally enjoyed.
Our general rule when we go to weddings is to drink white wine. Sauvignon blanc, for instance, is another grape variety generally good at all price points. Cheap chardonnay is going to taste cheap. Even worse, are the cheap pinot noirs, merlot and cabernet sauvignons.
For reds, you’re better off to look for blends, syrah and zinfandel.
Q: I have a bottle of 2015 chardonnay that I found while cleaning out my father’s house after he died. Will it be any good?
A: We are constantly asked about the durability of an old wine someone inherited. It is a difficult question to answer without just saying “it depends.”
It depends on the storage conditions. A wine stored on its side in a 55-degree cellar has a better change to age gracefully than one kept in a cupboard or closet.
It also depends on the wine. Red wine, in general, will last longer because it has tannins — a natural preservative. Even so, a cabernet sauvignon from Bordeaux has an even better chance than, say, a syrah from California.
We have enjoyed many chardonnays from Burgundy and even California that are a decade old. Again, it depends on the producer. Don’t expect an old Fetzer chardonnay to taste as good as a Corton-Charlemagne.
Pinot grigio
Here are a few pinot grigios we recently enjoyed:
Marco Felluga Mongris Collo Pinot Grigio DOC 022 ($21). With grapes grown in mineral-rich but poor soils in the Collio region of Italy, this pinot gris has bright and fresh floral aromas with apple and pear flavors.
Alois Lageder Porer Vigneti delle Dolomiti Pinot Grigio IGT 2022 ($30). With a little more complexity and richness than most pinot grigios, this version from the Alto Adige region is very fresh with a note of minerality and apple flavors.
Riff Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio DOC 2022 ($12). A great value, this pinot grigio has simple apple and pear notes. A great sipper on a warm afternoon.
CK Mondavi and Family Classic California Pinot Grigio 2022 ($8). Classic peach and pear notes with a dash of spice dominate this reasonably priced wine.
Wine picks
Etude Carneros Pinot Gris 2020 ($32). We will always remember this house for Tony Soter’s pinot noir. Beringer Blass now owns the winery and continues to make good wine, including this fruity pinot gris that is guaranteed to please consumers. Abundant tropical fruit notes with citrus and mineral nuances. Soft texture makes it a nice match to cheese.
Dutcher Crossing Proprietor’s Reserve Petite Sirah 2019 ($36). This is a delicious petite sirah for summer barbecues. From the Dry Creek Valley, the wine has juicy plum and blackberry flavors with hints of chocolate and espresso.
Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr have been writing a weekly, syndicated wine column since 1985. See their blog at moreaboutwine.com. They can be reached at marq1948@gmail.com.