Are you excited about wine but also...confused by it? Makes sense! There are many myths about wine floating around and a genuine dearth of accessible information on whether they are true or not. Often, the answers are complicated. Allow us to shed a bit of light on four of the biggest wine myths out there.
MYTH: SUGAR IN WINE IS BAD
Sugar: is it bad, is it good, is it totally misunderstood? YES. The truth about sugar is that it is a crucial component in the winemaking process. Natural sugar, that is. When yeasts munch on naturally occurring sugars (found in wine grapes and all other fruits), they produce alcohol and myriad complex flavors that wine drinkers love.
But things get sticky (ha!) when wine producers ADD cane sugars and concentrates to that naturally sweet grape juice. Many big producers—such as brands that rhyme with 'shapothic' and even a certain celebrity’s ‘clean’ wine brand— can add cane sugar and other junk to wine to create a richer, more voluptuous mouthfeel that...
Photo: Emily Rentsch
Hi there! Before you head into the weekend, check out a few things we're loving at Sip Better. Enjoy!
FRIDAY FAVES - 8.13.21
- Prima's Bath Gem (pictured above) is my new favorite indulgence. This hefty cube is infused with 25mg of hemp CBD, plus Epsom salts, lavendar, and camphor to melt away stress. This silky soak is the bomb (oof, sorry)!
- If you need a beautiful gift for a lady in your life, consider pre-ordering I Hope This Finds You Well, by Kate Baer. It's a collection of clever and poignant poems Kate created from the many messages she has received from followers and trolls online. So interesting!
- In case you want to brush up on natural wines before the weather turns cooler, here's our quick primer!
- "What Climate Change Might Do To Your Favorite Wine," via the Wall Street Journal.
- We love gift and subscription boxes around here (duh!), and this Adults & Crafts subscription box looks like a whimsical way to connect with your artsy side!
Until next week!
—Emily...
Photo: Trevor Gerzen
There are all sorts of wine buzzwords on the wind these days, but one that you might hear floating around more than usual is the term “natural wine.” Um, what?! The word “natural” means different things to different people. And it also applies to all sorts of different things in the world. So...what makes a wine natural? Let’s dig in.
I like to tell my wine students and friends that they should think about wine in the same way that they think about food. Some foods are whole, untouched, and come from pesticide-free land. Like an organic Honeycrisp apple! Other foods are processed and packaged, include preservatives, lots of salt, and other things that might enhance the food’s flavor or shelf life. Like, say, Cheez-Its!
Now whether you reach for the Honeycrisp apple or the Cheez-Its (or both!), you make your decision based on having lots of information about how each food is made. Right? It’s the same with wine!
There is a group of wines out there that are made to taste exactly the...
