The wine columnist Matt Kramer posted an excellent blog post over on the Wine Spectator earlier in December that I just stumbled upon. In it, he rails against three wine myths. He probably could have found many more such myths, but I like that he took the time to go into more detail for the three he chose:
1) Wine needs “structure”, aka tannins to age well.
2) More expensive wine is better wine.
3) Wine needs to be stored in 70%+ humidity.
None of them are really earth-shattering news, but they do persist so it is nice to have a deeper look at them.
Have a great Sunday!
Wine Spectator: Wine Myths That Need Shattering
the winegetter 
Tracy, I do like your soap box. And I’m all over #2 being shattered!
Shattered? You mean glistening little reflective fragments that make light dance on the wall, that entrance kitties and make everyone more playful, right?
Ha! Yes, for Teddy’s sake, that kind of shattered! For my sake, shattered as in happy to know it’s a myth.
I’ve gone back and forth and back and forth about what’s a myth and what’s real. (And been shattered by disillusionment). I’m with Oliver, in holding a healthy fear of dogma and especially, of anything that smacks of fanaticism. I do, however, believe in love–the real, faithful, transformative kind, even though it’s awfully hard to see, to find, and for all practical purposes, impossible to practice. Still, I try. So, I guess you could say I believe that the impossible is possible, which makes me at heart, an idealist.
I love your idealism!
And what is the world without love or idealism? I think idealism is a form of love, believing in the best in each and everyone. Not the worst attitude to have…
Agreed.
On my soapbox: Repeating a myth, as if it’s a fact, has its root in pride and pretentiousness (pretending to know something, in order to look or sound like someone who knows).
I’m always in favor of exploding myths–when I was in college, I wrote a paper on “myth” which my professor said was the best he’d ever read on the subject. Of course, that went to my head, and I thought I was developing into a special kind of wise guru. Ken brought me down to earth.
Now, getting off my soapbox, remembering my non-elevated place: (this is an excerpt from my memoir, coming out next week–the ebook is now available on Kindle!)
“I knew from the beginning of our relationship that he would always find ways to amuse himself at my expense. Just weeks after we met, I introduced him to my favorite little river town with restored Victorian houses, quaint shops and legends involving Jesse James. I was proud of my fine liberal arts education and I suppose I was showing it off. I was rattling on about the history and customs of the place when he asked me, as if he didn’t know, ‘What’s a myth?’
Bill Moyers was rising in popularity just then. I had seen his PBS series, The Power of the Word. You don’t need to have seen it to understand this little anecdote. The point is, I enjoyed spouting what I knew to someone who obviously likes it that I’m brainy. I thought I was sounding impressively intellectual.
Ken waited (with a strangely amused expression) for me to finish my windy recitation before he said, ‘Oh. I thought a myth was a female moth.’ ”
I hope you both have a relaxing weekend!
Thank you so much for your input, Tracy, and I am loving your story… I do believe that myths can actually be helpful. All too often we want security and safe planks that we can tread on. Let’s face it, we might even need them. So when we first get accustomed with something new, or with something that we simply don’t have the time to get really really into it, then these myths or “common knowledge” or whatever you want to call them can help us maneuver through. The problem starts when we begin making these pieces and bits of knowledge a dogma and forget that they are just some kind of rules that someone else has come up with for whatever reason. We should never get stuck in our ways, and be willing to shatter myths again and again.
Dogma is, if not exactly “evil,” then for sure, the root of much hostility.