Hey there, wine lovers!
Ever find yourself at a dinner party, swirling your glass, and wishing you had a killer, little-known wine fact to drop into the conversation?
Well, you’re in luck!
Our favourite sommelier for hire and host of Wine Night In, Jonny, brings you a handful of brilliant, bite-sized wine facts. Guaranteed to not only impress your friends but change the way you look at your next glass. If you want more, you can get your new wine facts every Friday over on the Wine Night In Instagram.
Before we jump in. We’re Wine Night In and we’re all about taking the stuffiness out of wine tasting. We want to make wine fun, friendly, and totally accessible to everyone. To help you learn about the wine you love without feeling like you’re at a lecture. So, if you’re planning a wine tasting dinner party and fancy something fun, book a Wine Night In today.
Right then, let’s get into the good stuff!
Wine Legs Do NOT Equal Quality
Do you ever notice that mesmerizing swirl of liquid that runs down the inside of your glass?
It’s often called “legs” or “tears.” And loads of people mistake it for a sign of a high-quality, full-bodied wine.
But that’s not actually the case…
The reality is that the legs are just a simple sciencey thing – something to do with alcohol content and surface tension. It doesn’t really matter!
As our wine expert, Jonny, says, “Are legs an indication of quality in wine? No it isn’t. Please don’t be the guy, ‘Ooh, it’s got lovely legs,’ because you don’t know what you’re talking about, okay? All it could mean is you’ve got a really dirty glass.”
Private wine tasting. From the comfort of home.
Hire a sommelier for a private wine tasting at-home. Wine Night In isn't a stuffy lecture. It's a social experience with a focus on fun, not just learning.
Your Saliva Is the Best Wine Test
Forget those fancy words and phrases! Your body gives you the most honest feedback on a wine’s acidity!
If a wine has a high level of acid (like many Sauvignon Blancs or Rieslings), it will make your mouth produce more saliva. This sensation is what gives the wine its desirable “zippy” or “fresh” quality.
“What does acidity mean? Right, next time you’re having a drink, focus solely on, is this wine making me salivate? If it is, that means it’s a high acidic wine. Okay. So acidity gives you the feeling of zippiness and freshness… Knowledge!”
Red Wine Mouth-Feel is All About the Skin
Next up in our wine facts, let’s talk Tannins. Tannins are those bitter bits that add age to red wine. You can find them in the grape skins, seeds, and stems.
Because red wine ferments with the skins in contact (unlike white wine), it absorbs these tannins. That’s what causes the distinctive, dry, almost gripping sensation in your mouth.
“With red, we keep the skins in play, and it ferments with the skins in. From there, we get the colour, we get some bitterness, and we get the tannins… What you’ll find is that your kind of mouth dries out a little bit and you’ll you’ll kind of you’ll be able to stick your lip to the top of your teeth because it’s drying.”
The Restaurant Wine Trial is Just a Quality Check
When a waiter pours you a small amount of the wine you ordered, they are not asking for your opinion on the taste.
You’ve already committed to the bottle! Instead, they are checking for a flaw called “cork taint” (often just called “corked”). This fault is caused by a chemical compound that results in an unpleasant smell.
“Why are they doing that? Right, it is not so that you can decide whether you like the wine or not and so that you can send it back… What you’re doing is checkin’, ‘Is the wine corked?’… You’re looking for a smell of damp cardboard. If you smell that, then the wine is corked and you should send it back.”
World-Class Bubble Doesn’t Have to be Champagne
Looking for a sparkling wine bargain?
The only difference between Crémant and Champagne is where it comes from. We call that the origin. Crémant is made using the exact same traditional method. It uses secondary fermentation in the bottle. But it comes from other approved regions in France, like Alsace or Burgundy.
“What is the difference between Crémant and Champagne? Right, they’re both sparkling wines, they both come from France, but the only difference is Crémant comes from different wine regions that are outside of Champagne, and Champagne comes from Champagne…. So get yourself a bargain, half the price of Champagne and get a Crémant.”
Blending Grapes is Neither Good Nor Bad
Blending different grape varieties (like a Bordeaux, which often blends Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) is an ancient practice, but it’s not automatically a sign of quality.
It all depends on the winemaker and the region’s rules. Some of the world’s most prized wines are blends (like top-tier Bordeaux), while an unspecific blend from a less-regulated area can be a way to hide lower-quality grapes.
“Is blending different grape varieties in wine an indication of good quality, bad quality, or doesn’t it matter? Let’s find out… However, Bordeaux, we know that Bordeaux is a high quality wine… So, it can mean good, it can mean bad, but decide for yourself, have a taste, give it a go.”
Private wine tasting. From the comfort of home.
Hire a sommelier for a private wine tasting at-home. Wine Night In isn't a stuffy lecture. It's a social experience with a focus on fun, not just learning.
How Involved are Celebrities in their Wines?
To finish up our list of wine facts, have you ever wonder how much your favorite star or influencer is involved in the bottle with their name on it?
Celebrity wines generally fall into three categories:
- Fully Involved (Buying the Vineyard): Stars who purchase a property and run the operation.
- Collaborative (Partnering with a Pro): Celebrities who work with an established, high-quality winery on style and branding.
- Endorsement (Name Only): Stars who simply lend their brand name for marketing purposes with minimal creative input.
“Brad and Angelina got super involved, and they bought a chateau in Provence… Kylie Minogue Wines and other celebrities like her are sort of halfway between. They get involved with already established winemakers… And then you’ve got celebrities like 50 Cent who will put their name against… a wine and kind of have very little involvement in the creation of that drink.”
Drink Smarter, Not Stuffier with Wine Facts
So, there you have it! Seven fantastic wine facts to elevate your next dinner party.
Wine doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s about having fun, sharing a bottle with friends, and maybe dropping a few of these little nuggets of wisdom with some wine facts along the way.
That’s why we started Wine Night In. Hire a sommelier to host a private wine tasting at-home. It’s fun and social. You’ll learn about the wines you love with wine facts and tasting activities. But without feeling like you’re at a lecture! Oh, and you’re guaranteed to find a few new favourites too! Book yours today.
Cheers! 🍾
