¿Cuáles son los mitos sobre el mundo del vino?

Wine carries as many legends as it does tradition. We go over the most repeated beliefs to separate what has a basis from what is merely inherited habit.

Reserva doesn't always mean better

The word reserva indicates a minimum ageing time in barrel and bottle, not an absolute category of quality. There are magnificent reservas and merely decent ones, just as there are excellent young wines. The ageing time is a stylistic decision, not an automatic stamp of superiority.

Rosé has no gender

Associating rosé wine with a particular audience is pure prejudice. Its colour comes from the brief contact of the must with the skins of red grapes, nothing more. It's a versatile, fresh and very rewarding wine at the table, suited to anyone who enjoys drinking it.

A higher price doesn't guarantee more pleasure

Price depends on many factors: the region, scarcity, the brand's prestige or the cost of production. It doesn't always translate into a wine you'll enjoy more. The best wine is the one you enjoy, and there are affordable labels capable of surprising anyone.

• The screw cap is not a sign of bad wine; it preserves the wine very well and avoids faults.
• Wine doesn't always improve with age: most is made to be drunk young.
• Sediment is not a flaw, but something natural in reds meant for ageing.

White with fish, red with meat: just a guide

The rule works as a starting point, but it isn't law. There are light reds that go wonderfully with an oily fish and full-bodied whites that stand up to white meats. Pairing is about balancing intensities, not about fixed colours.

Swirling the glass isn't showing off

Aerating the wine makes sense: as you move it, it takes in oxygen and releases aromas that stay closed when it's at rest. There's no need to overdo the gesture, but it works. If you want to keep debunking clichés and better understand what you're drinking, exploring the denominations of origin is a good way to sharpen your judgement.