It is common for people, when they realise they’re talking to a doctor in a social setting, to say something like: “Oh, you’re a doctor. I’ve got this pain, what do you think it is?” In a similar fashion, when people hear I write this column or that I’m a master of wine, I get questions too.
Just like Antiques Roadshow, where people bring their family heirloom to the expert hoping to be told it’s worth a fortune, I can’t tell you how often I have been asked, “I was given this bottle as a present years ago...”, or “I found this at my parents’ house. Is it worth much?”
Sorry, but the answer is almost certain to be no. Why? First, very few wines have a resale value outside cru classé bordeaux, grand cru burgundies, top Italians and luxury champagnes. Maybe you have very wealthy friends, or parents who exclusively drank these categories of wine and gave one to you; even so, the answer is still no. A single bottle, as opposed to a case, is hard to sell at an auction house. A case is more likely to have been stored properly but a single bottle might have been kept in a warm kitchen cupboard. I always say just open it and drink it.
If you want to know what it would cost to buy, though, the website winesearcher.com is the best online resource. The website is also the answer when I get “I had a bottle on holiday, do you know if I can buy it in Ireland?” — which assumes I know the entire inventory of wine sold in Ireland. I know a fair bit, but not all.
Another common one: “Am I right to judge the quality of wine by the size of the bottle’s punt?” No. The indentation was originally part of the production process when bottles were hand-blown and it helped the bottle’s structural integrity. Designers of machined bottles kept them, partly for tradition, but also to aid stable bulk bottle storage in winery cellars, as the tip of the neck fits into the punt — especially important for sparkling wines stored vertically. They also help to trap sediment. They serve little purpose for most modern wines, but some producers use heavy bottles with a large punt as a marketing aid to play on exactly this misperception.
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Another packaging question I get is about corks and screw caps, and the perception that only cheap wines use screw caps. It’s just not so. The closure is no indicator of the quality of the wine. About 90 per cent of the wine in Australia and New Zealand is sealed with screw caps. But in France, culturally, it’s ingrained that wine must be sealed with a cork. I’ve met French winemakers who would prefer to use screw caps but know it would be commercial suicide.
The switch to screw caps happened because cork taint was such a big issue, but improvements have been made and now some producers guarantee theirs are taint free. Screw caps have evolved too and, yes, you can age wines with them for years. Pick the wine you want regardless of how it’s sealed.
I also get: “Should I let the wine breathe by opening it an hour or two before pouring?” The surface area exposed is so small it makes negligible difference. If you want to aerate the wine, pour it into a decanter or a jug, or even a clean empty bottle via a funnel.
A variation on that is: “When should I decant a wine?” First, obviously, if the bottle has sediment, as with vintage port or some old reds. If the wine is very old, don’t do it long before serving. Young red or orange wines can be tannic and decanting can soften them. This is a handy trick for cheap red wine, which is usually bottled very young and aerating it can soften some rough edges.
What kind of glass you drink from is a hot topic too, but does it make much difference? In my experience it does. I can’t say the unfeasibly high number of different glasses that Riedel produces makes sense, but I would use glasses that are as thin as possible; and bigger for reds and oaked whites than for unoaked whites. A Zalto Denk Universal glass really is like a gustatory microscope. Conversely, wine in a little Paris goblet tastes of almost nothing.
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Finally, I get asked whether you’re supposed to smell the cork when a sommelier opens a bottle. No, don’t go there. You’ll look stupid as you’re very unlikely to smell cork taint. The practice was originally simply a way of making sure the cork branding matched the label.
Martin recommends: six of the best
Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir, Martinborough, 2017 €25.50-€31.99; Egan’s, 64 Wine, Jus de Vine
This screw-top beauty of a New Zealand red will age nicely. 91/100
Domaine Guerrin & Fils ‘La Côte Dorée’ Saint-Véran, 2018 €27, Whelehans
Saint-Véran has more in common with Pouilly-Fuissé than its other neighbour, Mâcon-Villages. 90/100
Herdade de Sao Miguel Art Terra Curtimenta, Alentejo, 2018 €21.90, Deveney’s
Sealed with cork as screw caps are frowned upon in Portugal. It would be good to see more orange wines on sale in Ireland. 88/100
Famille Bougrier Sauvignon Blanc ‘Pure Vallée’, Vin de France, 2019 €10 during April (was €15.45), O’Briens
A French wine with a screw cap from the reliable Touraine-based Bougrier family. 88/100
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Meszaros Pal Classic Collection Pinot Noir, Hungary €9.99, Lidl
It’s rare that a half-decent pinot noir and a keen price intersect, but this could pass easily as a higher-priced Bourgogne rouge. 87/100
Baron Amarillo Rioja Rosado, Spain €6.99, Aldi
Rosé isn’t just made in Provence, it has a long tradition in Spain too, so branch out and try this tangy strawberry-scented bargain. 87/100