Wine has been around for thousands of years, so it's no surprise that we've accumulated plenty of rules about how it should be made, served and enjoyed.
Some are useful. Others are simply outdated.
From the idea that expensive wine is always better to the belief that red wine should be served at room temperature, here are 10 common wine myths that deserve to be left behind.
1. Expensive Wine Is Always Better
This is probably the biggest wine myth of all.
Price and quality are not the same thing.
A $20 bottle from the right producer and region can be far more enjoyable than a $100 bottle that simply isn't your style.
As you move into higher price brackets, you're often paying for things such as vineyard location, older vines, lower yields, meticulous winemaking, ageing and scarcity.
But none of that guarantees you'll enjoy the wine more.
The best wine is the wine you like drinking.
2. Screw Caps Mean Cheap Wine
Not anymore.
Australia was one of the pioneers of screw-cap wine closures, and many of Australia's finest producers use them.
Screw caps can provide an excellent seal and help preserve freshness, fruit and acidity.
You'll find premium Australian Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon under screw cap.
So don't judge a bottle by what's holding the cork in.
3. Red Wine Should Be Served at Room Temperature
This advice probably made more sense when “room temperature” meant a cool European room.
At a modern Australian room temperature of 22–25°C, many red wines can become too warm, alcoholic and heavy.
As a general guide, lighter reds such as Pinot Noir are often better slightly chilled, while fuller reds such as Shiraz and Cabernet are best served cool rather than warm.
A little time in the fridge can do wonders.
4. White Wine Doesn't Age
Some white wines can age incredibly well.
Premium Riesling, Chardonnay, Semillon and sweet wines can develop extraordinary complexity over many years.
A young Riesling might be all citrus and freshness. With age, it can develop deeper, honeyed and toasty characters while retaining its acidity.
Likewise, great Chardonnay can become more complex and savoury with time.
Don't assume white wine is only for drinking young.
5. You Should Always Let Red Wine Breathe
Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.
Decanting or simply opening a bottle and letting it sit can help certain young, structured wines open up.
But not every wine needs it.
A delicate Pinot Noir, for example, can lose some of its fragrance if left exposed to air for too long.
And if you're thirsty, simply pouring the wine into a glass and giving it a good swirl is often enough.
6. Wine Legs Tell You Whether a Wine Is Good
Those little streaks running down the side of your glass after swirling are called legs or tears.
They can tell you something about the wine's alcohol level, viscosity and other physical properties.
They cannot tell you whether the wine is good.
A $15 wine can have impressive legs.
So can a $150 wine.
Your palate is a much better judge than the glass.
7. You Should Always Drink Red Wine With Meat
Not necessarily.
Pinot Noir can be fantastic with salmon, mushrooms and roast vegetables.
Lighter reds can work beautifully with tuna, pork and many vegetarian dishes.
And some richer white wines can be excellent with chicken, pork and even certain red meats.
Food pairing is about balance, not strict rules.
8. Champagne Is Just Sparkling Wine
Technically, Champagne is a type of sparkling wine — but not all sparkling wine is Champagne.
The name Champagne is protected and refers specifically to sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France under its defined production rules.
Australia makes fantastic sparkling wine, particularly in Tasmania, Victoria and other cool-climate regions.
So while your Australian sparkling isn't Champagne, that doesn't mean it isn't delicious.
9. Natural Wine Has to Be Cloudy
Cloudiness can be a characteristic of some natural wines, particularly when they are unfined or unfiltered.
But natural wine isn't automatically cloudy.
Some are crystal clear.
And clarity doesn't tell you whether a wine is natural, conventional, good or bad.
There is also no single universally accepted definition of “natural wine”, which is why the term can mean different things to different producers.
10. Wine Rules Are Rules
Perhaps the biggest myth of all.
Wine has plenty of traditions and conventions, but very few absolute rules.
You don't have to drink white wine before red.
You don't have to finish a bottle just because you've opened it.
You don't have to pair Pinot Noir with salmon.
You don't have to spend $50 to get a good bottle.
And you certainly don't need to know every wine region in France to enjoy wine.
Wine is meant to be enjoyed.
The Best Wine Rule of All
If there's one rule worth remembering, it's this:
Drink what you like.
Learn the basics, explore different regions and varieties, try new things and listen to recommendations — but ultimately, your own taste matters most.
At Purvis Cellars, we taste a lot of wine. We love talking about regions, producers, grapes and winemaking, but we also believe wine shouldn't be intimidating.
There are no prizes for choosing the most complicated bottle.
Find something you love, open it, pour a glass and enjoy.
That's what wine is all about.