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Five common wine myths debunked

Wine expert Rob Parker dismisses all our stuffy misconceptions about wine and shows us how to enjoy drinking again

1. Screw-top wines are a faux pas
Far from it. Screw caps are now being adopted by some of the most cutting edge wineries in the world, and for good reason: on average, ten per cent of traditionally sealed wines are 'corked'. Cork taint can completely alter the taste, stripping it of its freshness, and the wine can end up smelling like damp cardboard. Screw caps avoid this problem because they are more effective at keeping the oxygen out of the bottle. They also have the advantage of being easy to open, which is great at parties or picnics. That brings us to the two main benefits - we can forget the inevitable search for the elusive corkscrew every time we fancy a drink and we don't have to drink the whole bottle, because it's so easy to reseal.

2. It's tacky to have wine-in-a-box
Although boxed wines don't have a great reputation, they can be extremely practical. They work well at parties, or for people who don't necessarily want to drink a whole bottle of wine in a night. Once opened, the bag inside the box keeps wine fresh for up to six weeks, so there's nothing wasted, making it an easy way to help yourself to a glass of your favourite wine every day. Wine makers are now catching on to the idea - Lindemans, for example, is about to release the first premium wine in a box.

3. Chardonnay is sooo naff
Alanis Morissette sang about it, Bridget Jones sank a good few bottles of it and one of the main characters in the TV series Footballers' Wives was even named after it - Chardonnay has clearly suffered from over-exposure, causing a lot of unfair criticism.
The grape is responsible for some of the greatest white wines in the world. For example, Montrachet, a vineyard in Burgundy, produces wines of legendary elegance exclusively from the Chardonnay grape. In fact, this grape has such recognised class that this part of Burgundy is valued as some of the most expensive real estate in the world. Chardonnay is often a safe bet because its distinctive tropical, buttery flavour appeals to so many tastes. So, don't be swayed by the media coverage - Chardonnay can be cool.

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