As wine consumers we all have perceptions of wines whether it be from bottle shape, color, varietal name, manufacturer or any number of the factors that go into winemaking including the marketing decisions. Sometimes those perceptions and resulting reservations about a wine are well founded and simply related to our palate preferences, other times though it is related to misunderstandings about the same factors.

One of the most common misunderstandings we still see is that all pink wine is sweet. As we have discussed though nothing could be further from the truth as the number of great bone dry roses in the market continues to grow. Another that is well grounded in palate preference is from one of our best customers who does not like Chateauneuf du Pape, the great blend from the Rhone Valley in France. He feels they all "taste like dirt." We kind of get that; the wines do sport a certain earthiness that his palate does not respond to. Here are some other perceptions though you may want to consider working past to try some wines you might not otherwise try.

We have recently had the opportunity to taste several wines from Beaujolais appellation. This tiny growing area near Lyon south of Burgundy produces some really great wine, for many folks though all they know of this area is the annual release in January each year of Beaujolais Nouveau, the thin sweet "Kool-Aid" like product that has a bit of a following. The Nouveau that is released each year is actually the saignee from the production of vintage Beaujolais, which is in our opinion the really great wine that comes from this area that is overshadowed by the Nouveau.

Saignee is wine that is "bled off" from the fermentation tank to further concentrate the flavors and colors of the main product. In Beaujolais the saignee or bleed off is then bottled and sold as the Nouveau Beaujolais. The vintage Beaujolais that finishes fermentation and ageing prior to release is truly a joy. Both are made from the Gamay grape varietal which is the only varietal grown in that area. Vintage Beaujolais is darker and richer than the Nouveau bottlings. It possesses good acid making it a fabulous food wine, and deep aromatics and palate flavors that are cherry focused with many of the wines developing hints of coffee, cocoa and other dark aromas. They are a joy to drink, somewhat reasonably priced by French standards, and definitely worth trying.

Another common misconception like wine being pink is that wine that comes in the tall skinny bottle used in Alsace and Germany is always sweet. This bottle type is typically used for Riesling, Gewrztraminer, Pinot Blanc and other white varietals grown in Northeastern France and Germany and is used for both dry and off-dry interpretations of the grapes. The majority of the wine made in these regions though is bone dry. Here in the States they are more frequently made off-dry or sweet, but the bottle shape will not tell you of the sweetness so don't overlook some of these lovely dry crisp whites because of the tall skinny bottle.

Another common misunderstanding about wine is that all wine benefits from ageing especially the more expensive the wine is, and that red wines age better than white wines. The benefits of ageing wine depends on the vintage, grape varietal, the style of winemaking and one's own personal preferences on when the wine tastes best. It many times has nothing to do with the price. There are great wines produced all over the world every year with a hefty price tag that either due to the winemaker's intention or vintage related factors that are made to be drunk now. Conversely there are many modestly priced wines that age beautifully for the same set of factors. Add in how each of us prefers the wine to taste and it throws any formulaic solution on age worthiness out the window. Similarly some of the best wines to age are whites! We have tasted white wines with 20 or more years on them that are stunning, while we have tasted some reds that are no longer good after five years.

Like so many things wine related the only true way to determine the age worthiness of any wine is to try it for yourself or to consult your favorite wine professional, chances are we will be able to provide guidance that will help with that decision.

We all have perceptions about wines, for consumers though it may be best to do our best to ignore them from time to time in search of a new favorite.

If there is a topic you would like to read about or questions on wine you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party - a wine and table top decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George is also the managing judge of The North Idaho Wine Rodeo and is the wine editor for Coeur d'Alene Magazine (www.cdamagazine.com). You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. You can get all of these articles as well as other great wine tips by friending us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.