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ask dr. vinny

Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, or "Vinny" for short. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the technical aspects of winemaking to the fine points of etiquette. I hope you find my answers educational and even amusing. Looking for a particular answer? Check my archive and my FAQs.

Dear Dr. Vinny,

Why do I like oaked red wines but not oaked white wines?

—Kelly, San Fernando, Calif.

Dear Kelly,

You don’t have to justify your taste in wine, and no one else can truly explain it. However, I often hear similar comments from wine lovers, so I’ll give it a shot.

It may be that new oak balances better with hefty red wines, with their tannin structures, than with lighter-bodied whites. It may be that the flavor combinations are more pleasing or harmonious. It may be that you’re drinking reds older than whites, after the wine has had time to become better integrated.

The next time you get a white wine that you think might be too oaky, you could try letting the wine warm up a little. Sometimes that helps a wine become more expressive and more balanced. Who knows? You might find a new appreciation for oaked whites.

—Dr. Vinny

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