"White on red, nothing moves

"White on red, nothing moves" is a popular saying that means that white wine is drunk before red wine.

Many maxims are known around the wine, including this one which would have various origins.

Maritime origins, which would recall the signaling of the lights at the approach of a port: if the white flag is over the red then the sailors remain in the port. And, if on the contrary, the red flag is over the white one, it indicates the free quarter.

But for others, it is in Burgundy that this proverb was born, to indicate that the white wine of chardonnay is tasted before the red wine of pinot noir.

It is important to consider the order of tasting, otherwise the succession of wines during the meal would not be as balanced.

A crisp white wine is more easily appreciated than a tannic red wine from the first sip. The brilliance of white wines rather directs the order of tasting. A powerful red wine would tend to camouflage the flavors of the white wine.

And, a white wine at the end of the meal will tend to be more acidic and unpleasant.

In traditional meals, it is the order of the dishes that will define the succession of wines, especially the place of fish and meat on the menu.

To know which wine to drink first, it is interesting to think about the intensity of the wine and the order of the dishes. A light wine is generally drunk before a wine that is very present and powerful in the mouth.