Has someone wineshamed you? Let us help you fight back

[EC]

Thought the regular wine lovers might find this amusing.

Welcome to Wineshaming 101. Today we will learn the best ways to counteract wineshaming — you know, when friends, family and pushy acquaintances mock your dubious drinking habits.

I myself have been the victim of wineshaming, due to my undisguised addiction to butter and oak in Chardonnay. There are those who refer to this wine as FC, and I’m just going to pretend that means “Fantastic Chardonnay.” This is how you deflect a hater. Also, you can pour your buttery, oaky FC on their laps, but that would be a terrible waste of delicious Chardonnay.

Here are the most common forms of wineshaming and how to divert your attackers:

You prefer sweet wine. Look, we get it. You’re young. You don’t have the hours, the days, the weeks, the decades of wine experience that the rest of us have. So you defend your affection for that pink liquid from Barefoot. Here’s your strategy: If we complain someone gave us a bottle of Moscato for our birthdays, offer to dispose of it for us. We’ll be happy because we can't bear wasted wine. Win win.

You don’t rinse your glass between wines. Remind your tormentor that you are not at the Judgment of Paris circa 1976 and that the drop of inexpensive red blend you just tried is not going to radically affect the cheap Rioja that’s up next at the Total Wine afternoon tasting.

More: http://www.miamiherald.com/living/food-drink/article151222627.html

[catfish1957]

Wineshamed?   Not lately....

[driftdiver]

Heck with it,  just go with scotch

[Night Hides Not]

Haven't read the entire article, thanks for posting!

I took a wine class several years back. I forgot one of our sessions was being taped. I was having some fun while we were tasting a red, and I said something like "the presence of cherries is strong", and there were other comments.

One frustrated classmate said she wasn't getting any of it, to which I replied, "I was only kidding. My taste buds are only telling me they like it, and that's good enough for me!"  lol

When I apologized to the professor for ruining the tape, he laughed and said, "you delivered the best lesson tonight: it's all about whether or not YOU enjoy the wine, nothing else matters."

Best $150 I ever spent, learned a lot about wines around the world, and came to know Lost Oak Winery in Burleson (for a class project), where I've been a member for over 3 years.

ETA: I cannot be "wineshamed". In fact, it would be a mistake for a "connoisseur" to try it. As a "grizzled veteran" of over 50 winefests in Germany (Mosel River), I can spin tales about German wine and their great producers at the drop of a hat. I've also had friends from California visit, and they were favorably disposed towards the wines produced at Lost Oak, many which have won awards in San Francisco.

[driftdiver]

Haven't read the entire article, thanks for posting!

I took a wine class several years back. I forgot one of our sessions was being taped. I was having some fun while we were tasting a red, and I said something like "the presence of cherries is strong", and there were other comments.

One frustrated classmate said she wasn't getting any of it, to which I replied, "I was only kidding. My taste buds are only telling me they like it, and that's good enough for me!"  lol

When I apologized to the professor for ruining the tape, he laughed and said, "you delivered the best lesson tonight: it's all about whether or not YOU enjoy the wine, nothing else matters."

Best $150 I ever spent, learned a lot about wines around the world, and came to know Lost Oak Winery in Burleson (for a class project), where I've been a member for over 3 years.

ETA: I cannot be "wineshamed". In fact, it would be a mistake for a "connoisseur" to try it. As a "grizzled veteran" of over 50 winefests in Germany (Mosel River), I can spin tales about German wine and their great producers at the drop of a hat. I've also had friends from California visit, and they were favorably disposed towards the wines produced at Lost Oak, many which have won awards in San Francisco.

I've always wanted to take a class.  I've figured out I don't like California wines.   South American, Italian, Spanish, or French and I'm pretty much good to go.   Not sure why. 

[Night Hides Not]

I've always wanted to take a class.  I've figured out I don't like California wines.   South American, Italian, Spanish, or French and I'm pretty much good to go.   Not sure why.

I took my class from a local CC, total cost $156. We met one night a week (Thursday night) for two hours. We'd hear a presentation on a different wine region, sometimes given by local retailers, followed by sampling 4-6 different wines. I really looked forward to Thursday nights!

The only reason I got an A in that class was the extra credit I received for presenting a 15 minute PowerPoint on German wine. The tests were not at all easy. One night, the test (150 questions) involved Spain, Portugal, and France. You had to know the varietal (grape) associated with its region.

I regret to say I was probably guilty of "wineshaming" when it came to German wine. I asked a couple of presenters why German wines have not gotten a bigger market share in the US, as American wine drinkers prefer sweeter wine. The answer I received was enlightening: both said "German wine is too difficult to explain." That's when I volunteered to present German wine near the end of the semester.

A few weeks later, I was at a Total Wine store, just killing time. I was in the German section, just window shopping, when a sales associate came to see if I needed help. It was a slow night, so I asked her if she had any suggestions. When she said no, I told her I could teach her what she needed to know in 5 minutes. I went through the different types, i.e. Spatlese, Auslese, etc., then demonstrated why some of the same type were much more expensive than others. It was a lot of fun.

[r9etb]

I regret to say I was probably guilty of "wineshaming" when it came to German wine.

I believe the proper term for that is Weinkrieg.

[Free Vulcan]

I'm a pretty snobby foodie. I know my wines, beers, cheeses, chocolates, and cigars pretty well. I grow my own food and spices, and get the meat from a local farmer. I eat well.

Yet I buy Aldi wine consistently. I like alot of their stuff, and it's good quality especially for the money. Screw the wineshamers.

[catfish1957]

I'm a pretty snobby foodie. I know my wines, beers, cheeses, chocolates, and cigars pretty well. I grow my own food and spices, and get the meat from a local farmer. I eat well.

Yet I buy Aldi wine consistently. I like alot of their stuff, and it's good quality especially for the money. Screw the wineshamers.

In my old employment life, I had to endure many "snobby" events, and yes there is some pretty tasty fare in that regard.

However, when came down to brass tacks, I really couldn't see that much difference in that $80 steak, and the one $5 if was slapping on the grill.  Kind like law of diminishing returns.  Some of us just aren't that refined in that area I guess.

[mountaineer]

I say drink what you like, and don't give a rat's rear end what the experts say. Kroger has offered an Italian pinot grigio for the past several months for $4.99. It's good for drinking, good for cooking. You can bet I'll choose it over something that's 2x, 3x or 4x the price.

[Night Hides Not]

I say drink what you like, and don't give a rat's rear end what the experts say. Kroger has offered an Italian pinot grigio for the past sever months for $4.99. It's good for drinking, good for cooking. You can bet I'll choose it over something that's 2x, 3x or 4x the price.

Well said.

One of my favorite things is to mosey around the wine stores in downtown Fredericksburg. Without fail, I'll come across vintages not available in the chain stores like Spec's or Total Wine (and I like both of those chains).

[Cripplecreek]

Smack em upside the head wid a foty of King Cobra.