Appreciating Wine is not Bougie!!

I’m not sure why an interest in wine became labeled as bougie. That may not be the case in all communities but those of us in the black community know exactly what I’m talking about. Supposedly, if you’ve taken the time to educate yourself about wine, that’s synonymous with snobbery or being bougie!?? Or at least some might say. I’m here to try and set the record straight.

An understanding of the different varieties of wine and finding the one that excites your palate, is an interesting pursuit. I began enjoying wine in my early twenties. Sutter Home White Zinfandel was my go-to for at least a decade. But one thing to note about wine is that your palate matures over time. My friend Brenda and her son Justin have studied the art and science of wine making for years and have extensive experience with grape growers (vintners); particularly those in California. It’s from them that I learned everything I know about wine. They are the founders of Vino Lovers which myself and several others have claims to a lifetime membership (you know who you are:-).

It wasn’t a stretch to ignite my interest because I was already intrigued as a result of my white zinfandel days. I’m certainly still not an expert because wine education and appreciation are an ongoing process, but I’ve learned a lot.

On the issue of wine being synonymous with bougie. Yes, it’s true, people who are somewhat educated about wine can get a little annoyed by those who aren’t. For example, if your go to wine variety is Moscato, that choice makes a lot of people who appreciate wine cringe! (Okay, myself included). Moscato lovers are drawn to its high sugar content which is in direct contradiction with the potential health benefits that can be derived from moderate wine intake, especially from red wine. I’m not saying a glass of Moscato isn’t okay on occasion but as you learn more about wine, I guarantee it will stop being your go-to. I agree, there are some pretentious clowns out there that raise their knowledge of wine up as a status symbol which comes off as their trying to appear better than other people. Those are the people, who at a party, like to show off and bring attention to the fact that they know a thing or two about wine. I’m not talking about those narcissistic types. This is really meant for those who like wine but are turned off by all that pretentiousness!

If you like wine and want to learn more, it’s a really interesting hobby. You can go as deep on it as you like, or just learn the basics. You also don’t have to abandon your other adult beverage preferences. But for those occasions when wine is what’s being served or you get an invitation to a tasting, you’ll be much more confident when in the company of those show-offs who think they know it all. IJS

-K-

WINE TASTING 101 - THE BASICS OF WHAT TO DO & SAY

https://wine-family.com/blogs/news/wine-tasting-101-the-basics-of-what-to-do-say

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