Jil

Does this **** anyone else off, or is it just me? I hate how people devote their lives to wine. It's like every occasion requires wine, every meal has a pairing, every vacation is to a winery, every conversation is about different wines. I don't know why it makes me so angry, but it seems like such a ridiculous thing to focus your life on.. and it seems like it has the capability to lure in lots of people and turn them into alcoholics. I don't care about how different fermented grapes can taste. It still turns into alcohol. It still is a substance. And many are still abusing it, no matter how classy it makes you seem.

Sorry if that upsets anyone. I just wanted to vent.

grateful101010

Totally agree. Wine-ism is the corollary of food-ism.

That is, how purchasing, cooking, eating high-quality and exotic food and wines trickled down the middle class via mass media like the Food Channel. Turns out, that middle class family in Ohio actually couldn't afford to have free-range organic chicken with risotto and truffle oil with a $40 bottle of riesling every night - not after their house was foreclosed. I guess now families will have to eat regular normal food on a Tuesday night, like spaghetti and meatballs.

Wine-ism and foodie-ism among middle class people reeks of gluttony and conspicuous consumption. Not every meal is your last. Do you really have to stuff your face with expensive food 6 nights a week? Isn't there a better use for money?

GettingStronger2

Not any more than someone who devotes their life to another hobby, say baseball card collecting. Those who do not have this disease can drink responsibly. I am in a place now where i can be around alcohol without worry or bother.

Hopefully you will get there as well.

MsJax

Hi Jil, a lot of the cork sniffing seems so pretentious and silly. I remember when I was still drinking and being at a special dinner (boozefest) and listening to so & so bloviate about wine when really I knew for a fact that person was going to go home and drink 3-star vodka by the 1/2 gallon.

I think for a lot of people it's just to "look cool" or in my case, it was an excuse to drink.

Jil

I just feel that I'll never accept it. I'll probably get to the point where I'm more accepting, but I feel very strongly about this. Devoting your life to a hobby such as baseball cards is a lot different than devoting your life to a mind-altering substance. No matter how responsibly you can drink, one or two lets say, it's still something that alters your way of thinking. To revolve your life around something that puts you in a different state of mind is, in my opinion, detrimental to your well being.

stugotz

Ill take jealousy for 200 Alex......

WritingFromLife

Yes, there are those that do enjoy wine as a hobby; however, I know a lot of people that use it as an excuse to drink way more than they should on a regular basis--as if treating it like a hobby rationalizes the abuse to themselves and others. It's a nice cover for a while, I suppose.

stugotz

Are we really that jaded? One thing that recovery taught me is that I cant blame the drink. Until I was ready to accept accountibility for my actions I would never truly recover. Listen folks, hate the player, not the game.

GettingStronger2

i thought alcohol was my problem. . .learned that was just not the case.

Jil

This post wasn't about me and my alcoholism. I do not deny that I have feelings of jealousy. However, before I even thought that I was an alcoholic, I had problems with this. You are entitled to your opinions, and I will not disagree that my alcoholism is an isolated problem that led me here, and that others are capable of having one or two. It still doesn't change the fact that I feel it's unnecessary to advertise this hobby to such an extent, and that this hobby does change their state of mind. Most wine connoisseurs I know drink every day, on every occasion, and bring it up in every conversation. I do not, nor will I ever, believe that this is not in excess.

suki44883

It's a non-issue to non-alcoholics. It's an issue to you because you cannot have one or two and be satisfied. Just because you don't accept it or can't understand it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it.

ETA

I'm one of them! I love wine and pairing it with yummy food aAnd I love craft beer and liquor infused with herbs.

I don't think there is anything wrong with being into wine as a hobby or lifestyle per se- most people have their "thing." I mean, I don't get scrap booking at all but that doesn't make me better or worse than those into it.

I do see what you are saying - there is more risk with alcohol itself being the interest - and there is a good chance folks are hiding behind the mask of foodie to cover for their issues (yeah I did that).

Alcohol goes along with a lot of hobbies/interests - I don't blame the wine or the food - I'm a drunk - a bad sloppy drunk. I wanted the Top Chef fantasy but can't have it. I'm trying to fill that void with pairing food with fancy soda water drinks - something like sparkling water with mint, lime and agave nectar.

Regarding expense - to a certain extent that might be true but it doesn't have to be completely. We can't afford to spend a lot but we make up for it by having a garden and buying in bulk. We bought a half of a entire hog and now have local/organic/free range pork of every cut for cheap.

For me it's not gluttony - it's caring about where my food is coming from, putting care into it's preparation and being mindful about what I eat. I just don't get any wine with my dinner...

sugarbear1

When someone's behavior upsets me, I have to look at me. I don't look down on others who enjoy their hobby. I think it's cool to know much about something. I dabble in crafts, but spent most of my time in my mind while drinking and accomplishing nothing. Who am I to judge another?

I'd rather be sober than on my soapbox being right...

LaFemme

I'm not jealous, but in my experience people who are wine experts are often drinking well above the recommended amount and I think there is some validity to the claim they are using it as a cover.

I'm pretty sure people used to be experts on fine tobacco products as well and would ohhh and shhh over how amazing a particular blend of tobacco was.

ReadyAndAble

Why the focus on wine? It's not like the beer industry has been keeping a low profile all these years. Stout, IPA, hefeweizen.... sports, concerts, barbecues.... billboards, radio spots, planes flying up and down the coastline, pulling massive ad banners....

And yet still, most people drink responsibly (most of the time).

I say, good for them.

eJoshua

Hmm... No it doesn't bother me. But I can understand how someone could be bothered by it.

If anything I just don't like the kind of snobby people that would call themselves "connoisseurs", holding their noses high, etc. But yeah, people and their hobbies are goofy.

Reset

Meh, the only thing that bothered me about wine snobs was that I felt crummy and self-conscious bringing a bottle of cheap wine to their parties. These days I have other things on my mind.

saphira

Similar to the wine thing... My husband LOVES beer. Unique, good quality beer from around the globe. He loves to taste and experience different types of beer, yet he rarely has more than one. For him it is about the taste and trying new things. He has absolutely no problem with alcohol, so why shouldn't he get to enjoy this "hobby?"
To each his own!

instant

I think this thread has a complex fruity aroma enveloping a full bodied character and leaves a bit of bite on the palate. I recommend cellaring it for another year or two.

onlythetruth

Doesn't bother me a bit, any more than the guy next door who runs ultramarathons bothers me. I may not do it or be able to do it, but it's basically none of my business.