A Celebratory Toast to Wine

Birthdays, Graduations, Anniversaries, Holidays.  At any of these occasions, you can find several bottles of wine on my family’s dining room table.  So,at brunch this past Sunday, my family shared a bottle of Sparkling Riesling for my mom’s birthday.  Raising our glasses, we toasted to happiness and health.  To continue the celebration after brunch, my mom and I  decided to stop by my Aunt Janet’s to share another bottle of wine.  As we sat around the kitchen table and split one of my favorites, Concord wine from Clover Hill Winery, my aunt asked if this little “get-together” would make it into a blog post.  Well, I mention it now because as we sat there and chatted about life, school, and work, I began to wonder - when people decide to get together, why is wine a common beverage of choice? 

This tradition dates back to the ancient times of the Greeks and Romans.  Wine had not only been a beverage of choice at parties, but also a conversation piece among other topics such as art and literature.  Knowledge of wine had proved to be a sign of sophistication to the upper class.  And as years went by, this image remained throughout Europe.   With such a wide variety of flavors and tastes, every individual could find a wine that suited his or her palate.  The tradition and reputation of wine even crossed the Atlantic Ocean and settled in America with the early colonists.  However, the wine industry did face hardship during the 1920’s and 1930’s with Prohibition.  Wine’s image had disintegrated and nearly crippled the industry in America.   However, once the 18^th Amendment was overturned and vineyards could begin producing high-qualty beverages, wine consumption began to grow and gain a whole new reputation.  As stated in an article by Field Maloney, wine “has cleaned itself up, with a freshly shaved face and a fashionable suit of casual clothes, and is headed uptown.”  Shedding its elitist image, wine became a drink of the masses and the expansion of the middle class led to a social change.  Men no longer went out to the local bar and left their wives home.  Instead, couples started hosting dinner parties where wine is offered.  The significance of wine has shifted through the centuries, while the overall culture surrounding this beverage has remained.   It simply was a drink that could bring people together.

In today’s world, this culture and transformation can be seen with the growing number of wine clubs across the nation.  These clubs are popping up all over, even on the internet.  With the first wine club starting in 1976 in California, these groups form creative outlets for people to learn more about wine.  From sampling various wines to learning about proper food and wine pairings, people are able to come together and share common interests with others in their communities.  Some clubs even started to target certain demographics in the US.  For example, since statistics show that the number of women who drink wine in the United States is increasing and we now account for around 60% of wine sales, groups like “The Women Who Wine” are growing in popularity.  These wine clubs are ways for individuals to discover and attend upcoming events and parties such as wine trails and festivals. 

So sitting around the kitchen table sharing a bottle of wine with my family is just another example of how wine can bring people together.  As we sat and enjoyed that bottle of Concord wine, my mom, aunt, cousin, and I decided to make it a monthly occurrence, essentially forming our own wine and book club.  So to answer my question, why choose wine, it’s simple.  There’s a flavor out there for everyone and we can share it with friends.  So after starting my own wine club, I encourage all of you to get together with your friends or family and share a bottle of your favorite wine.  It’s a great way to stay updated on everyone’s lives and an even better excuse for a party!

Random:

“Wine cheers the sad, revives the old, inspires the young, makes weariness forget his toil." - Lord Byron