Legend has it that the father of modern psychology, Sigmund Freud, once commented that, “sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar.” And while that may be so, the same probably does not apply to…you guessed it…wine!
When was a glass of wine….ever…just…a glass of wine. Always, there is mood…and feeling…not to mention the “character” and “personality” of the wine itself.
No wonder that today’s psychologists – the heirs of Dr. Freud – are starting to look very carefully at how your very choice of wines…defines…your particular character and personality.
Think about it. Is it possible that one could tell…from your Zinfandel…what’s going on inside of you? Are you aperitif apparent?
According to the evidence: Yes!
Recent research by scientists in Australia and Britain indicates that drinkers who reach for sweet-tasting wines are more likely to be impulsive while those who choose dry varietals show a higher tendency for openness. So, again, sweet equals “I shoot from the hip…I jet to Vegas on a dare…I…elope.” Dry equals “What you see is what you get…I share my feelings…I am Transparent.”
So if your sweet tooth leads you to the nearest Port, Muscatel, Sauterne, Reisling, sweet Loire Chenin Blanc or Vouvray, you are hereby branded a Firebrand. If your slant on decant leans toward the drier Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscadet or a Spanish Albarino, you are an Open Book. By the way…the Brit and Aussie scientists who did this study knew exactly where to look for their human drinking subjects: the nearby golf club, and the nearby University.
Meantime, from Canada comes word, that your wine trait may be a sealed fate. Scientists up North have found a particular gene that appears to make you reach for that sweet wine…or, the chocolate next to it, for that matter. This gene, appropriately called “GLUT-2,” may help explain why some people crave sweet food and drink, while others can resist the temptation.
But we digress. Back to the issue at hand: how your love of wine reveals your personality.
Knowing we’d be curious about this, researchers at Yankelovich Monitor, who measure the big social and marketing trends, queried a couple thousand people, and determined that if you drink wine you are likely to be a…trendsetter…open to new experiences…and an information-savvy, confident consumer. Furthermore, you desire intangibles, have your life priorities in order, and follow your own unique path in life! Yankelovich explains that those who join wine-of-the-month clubs, in fact, are walking on the wild side – sort of. They are seeking adventure…albeit safe adventure! Other traits researchers link to the American Wine Drinker: more likely to be a college grad…enjoy higher-than-average income…travel abroad more…and gravitate to large population centers! Not too bad, on balance.
So there, you have it. You are what you drink…we think. But enough of this. Gotta go. There are, after all, those intangibles to ponder.
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