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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