Why do people treat wine as a marker of civilization, sophistication?
May 27, 2010 by MrAuthor
Filed under Food & Drink
It seems that wine is revered somehow and taken to be a mark of culture and sophistication when drank. Is it because of its history? Culture surrounding it? Surely not because of some intrinsic value; any two bits will buy you a bottle of Merlot these days.
My wild theory is that wine can only be grown by those close to civilization, or those with enough riches and landspace to support what would be an only mildly valuable crop (grapes, natch) on its own. Hence, an aristocratic habit which is then admired by the bourgeoisie.
Nowadays it seems that skill in identifying wines is a mark of sophistication, as well as being a wine grower. It seems to be relegated to an older and perhaps more "distinguished" demographic.
It takes a lot to be successful at producing wine. It takes months to years to create the perfect bottle of wine. It is an art form to some. Wines are unique and different and this is one reason it is so special. Wine grown in rare areas could be more expensive, just like a rare gem. Wines can be extremely expensive so only those with good money can afford to drink certain wines. Yes there is some very cheap wine out there and the average person can go grab a bottle down the street at any time. But these are not good wines. Once you have tried several types of wine you will see how much better the more expensive ones are. They are aged and stored at specific temps. The soil the grapes are grown in has to be tended. There are many many things that go in to making wine. If you have never been to a winery you should check one out!