This past Saturday many great wines at a friend’s big house party, and then a 1994 Warre was opened with chocolates and dessert. First, I am really starting to like Warre’s gentleness and balance and value. Second, some Ports, brandies, etc. are at a hard-to-understand greatness of power plus balance and elegance. But for many of us, you’ve already had enough wine and then you have to drive. I’ve had small glasses of Port. I don’t like small glasses of Port.
For those of you for whom this has caused a real dilemma, have you solved it? (If it’s an easily solved problem for you, this is not the right thread. Port-only dinners. Moderation. Etc. Not relevant here).
I’ve tried everything Joel noted but prefer to get home so a taxi / Uber is my preference. You’ll never catch my driving after an evening drinking too much. Worst case, sleep in the car…you missed that one Joel. Depending on your state your keys can’t be on your person or in the ignition.
But I question the premise of the thread. Do you drink Amarone at the end of a meal? So why Port only at the end of the meal? Because Port has some sweetness?
What about Madeira? Madeira isn’t always sweet, nor is sherry, and you can drink them through a meal. I’ve never bought into the BS that “high alcohol” wines are not food-friendly, whatever that could possibly mean.
I think your question goes to the problem of what you do after drinking alcohol, period. I tend not to drink high-alc wines at the end of a meal, but there’s still the issue of what I drank earlier.
So far it’s been public transport, taxi, or careful consumption through the night.
Strongly agree with your second sentence. It’s not just the ABV, it’s also the way the body processes higher alcohol wines. I feel unpleasant after only one cocktail now.
I now realize that the intent of my original post is the situation where the Port (e.g.) is not expected and it is brought out when I thought we were done drinking wine. And it’s better than almost all the wines of the evening. And it turns out there are cigars and the evening will go on for an extra hour. While that great bottle of Port is sitting there.
After reading all of this, I think I have to agree with Eric’s post where if there is ANY – I mean ANY – chance I’ll drink too much to drive, leave the car at home at the outset. Even if there is no warning that the host might pull out a 1963 Taylor at the end. Don’t wait to decide until you’ve already had the Port and you’re tired and want to get home ASAP and don’t want to go get your car the next morning. Second choice: hand the host my keys at the start of the evening and tell him/her under no condition give them back until the next morning. And if you’re still sober but can’t drive home because of either of these choices, good.
OK what about the tastings I hold in SF 70 miles away? Hotel I guess, $150 to sleep for five hours.
I’ve never understood why, in all the discussions about high alcohol wines, so few speak to the physiology involved. Until Uber actually acknowledges that they have employees I have a philosophical bone to pick with them, though I live in a City so it is easier to get around in any case. Nonetheless, I will no longer drive to any serious wine tastings (and I have gone the expectorate route but that was work!).
The point Chris made that you are agreeing with in your first sentence is the primary issue here, Port or not. It’s unlikely that you’re “legal” to drive after any normal wine dinner, regardless of Port being introduced. Depending on the state, the .08 alcohol level is not absolute. My lawyer clued me in on this one.
In Illinois for instance, the blood alcohol limit for “definitely DUI” is .08. However, the police have leeway between .04 and .08 to make their own assumption about whether or not the driver is impaired. They take in other factors, such as the way you were driving, the way you react in those stupid walk-in-a-straight-line, follow-my-pen-with-your-eyes tests (hint, refuse to do those and just go to the breathalizer). It’s only when you’re under the .04 number that you can be judged to definitely not be impaired. I’m sure most states have similar language in their laws. Bottom line, don’t drive after a wine dinner. You’re almost always going to be above the .04.
On the point of the hotel in SF, I do that all the time in Chicago. During the colder months, I can routinely get a room at a major chain (Hilton, Hyatt) for at or below $100 on the weekend. It’s a no brainer then. For the summer, where it’s hard to get a decent room at below $150-$175, I may take taxis or trains. Or my wife does DD duty. Any of these are cheaper than defending a DUI arrest, let alone a conviction. Then there’s the chance you may actually hit and hurt someone. Then your life is f*cked forever.
That $150 hotel room seems pretty cheap now, doesn’t it?
And, of course, this is just the minimum cost.
The maximum cost is you kill yourself, or even worse you kill someone else and spend the rest of your life in prison where the only “whine” you’ll get will be the sound coming out of your mouth as you’re passed around as the new guy, in the shower.
George- Uber is an easy way to go & if you have other people traveling from your general area, you can share the ride. We use it for date nights, dinner parties etc. Life’s too short to monkey around with not enjoying your end of evening Port.
We all end up in situations where we didn’t plan on needing to take a car somewhere but then end up drinking enough that it’s at least a question. But it’s best to avoid putting yourself in that situation to begin with. Once you’re in the gray area or over the line, you aren’t in a good position to make the decision whether you’re okay or not, and then your brain will rationalize about how you don’t want to leave your car there and I have to do this and that first thing tomorrow and what will my wife think etc.
I imagine we’ve all found ourselves in that situation many times in our lives, and I’d guess all or almost all of us haven’t made the perfect decision every time. It’s kind of like a married guy being alone with some hot chick late night in the bar or up in your hotel room; he still should be and is expected to be able not to do anything wrong, but if you put yourself in those situations, you’re creating more risk that you’re not going to do the right thing, and it’s smarter not to get to that point in the first place before the temptation to do something wrong becomes stronger.
Maybe not a perfect comparison, but hopefully the underlying point makes some sense.
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