I’m in the lower alcohol wine camp too mostly because it seems to be much more likely to be made in the style that appeals to me when it is lower in alcohol. I make up for the lower alcohol by drinking more glasses!
Me too and not to mention the flavor associated with higher abv which I perceive as sweet and the heated finish.
This made me laugh because I was also imagining a ridiculous scenario with a bunch of us wine geeks sitting around, sniffing and swirling, and saying “dude, I am soooo wasted! Yeah, man, this is getting me f–d up!”
I don’t think that’s what anyone had in mind, but it made me laugh.
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Really enjoyed his audiobook on caffeine as well as How to Change Your Mind
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In the early 90s I was in the craft brewing industry. At some point I started getting headaches the day following even very moderate beer consumption. Two would do it. Didn’t want to give up alcohol so I experimented with all different sorts of beers and various forms of alcohol. From the best I could tell, the common theme among the headache=givers was when the alcohol derived from grains, particularly barely. It’s how I ended up getting into wine more seriously.
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This is spot on. And many of the responses in this thread are perfect examples. We would much rather talk about the other things we are consuming than broach this subject. We like to think of our hobby as more high minded than mere alcohol consumption but this hobby very likely wouldn’t exist without the history of people enjoying its effects.
Especially in America, there is also a cultural stigma still held by many about alcohol consumption. Many still view any type of beverage that contains alcohol as a means to getting drunk and that’s it. They haven’t the capacity to simply look at a glass of wine as just another beverage. I have to admit to don’t tell people about this hobby without prompting for that reason and the subject of the other thread: perceived snobbishness.
Sometimes I wish the alcohol wasn’t there but I’m also aware that I might not have found the appeal early on without it. We should be able to tell each other that without pretending there isn’t any nuance to the subject.
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I’m usually only good for one beer. Especially IPAs - they make me full and sleepy, and I feel like I need to take a nap (I often order 1/2 pint at breweries). At some point I lumped alcohol into my diet, meaning it’s included in how I (loosely) track proteins, carbs, fats, calories etc rather than some kind of social thing that somehow got excluded. Since I’m fairly strict about what I eat it works well for me. Of course I’ll indulge further on special occasions etc. I like the feeling of a 2-3 glass of wine buzz but a bit beyond that it is no fun.
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Haven’t got a buzz on from drinking any kind of alcohol in decades. Granted I have pretty strong tolerance. I try to be interesting without it.
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Maybe you’re better at spitting than I am, but I can still get plenty intoxicated. It just slows it down.
I think the convivial intoxicating nature of wine is certainly part of the charm. But as I get older, the after effects become less and less desirable, even without a full-on hangover. Even the slight sluggishness gets annoying.
I hope I don’t get to the point where my dislike of the after effects outweighs my love of the imbibing!
(And yes, I know it’s also a function of amount)
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Yep. I get plenty buzzed even when spitting. I can’t remember just how many different wines it takes but probably anything over 50 or 60 will do it.
Because of this I stopped tasting some things at tastings. If I don’t much like it after a sniff it goes straight to the bucket.
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Correction - form over consumption . . .
Perfect reply. I don’t think most on this board drink for the ‘intoxicating’ qualities of wine - but instead for the incredible complexity and comes along with drinking this beautiful product. If I want intoxicating, I get it from other alcohols that do not have the same ‘nuance’ as wine . . .
Cheers
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I won’t speak to others, but . . . not for me. I don’t like an alcohol buzz. Once I start to get buzzed, it’s time for me to stop drinking. This is why I never really got into drinking in college or early adulthood. I’d much rather have had a joint!
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If wine had no alcohol, I’d probably not drink it often. On the other hand, I do not drink to get drunk, but I do enjoy moderate inebriation, especially in a social setting. I also prefer wines with lower ABV, because I can drink more wine without getting toasted. I agree with others that the quality of “buzz” is different with wine in a positive sense.
Beyond inebriation, alcohol also seems integral to the enjoyment of flavor, I.e., the alcoholic component drives the intensity of the tasting experience. It’s akin to fats in cooking.
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I always prefer to focus on the positives, the other accepted definition of “intoxicating” - that is, something that is “exhilarating or exciting”. Wine is also those things. It can also be mesmerizing, jaw-dropping, warming, evoking memories, expanding senses, et al. It also brings good people together, connects in a very unique way. I’ve become very good friends with people on this Board that I might not have connected with but for wine. And sure, it can “intoxicate” in the other way, but most of us exercise some degree of moderation. But not always, I’m just not a fan of hard rules and boxes, and allow things to flow naturally. I also exercise no judgment against anyone that does likewise. Gosh knows I cannot cast stones.
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Great post. Those positives you mention are really, really high on my list. That said, I do the vast majority of my wine consumption at home, with a good book, some good tunes, a good series or movie, or watching a NHL hockey game. Sometimes just sitting out back, on the patio, and enjoying doing nothing. And if consuming wine away from home, it’s usually limited to the kids’ place or some very close friends’ home(s). If I am at some sort of “social” event I generally try to limit my consumption to a glass or two, mostly because I do not want to be intoxicated - but do like the glass or two to take the edge off of having to interact with those people. 
I am very much a social introvert. Always have been. I occasionally shake my head over the fact that I became a litigator. Good therapy, I suppose. 
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Intoxication is the least interesting part of wine.
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I find the responses interesting - with the vast majority saying they only ever drink a glass or two.
On a weeknight? Yep. But if together with a group of our wine drinking friends on a Saturday night we will easily go through over a bottle a person. Maybe it’s just me…
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It’s not just you.
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I’m guilty.
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