Fun With Carbs

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The fastest way to turn off a younger generation of wine drinkers? Condescend to their tastes and habits.

I have to admit I was frustrated by this blog post about the wine habits of “millennial” drinkers (born between 1981 and 2000.) Apparently, it’s a serious issue that my generation doesn’t generally drink wine with food.

Let’s start here. Millennials of legal drinking age typically don’t drink wine until they’re older. It’s not really a popular libation on college campuses, unless it comes in a box or a jug. As a senior in college, my wine of choice was cheap Pinot Grigio in a liter bottle, or inexpensive sparkling wine. You drank to get drunk. You certainly didn’t pair it with ramen noodles or Domino’s pizza.

My own wine journey, if you can call it that, evolved very slowly and gradually. I stuck with Pinot Grigio and Shiraz for many years. Only in the past four or so years have I really started to explore my options, and I’ve learned more about wine in the past two years than all of my legal drinking years combined. My current knowledge of wine comes mostly from self-directed tasting at parties, wine shops, restaurants, wine bars and vineyards. I’ve been to a few classes, but nothing too formal or detailed. I subscribe to Wine Spectator, but much of it goes over my head.

Along the way, I’ve learned about food pairing. And there’s so much to it, I’ve hardly scratched the surface. But a winning food pairing can be truly exciting. We paired Albarino with Buttermilk Blue cheese at a wine party in January, and it knocked my socks off. At the Kendall-Jackson wine center in Sonoma County, the chef paired caramel popcorn with a buttery Chardonnay, and it blew my mind. I adore Cabernet with filet mignon, Malbec with dark chocolate and rose bubbly with fried chicken. I’d never dispute that wine enhances food and vice versa.

But if I choose to have a glass without food at a wine bar or restaurant, that’s wrong? Food isn’t always available at every establishment, especially after a certain hour. And honestly, sometimes I’m too full after dinner to eat anything else. I’d rather have a glass of wine than a martini or a beer at most places I visit, anyway.

The problem isn’t about a trend toward unsavory habits. But that stems from a long history of pretension and snobbery in the wine industry. Wine experts of older, more experienced generations seem to forget that we millennials are still finding our way. We likely don’t have the income to buy a $150 festival ticket or a seat at a $90 wine-pairing dinner. Money and vacation-time constraints prevent us from hopping a plane to Europe or Napa Valley. We’re not ordering full bottles at restaurants or buying anything over $20 at the package store. We’re tasting on our own, taking recommendations from friends and helpful sommeliers, seeing what our phone apps have to say. We’re discovering wine at our own pace, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. For the love of God, please stop judging us.

Beyond this, I really resent the idea that any wine habits or tastes are “wrong,” exclusive of age group. Though I choose not to drink Franzia or Yellowtail, I’m not going to hate on you for doing so. If you want to drink red with fish and white with meat, that’s your prerogative. My grandmother’s favorite wine is Beringer white Zinfandel, and I will keep her glass filled all night if that’s what she wants.

Wine is incredibly exciting. And I’ll be damned if I let your “expert opinion” affect my fun.