Is Wine Tasting a form of Snobbery?

[Infected Mushroom]

You know... when that person dressed very formally picks up the wine glass in a particular way, spins the wine, takes a small whiff... and then says something like...

''Oak, heavy tanning... a touch of strawberries... mostly Malbec with a touch of other ingredients...''

...

Is formal wine tasting and wine critique a form of snobbery? Why can't people just drink the thing and go ahead if they like the taste. Apparently there is a ''proper'' way to drink wine, a ''proper'' way to pair food with specific types of wines, and a ''proper'' appreciation of subtle differentiations (and of course, a ''proper'' way to dress and hold your utensils as you appreciate vintage).

I think it definitely is. Its at best a pseudo-science and at worse an exercise in classist pretentiousness. I would like to see a future where people can enjoy whatever drinks they want without being told by so-called formalists on how to ''properly'' appreciate and absorb their drinks.

What do you think?

Is wine tasting and professional wine-tasting a form of snobbery? Is it a bit neo-colonialist in the sense that its imposing the tastes and values of ancient European land-owning upper-class gentries on an unsuspecting and increasingly diverse population? Is adhering to technical wine classification language and etiquette a new way for the upper class to feel superior and more knowledgeable than the common plebeian?

Thoughts?

[Sichem]

What?

What?

[The Huskar Social Union]

Okay this is easily one of the most random threads you have ever started.

[Imperializt Russia]

Wine tasting isn't "a form of snobbery", but it is a snobbish activity, as in something snobs do. The two words are not the same.

It would be snobbery to declare that certain wines that don't meet your palate are crap.

[Yymea]

Wine tasting is rather silly, but people can do whatever they want.

[Infected Mushroom]

Wine tasting is rather silly, but people can do whatever they want.

Why do you think its silly? (I agree, by the way)

[Idzequitch]

I don't think there can be a definitive answer either way. There's no objective criteria to judge snobbery. Some people probably think it is, and others do not. I don't know what there is to discuss here.

[Spiffier]

I see nothing wrong either with the traditions, or the idea that people can discern and enjoy nuances in the taste of wine. It's a hobby, like people who paint miniatures.

[Yymea]

Wine tasting is rather silly, but people can do whatever they want.

Why do you think its silly? (I agree, by the way)

Pretty much because of the excessive ammount of protocol involved.

[USS Monitor]

Yeah, it's kind of snobby. Chinese do the same sort of thing with tea.

This is just a thing people do with their drinks if you have a popular beverage with a lot of varieties.

[Gristol-Serkonos]

What?

What?

Pretty much this.

[Scarlet Tides]

Elitist, snobby, whatever.

All I know is give me a Riesling or a rich Cab and I'm good to go.

[Risottia]

Why can't people just drink the thing and go ahead if they like the taste.

Because wine isn't Coca-Cola. Experiencing wine includes smelling it. Just like beer and liquors.
If you "just drink the thing" you're wasting it. And as good wine costs money, you're being a snob - not very different from people who light up a cigar with a banknote.

Apparently there is a ''proper'' way to drink wine, a ''proper'' way to pair food with specific types of wines, and a ''proper'' appreciation of subtle differentiations

Yes, there are.
Food and beverage are an important part of culture.

[Infected Mushroom]

Why do you think its silly? (I agree, by the way)

Pretty much because of the excessive ammount of protocol involved.

How to do it the normal way:

Step 1: Drink it (the whole thing at once if you so wish)
Step 2: Decide if you like it and whether or not you want more

The complicated way:

Step 1: Inspect the bottle and the letterings and other markings (it shouldn't already be opened GOD FORBID)
Step 2: Open the bottle, you have to demonstrate a capability to open the cap, make sure you use the right instruments
Step 3: Pour it into the glass the Proper way
Step 4: Lift the glass up and inspect the colour and other minute things such as the ''legs'' of the wine, make sure you're holding it up the Gentleman's way
Step 5: Swirl it
Step 6: a repetition of Step 4
Step 7: Smell the wine, take your time...
Step 8: Wait a while for it to ''settle,'' start telling your audience a bit about what has been discerned
Step 9: Take a small sip (a SMALL sip, don't go overboard)
Step 10: Give your ''final'' evaluation
Step 11: Finish the rest of the wine, but don't go too fast... only plebeians do that, take your damn time...

Note: All evaluations should make references to history, processes of wine making/distillation, as well as the right terminology for everything

[USS Monitor]

Why can't people just drink the thing and go ahead if they like the taste.

Because wine isn't Coca-Cola. Experiencing wine includes smelling it. Just like beer and liquors.
If you "just drink the thing" you're wasting it. And as good wine costs money, you're being a snob - not very different from people who light up a cigar with a banknote.

Apparently there is a ''proper'' way to drink wine, a ''proper'' way to pair food with specific types of wines, and a ''proper'' appreciation of subtle differentiations

Yes, there are.
Food and beverage are an important part of culture.

You Italians take your food and drinks so seriously...

Italy does have really good food, though. I have some wonderful memories of it from when I studied over there.

[Infected Mushroom]

Why can't people just drink the thing and go ahead if they like the taste.

Because wine isn't Coca-Cola. Experiencing wine includes smelling it. Just like beer and liquors.
If you "just drink the thing" you're wasting it. And as good wine costs money, you're being a snob - not very different from people who light up a cigar with a banknote.

Apparently there is a ''proper'' way to drink wine, a ''proper'' way to pair food with specific types of wines, and a ''proper'' appreciation of subtle differentiations

Yes, there are.
Food and beverage are an important part of culture.

I agree that food and beverage are an important part of culture. But I don't think culture should be a celebration of classist separation, selective sophistication, and the imposition of collective tastes and antiquated etiquette.

[Zaldakki]

The first time I drank wine, I accidentally chugged it.

[Risottia]

Because wine isn't Coca-Cola. Experiencing wine includes smelling it. Just like beer and liquors.
If you "just drink the thing" you're wasting it. And as good wine costs money, you're being a snob - not very different from people who light up a cigar with a banknote.


Yes, there are.
Food and beverage are an important part of culture.

I agree that food and beverage are an important part of culture. But I don't think culture should be a celebration of classist separation, selective sophistication, and the imposition of collective tastes and antiquated etiquette.

Classist? A decent bottle ranges from 5€ to 20€. I'd say that once in a month most people can afford that.
As for imposition of collective tastes, if you buy into what the masses like, that's not very snobbish, innit?

As for the selective sophistication, there's a number of reasons why you DON'T EVER accept an open bottle (air oxydates the wine and can start the development of acetic acid, bouquet being lost, etc etc), why you pour certain wines into certain glasses (they've been developed for that kind of glass, that glass allows it to reach the right temperature while not losing bouquet or perlage, etc etc), and why you don't gulp it down (different tastes are felt in different regions of the mouth).

[Scarlet Tides]

Because wine isn't Coca-Cola. Experiencing wine includes smelling it. Just like beer and liquors.
If you "just drink the thing" you're wasting it. And as good wine costs money, you're being a snob - not very different from people who light up a cigar with a banknote.


Yes, there are.
Food and beverage are an important part of culture.

I agree that food and beverage are an important part of culture. But I don't think culture should be a celebration of classist separation, selective sophistication, and the imposition of collective tastes and antiquated etiquette.

This thread is pretty tryhard dude. "Celebration of classist separation." Put down the bong.

[Old Stephania]

I don't mean to be antagonistic but I can't help appreciating a certain irony here, in that there is a sort of snobbery going on against people who enjoy traditional wine tasting.

[The Batorys]

I agree that food and beverage are an important part of culture. But I don't think culture should be a celebration of classist separation, selective sophistication, and the imposition of collective tastes and antiquated etiquette.

This thread is pretty tryhard dude. "Celebration of classist separation." Put down the bong.

Lol at the implication that he's ever been invited anywhere that had one.

[Scarlet Tides]

This thread is pretty tryhard dude. "Celebration of classist separation." Put down the bong.

Lol at the implication that he's ever been invited anywhere that had one.

O one of those, I see

[The Batorys]

Lol at the implication that he's ever been invited anywhere that had one.

O one of those, I see

Yep. The only drug he's on is stupidity.

[Naturaiko]

I don't consider 'snobbish' until they start believing that the activity sets them above others who don't share the same passion, knowledge, etc.

[Vassenor]

Clearly it needs to be banned for promoting inequality.