The Dude's Guide To Wine Part 1 of 4
“Dude, pass the Pinot.”
This is a statement rarely heard where guys gather across America. Walk into any bar, join any football party, or attend any poker game and you’ll see that the average dude is not consuming wine. Pilsners are preferred over Pinots and talking about NAPA means the auto parts store. This post is for the dudes you know. This series of posts aims to provide the basic wine information to the NASCAR watching, Dale Earnhardt loving, Budweiser swilling, Copenhagen chewing, Hustler reading man! “Why should I know about wine?” Well, dudes, I’ll give you three good reasons.
1) Success
At some point in life you’ll experience some success. You’ll find yourself at a restaurant celebrating your engagement or job promotion. You may even find yourself entertaining work clients at a fancy dinner. These scenarios and more may require you to have a little knowledge of wine. There is nothing wrong with beer but it seems that in certain scenarios, even for dudes, beer just won’t do.
2) Stupidity
No one likes to look stupid, especially dudes. Failing to bench press at least your body weight, not knowing the difference between a carburetor and a manifold, and not understanding how a batter who swings and misses at a third strike can still make it to first base can all make you look stupid. Showing up for Thanksgiving dinner at your in-laws with a bottle of Two Buck Chuck or ordering a White Zinfandel at a fancy dinner party will make you look equally stupid. You don’t need to be a Sommelier (or even know how topronounce it) to order intelligently.
3) Sex
It is no secret, dudes like sex, especially sex with girls. Girls, more often than not, enjoy wine. Nothing says romance like a candle light dinner with two bottles of Bud light! NOT! Romance is home-made chicken parmesan, candles, flowers and a bottle of Sangiovese or a great Cote du Rhone blend. Studies even say that women who enjoy two glasses of wine per night have better sex! Do you need a better reason to learn about wine.
Dude! Listen up! I understand that beer is your best friend. You don’t wait for wine-thirty. The song doesn’t go “God is great and wine is good.” No-one in college plays wine-pong. I’m not saying you should give up your trusty stout. Wine knowledge is only helpful if you think you’ll ever experience success, if you don’t like looking stupid, and if you like girls and sex. Think about it…if you agree, stay tuned for the next post in this series.
Life is meant to be enjoyed with friends. There is nothing better than sharing a glass of wine, coffee or even beer with a friend.
The Dude’s Guide to Wine
- In Part One we explained three reasons all guys should know a little about wine
- In Part Two we explored the basics of grapes and their general characteristics
- In Part Three we talked about the experience of wine tasting (swirl, smell, sip, savor)
- In Part Four we uncover the struggle of ordering wine at restaurants and buying in stores
DRINK.HAPPY!
Great post. I was just thinking about some funny beer/wine juxtaposition scenarios this weekend, so this post fit right in. I think you are spot on. Every guy should know at least a little about wine, and the three reasons that you mention here are perfect examples of why.
The wine industry needs to lighten up and have some fun. Well played Josh!
Nicely done… I still can’t bench my weight, especially if it keeps going up as it does this time of year… and good points for all dudes.
very cute post josh! I definitely agree with you!
Funny post! I love the fact that you’re trying to break down the walls between beer dudes a winos!
Cheers!
Great Post. All men should read this because it’s TRUE!
Someone had to say it. Great writing, Josh!
thanks everyone for your support on this post. I’m looking forward to writing parts 2-4. Had some interresting conversation with ‘dudes’ in a bar over the weekend, good stuff!
I am the rare sort, the guy who brings a couple of bottles of wine to my local poker game. Though almost everyone else drinks beer, a few sometime do drink a glass of the wine I bring. And one of my poker buddies recently held a wine party at his house.
And several years ago, I transformed a group of new friends I met from beer drinkers to wine drinkers. They used to get together once a week, and usually drank beer. When I joined the group, I brought wine with me. Eventually, others started bringing wine until now, everyone brings a bottle of wine with them each week.
Richard, that is awesome! Wine drinkers have evolved to a higher state of awareness. Keep up the evangelizing work as a disciple of wine.
Dude, right on eh
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What? You cannot tell me you’ve never played wine pong! You are missing out!
But, in other news, I am glad you wrote about this. More guys need to get over their hang ups on wine. From a cultural aspect, it’s something most are unfamiliar with and/or have a irrational fear that it will make them appear effeminate. And because it’s uncharted territory, I think a lot of guys are afraid of looking stupid so they hide behind the guise it’s effeminate (whether they truly ascribe to that principle of thinking).
It would be nice if a guy could pick out a nice bottle of wine to share with me.
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