Learning to like wine.

[NewNameFor2024]

I don’t think it takes particularly nice, but I get gifted loads! (Teacher) There is only so much wine I can regift.

So, is it possible to learn to like it? Does it take time to become accustomed to the taste? Will it always give me a headache the morning after?

I want to appreciate a glass of wine and feel ‘adult’. I also want to enjoy a glass of wine in a bubble bath! (Yes that thread prompted me to start this one.)

I taught myself to like wine. I started with rose, (white Zinfandel) as it’s sweet and I topped it with lemonade to start with and gradually decreased the amount.
over time, I started to enjoy the taste and now drink undiluted white wine/ Prosecco.
I even tried red recently but think that’s another taste I’ll have to acquire 😂

The young & old prefer sweeter wines whereas middle aged prefer the drier ones

Are you joking? I'm old and have DCs in their thirties so I cover all bases. No we don't prefer sweeter wines
What a stereotype

OP start off with a Vinho Verde. Aldi are doing a very reasonably priced one at the moment, and it is only 10% ABV

I like wine, but if you don't there are plenty of other things you can drink if you don't. It's not a badge of sophistication or anything else to be a wine drinker. Life is too short to do things you dislike. Let word get out that you don't drink wine. I completely get that you are polite to those who give you gifts, but they would much rather give you something you will enjoy.

I'm 34 and I'll never like wine. I have a childlike palette and a sweet tooth, wine is just too dry and sour for me. No point forcing yourself to like it if you don't!

Except that it's wine she keeps being gifted. As a teacher you surely can't make it known that you don't drink wine, how would anyone do that (especially given the churn in kids and parents every year or two).

I wouldn't start with the £2.99 one, unless it's an Aldi wine.

Aldi does some absolutely superb wines. Their copies of Campo viejo white and red are fantastic!

I used to prefer white over red wine. It goes better with most foods. I normally have to have some sort of meal, or nibbles at worst, when I drink wine though. If I have it just by itself then it just goes straight to my head usually.

If you have the cash, go to a restaurant with a sommelier and a tasting menu with a wine flight. An experience like that will be eye opening! I couldn't believe how delicious the wine was when appropriately paired with specific dishes.

Or just read up on it and have a go yourself. That's probably a more reasonable suggestion. 😂

Why don't you name a few here so potentially we can help.

Ie there is some very drinkable wine out there , like those that are heavy grenache type and others are v heavy bodied which you need to couple with meals .

And some of might be cheap and others v expensive, for the latter you might want to acclimatise your palette before you try..

Is it largely white or red?

I could try and help with red.

I wouldn't start with the £2.99 one, unless it's an Aldi wine

Handy to have around if a drain needs unblocking, though. Where the heck does someone buy wine for £ 2.99 these days?? 😱

I’ll post a list soon. @App13

I think when I googled it came up as Asda? Maybe B and M?

We had one put in the new kitchen… it’s full 😂. Holds 5 bottles, which is a lot for someone who doesn’t drink wine.

I tell parents and children not to bother with presents when they ask and if they still insist I suggest tea bags and biscuits for the staff room.

Same here and I'm 50 this year. I've always joked that my palate failed to develop after the age of 11. I occasionally have something like a vodka and orange, or a fruity cocktail, (so the booze taste is completely masked), but otherwise I'd rather have a coke - all wine and beer tastes absolutely revolting to me.

I used to dislike red wine many years ago. I was on holiday with people who insisted that we had red wine with our meal so I drank it mixed with water which made it much more palatable. I just slowly reduced the amount of water that I had with it.