To want to drink nice drinks at a party if that’s what I take?

[TempleOfBloom]

We often socialise in groups at each other’s houses. I don’t like Prosecco, and always take Cremant or Cava, or if red something mid range and drinkable.

Then inevitably get poured repeat glasses of the cheapest available Prosecco or nasty mass produced generic red that others have brought.

Can I reasonably manage to open and drink bottles I enjoy, or should I cut my losses and also take cheaper bottles and glug it regardless? (I can do this, I just don’t really enjoy it, so drink a lot less, which is fine)

I’m not talking really expensive connoisseur type bottles that I take, just mid range drinkable.

Depends on the custom in the group - often the host provides the drinks for the party, and the bottle you bring is a thank you gift for the host.

You must move in far wealthier and more formal circles than we do. No-one I know would provide all the drink for a party. Some, yes, but not all of it.

We just bring drinks to share, and so do all of our friends.

I agree. A lot of people on MN seem to live more formal lives.

I agree @Wytchy

I’m still on the fence

I think it’s ok to say there’s one or two types of drink (eg Prosecco) that you just can’t drink without ill effects, so can you have something else please. However I don’t think you can really refuse the host’s red wine and ask to open your red wine instead!

Id take 2 bottles, one gift and 1 for you and make it clear you want it opened.

I can’t drink flavoured diet cokes/pepsi, like vanilla, cherry or raspberry. I just can’t stomach the sweetness and it makes me gag. Every single time my friendship group get together the couple that gets drinks in only gets cherry when they know I can’t drink it. I’m teetotal too so only thing I’d be having to drink. I know they do it on purpose and it’s annoying. I always bring my own now.

Just tell the host.

Agree you can refuse a type of drink - eg Prosecco, but not shun the wine that's opened (exception made if they've opened Oak Aged Chardonnay then all bets are off!).

That’s strange. Cava has much more in common with crémant and blanc de blancs than it does with Prosecco.

I assume these people are you friends? If so, what's the problem?

"Hi Temple, there's a bottle of red already open if you want that."
"Oh, I know, but I just really like this wine."

Perfectly fine !

Agree with this. Everyone sitting with bottles in bags at their feet like a crowd of winos. Why not have the party under a railway bridge and be done with it

We do the communal thing here too. Everyone gets served whatever bottle of white/fizz/red is open. Unless you stick to your own drink only which seems a bit fussy. But the none of my friends would show up with the cheap stuff!

I think it's fine to say when the top up comes round 'ah thanks - actually, is there any of the Cremant that I brought left? I've worked out it gives me less of headache'

I think cava is naicer than prosecco hence the views on MN

Honestly I would find that a bit odd and slightly rude.

It’s not far off the host serving up food and you bring out a tupperware of something you prefer.

I only drink one type of wine, and will always take one with me and a box of chocolates. I open by saying "You must try this wine, it's my favourite", and get them to open it. It's a little pushy but I won't drink otherwise.

On a tangent, it’s funny about cava and prosecco.

I remember 20 plus years ago people were a bit sneery about cava - probably because it had been over marketed as a cheap alternative to Champagne and there were some terrible ones around. Now it’s Prosecco’s turn to have been overdone and Cava is seen as a bit smarter.

Cremant is probably next.

This is the kind of thing the Dowager Countess from Downton Abbey would say. If she were a real person attending a drinks party in 2024 that is.

Yup.

My daughter lives in Spain and she likes Cava better as well. I'm a total peasant and drink anything.😁

Not particularly, it depends on the group we're with. Family, it's always the case that the host supplies the food and drink, and the guests bring a gift. Likewise with one particular group of friends. With other groups it's more relaxed and everyone brings their own.

OP hasn't said what the score is in general with this group.

I can’t stand Prosecco either. My friends know this and won’t pour me any. Can’t you just tell them you don’t like it? Bring a bottle to drink and one for the host. If you didn’t like beer they wouldn’t force it on you. I don’t like Australian or South African wines generally, so I wouldn’t drink them and bring something I like. I can’t see why people would complain, especially if you’ve brought an extra bottle as a gift.

Thank you everyone for your views of various hues!

It’s the ‘all pitch in’ put a bottle on the work top and help yourself situation that is the issue. (And not ruining my life). Not really possible to tell 20 people that that’s my bottle! My strategy this weekend will be open the bottle/s I bring and then put it at the back of the other bottles, possibly semi obscured by the bread bin or slow cooker,

In other settings I might just say Prosecco isn’t my favourite or stick to red (which no one else likes much).

Everyone is very generous in terms of quantity and contributions, and we usually bring a dish for a buffet / nibbles type party or crisps or olives to book club. I’m not talking about formally hosted dinner parties.

And I am not princessing because I have more money: I have the lowest income and least disposable spending by a significant margin. They just don’t care what form
their fizz comes in. Heathens! (JOKE!)

Me too! I like both occasionally (although prefer non sparkling after the first).

It’s the same with any wine that comes into fashion, Chardonnay (followed by the ABC crowd), NZ Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Whispering Angel, etc.

It happens with everything, as soon as something becomes popular with the masses people want to disassociate from it.

Yes. I know some people genuinely dislike it but there's also definitely an element of prosecco being far too popular with the masses for it to be appealing. As happened to chardonnay. Although apparently chardonnay is now making its way back in to favour.

I've just had this more recently. I don't enjoy prosecco anymore (completely gone off it) and like you much prefer a cremant, cava or nice red wine (are you me?). I just say 'oh I've brought this bottle for myself as I don't enjoy prosecco, hope that's ok!' and no one has had an issue with it. If it was the other way around I wouldn't give someone a drink of something they didn't like!

No, it is just a sparkling wine from Spain, prosecco is a sparkling wine from Italy, cremant is a sparkling wine from France.