CellarTracker Main Site
Register for Forum | Login | My Profile | Member List | Search

Serious wine drinkers don't drink white!

 
View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest
Users viewing this topic: none
  Printable Version
All Forums >> [Cellar Talk] >> General Discussion >> Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! Page: [1]
Login
Message << Older Topic   Newer Topic >>
Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 3:36:57 AM   
fanglangzhe

 

Posts: 376
Status: offline 		But seriously, how do you account for the fact that 90% of the wine consumed in China is red? They apparently don't take white seriously at all. And China is a market that many wine makers and sellers take very seriously.
Post #: 1
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 4:14:53 AM   
tacman

 

Posts: 3168
Joined: 10/22/2007
From: Austin, TX
Status: offline 		They don't take their reds very seriously either ... mixing Lafite with Coke?  No respect!
I think they see wine only as a status symbol and pour to impress.  Doesn't mean they actually like the stuff.
This, of course, is in no way meant to generalize ... just a reflection on the wild stories that we read about.

_____________________________

"I'm drinking some wine, eating some cheese, and catching some rays, you know..." - Oddball (Kelly's Heroes)

(in reply to fanglangzhe)
Post #: 2
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 4:29:03 AM   
pjaines

 

Posts: 10664
Joined: 5/26/2008
From: London
Status: offline 		There was an interesting article in Decanter magazine a couple of years back where they stated that if they put a picture of red wine on the cover it will sell more copies than if they put a white wine on the cover.

_____________________________

My new DJ stuff....

(in reply to tacman)
Post #: 3
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 4:30:39 AM   
musedir

 

Posts: 23503
Joined: 2/25/2010
From: At 2534ft in Asheville near Royal Pines
Status: offline 		While the preponderance of wines in my cellar is red, that does not diminish my appreciation for whites... To say that drinking whites somehow indicates a less than serious approach to appreciating wine is just plain wrong.

_____________________________

"Fan the sinnking flame of hilarity with the wing of friendship; and pass the rosy wine." Charles Dickens.

(in reply to tacman)
Post #: 4
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 6:46:07 AM   
fingers

 

Posts: 8261
Joined: 8/26/2006
From: Santa Ana, CA
Status: offline 		The OP is perfectly correct.

I love white wine and would never take myself seriously

(in reply to musedir)
Post #: 5
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 6:52:54 AM   
mgriffith

 

Posts: 2432
Joined: 12/10/2009
From: ATL area
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: fanglangzhe

But seriously, how do you account for the fact that 90% of the wine consumed in China is red? They apparently don't take white seriously at all. And China is a market that many wine makers and sellers take very seriously.



Thinking outside the box (or bottle in this case), there is, potentially, a cultural issue at work.

In China, red is a color of happiness and celebration. White is the color of death.

Who would want a bottle of "death?"



(in reply to fanglangzhe)
Post #: 6
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 6:56:06 AM   
grafstrb

 

Posts: 8837
Joined: 11/6/2007
From: LAla land
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: mgriffith

quote:

ORIGINAL: fanglangzhe

But seriously, how do you account for the fact that 90% of the wine consumed in China is red? They apparently don't take white seriously at all. And China is a market that many wine makers and sellers take very seriously.



Thinking outside the box (or bottle in this case), there is, potentially, a cultural issue at work.

In China, red is a color of happiness and celebration. White is the color of death.

Who would want a bottle of "death?"



I don't mind a bottle of Jager from time to time.


_____________________________

Terroir is not a flavor.

(in reply to mgriffith)
Post #: 7
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 6:59:13 AM   
ob2s

 

Posts: 1689
Joined: 1/30/2007
From: SW Portland Ore
Status: offline 		What I would like to see is a concise explanation why and how there are so many millionaires in China now. I actually am a China contrarian as I drink 10% red, but it doesn't stop at wine.

_____________________________

German Wine ? see GermanWines.us | water nourishes the body, wine nourishes the soul

(in reply to mgriffith)
Post #: 8
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 7:14:41 AM   
ChrisinCowiche

 

Posts: 7859
Joined: 12/16/2009
From: Cowiche, WA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: fanglangzhe

But seriously, how do you account for the fact that 90% of the wine consumed in China is red? They apparently don't take white seriously at all. And China is a market that many wine makers and sellers take very seriously.


My bold on the key words. Marketing and selling don't necessarily reflect reality.

_____________________________

http://www.cellartracker.com/new/user.asp?iUserOverride=102173

(in reply to fanglangzhe)
Post #: 9
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 7:15:49 AM   
recotte

 

Posts: 6879
Joined: 1/19/2011
Status: offline 		Speaking specifically of China, to the extent that wine is a status symbol, the most expensive wines are red; therefore, red wine has greater status.

ob2s - regarding why there are so many Chinese millionaires, just look at the trade figures. Somebody's got to be getting the money we're sending over there for all of the goods we're importing.


< Message edited by recotte -- 7/25/2011 7:27:26 AM >

_____________________________

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

(in reply to ob2s)
Post #: 10
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 7:39:57 AM   
smahk

 

Posts: 1482
Joined: 2/23/2007
From: NY & FL
Status: offline
quote:

The OP is perfectly correct.

I love white wine and would never take myself seriously


+1....I just enjoy wine......all kinds - red, white and pink!

_____________________________

Cin Cin!

(in reply to fanglangzhe)
Post #: 11
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 7:41:19 AM   
ikileo

 

Posts: 1318
Joined: 4/14/2009
From: Singapore
Status: offline 		i think this runs true for countries that typically doesn't have wine as part of their local cuisine and culture.

whether it was marketing or perception, red wines are viewed upon as wine for serious drinks. but i also think it feeds into the male ego. no guy wants to be perceived as only being able to 'handle' easy white where in general red wines with their tannins, full body and alcohol seem to be a like a qualifier for a man's masculinity. Pretty stretched theory but in a male-dominated society where face-value is important, having a red wine > white wine perception fits in perfectly.

to be honest, it's the same (though to a much lesser extent) in Singapore. many casual/new wine drinkers that are male will almost always say they prefer red and find whites too 'simple'. everytime i say i love rieslings and a good bottle of rose, they look at me weird, as if I am missing some important male parts. "gimme an aussie shiraz" they would say, before popping the cork and chugging it down without any food.

_____________________________

A bottle a day keeps my money away.

(in reply to recotte)
Post #: 12
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 7:41:47 AM   
natehelg

 

Posts: 22
Joined: 5/24/2010
Status: offline 		I see a lot of comments in various places to the effect that the Chinese are only pouring expensive wines as a status symbol, and not because they actually enjoy the wine. Setting aside arguments for or against this claim, how is this different than anywhere else in the world? Premium luxury goods of all types are used in this way by many. What percentage of people actually drive expensive SUVs because they require the 'sport utility' features that one provides? It may not be 0% but I'd wager that it's less than 50%. Some of us love wine for its taste, and that is great as far as I'm concerned, and so we congregate in forums like this one. But we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that wine is (or at least can be) a luxury item when we judge other wine cultures... Just my 2 cents.

Also, I drink more white than red. A $30 white is often just more interesting to me than a $30 red. Thinking mostly of riesling and white burg.

(in reply to tacman)
Post #: 13
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 7:55:50 AM   
brigcampbell

 

Posts: 2483
Joined: 2/16/2009
From: Mission Viejo, CA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: ob2s

What I would like to see is a concise explanation why and how there are so many millionaires in China now. I actually am a China contrarian as I drink 10% red, but it doesn't stop at wine.


http://m.upi.com/m/story/UPI-91891302666877/

_____________________________

Sincerely,

-brig campbell

(in reply to ob2s)
Post #: 14
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 8:23:05 AM   
NathanT

 

Posts: 450
Joined: 2/5/2011
From: Orange County, CA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: natehelg

I see a lot of comments in various places to the effect that the Chinese are only pouring expensive wines as a status symbol, and not because they actually enjoy the wine. Setting aside arguments for or against this claim, how is this different than anywhere else in the world? Premium luxury goods of all types are used in this way by many. What percentage of people actually drive expensive SUVs because they require the 'sport utility' features that one provides? It may not be 0% but I'd wager that it's less than 50%. Some of us love wine for its taste, and that is great as far as I'm concerned, and so we congregate in forums like this one. But we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that wine is (or at least can be) a luxury item when we judge other wine cultures... Just my 2 cents.



I agree.  Everybody is doing it, whether it's wine, house, car, or something else.  I like red more than white by the way.

Edit to say that it is also not justified to state that serious wine drinkers don't drink white wine either.  There are many amazing whites out there, but I just like red more in general.


< Message edited by NathanT -- 7/25/2011 9:05:43 AM >

(in reply to natehelg)
Post #: 15
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 10:12:27 AM   
recotte

 

Posts: 6879
Joined: 1/19/2011
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: NathanT

quote:

ORIGINAL: natehelg

I see a lot of comments in various places to the effect that the Chinese are only pouring expensive wines as a status symbol, and not because they actually enjoy the wine. Setting aside arguments for or against this claim, how is this different than anywhere else in the world? Premium luxury goods of all types are used in this way by many. What percentage of people actually drive expensive SUVs because they require the 'sport utility' features that one provides? It may not be 0% but I'd wager that it's less than 50%. Some of us love wine for its taste, and that is great as far as I'm concerned, and so we congregate in forums like this one. But we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that wine is (or at least can be) a luxury item when we judge other wine cultures... Just my 2 cents.



I agree.  Everybody is doing it, whether it's wine, house, car, or something else.  I like red more than white by the way.

Edit to say that it is also not justified to state that serious wine drinkers don't drink white wine either.  There are many amazing whites out there, but I just like red more in general.



My prior post was specifically referencing the Chinese market, as that was the question posed in the OP. That being said, I do agree that, to a certain extent, it applies more generally for anyone looking to project status.

In terms of "serious" wine drinkers not drinking whites, there are thousands of posts to the contrary in this forum. While my favorite wines are red, saying I only drink red wine is like saying because Japanese is my favorite food, I won't eat Italian, French, Mexican or Thai (all of which I've had in the last week).

_____________________________

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

(in reply to NathanT)
Post #: 16
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 10:53:17 AM   
MindMuse

 

Posts: 4327
Joined: 5/20/2009
From: Talking Rock, Georgia
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: ikileo

i think this runs true for countries that typically doesn't have wine as part of their local cuisine and culture.

whether it was marketing or perception, red wines are viewed upon as wine for serious drinks. but i also think it feeds into the male ego. no guy wants to be perceived as only being able to 'handle' easy white where in general red wines with their tannins, full body and alcohol seem to be a like a qualifier for a man's masculinity. Pretty stretched theory but in a male-dominated society where face-value is important, having a red wine > white wine perception fits in perfectly.

to be honest, it's the same (though to a much lesser extent) in Singapore. many casual/new wine drinkers that are male will almost always say they prefer red and find whites too 'simple'. everytime i say i love rieslings and a good bottle of rose, they look at me weird, as if I am missing some important male parts. "gimme an aussie shiraz" they would say, before popping the cork and chugging it down without any food.


Since the Germans drink primarily white wine, maybe that's why the guys there prefer a more macho opener, eh?


(in reply to ikileo)
Post #: 17
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 11:12:56 AM   
recotte

 

Posts: 6879
Joined: 1/19/2011
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: MindMuse

Since the Germans drink primarily white wine, maybe that's why the guys there prefer a more macho opener, eh?




Is that why the French started using a saber to open Champagne? Who's gonna call the guy with the sword a sissy for drinking some bubbly?


_____________________________

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

(in reply to MindMuse)
Post #: 18
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 1:38:00 PM   
Tanatastic

 

Posts: 645
Joined: 7/7/2011
From: UK
Status: offline 		Frankly, I hope their market sticks to predominantly red and predominantly Bordeaux. Lord alone knows what I'd do if my favourite wines suddenly experienced the ludicrous price hikes that Bordeaux has experienced in recent years.

I apologise for any distress this may cause to Bordeaux lovers, but as Hugh Johnson says, perhaps you can look at this as an opportunity to try something else and broaden your horizons?

(in reply to recotte)
Post #: 19
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 4:03:57 PM   
Old Doug

 

Posts: 8279
Joined: 5/12/2011
From: Atlanta, Georgia, US
Status: offline 		Love whites and drink more whites than red; but never could the best white be worth more than the best red.

(in reply to Tanatastic)
Post #: 20
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 4:27:29 PM   
ob2s

 

Posts: 1689
Joined: 1/30/2007
From: SW Portland Ore
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: brigcampbell


quote:

ORIGINAL: ob2s

What I would like to see is a concise explanation why and how there are so many millionaires in China now. I actually am a China contrarian as I drink 10% red, but it doesn't stop at wine.


http://m.upi.com/m/story/UPI-91891302666877/


I guess it was more like, in a land of 'equals', how did the ones who came out on top do so....

_____________________________

German Wine ? see GermanWines.us | water nourishes the body, wine nourishes the soul

(in reply to brigcampbell)
Post #: 21
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 4:36:25 PM   
Old Doug

 

Posts: 8279
Joined: 5/12/2011
From: Atlanta, Georgia, US
Status: offline 		In China, "free enterprise" is totally alive and well, even if via position in the government, willingness to accept payments personally, etc.

(in reply to ob2s)
Post #: 22
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/25/2011 4:51:35 PM   
khmark7

 

Posts: 11435
Joined: 7/6/2008
From: Chicago suburbs
Status: offline 		China isn't serious!

I believe the only "serious" wine drinker around here would be Paul S.....now if you count "serious" as total volume of wine consumed, then i think there are a few more of us who fall into that category

_____________________________

"a rogue Provence rouge of unknown provenance." author grafstrb

(in reply to Old Doug)
Post #: 23
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/26/2011 6:57:29 AM   
recotte

 

Posts: 6879
Joined: 1/19/2011
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: khmark7

China isn't serious!

I believe the only "serious" wine drinker around here would be Paul S.....now if you count "serious" as total volume of wine consumed, then i think there are a few more of us who fall into that category


And of course Paul S is in Singapore, I believe, which is not China. I think our compatriots in Hong Kong would be the exceptions you're looking for.


_____________________________

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

(in reply to khmark7)
Post #: 24
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/26/2011 8:29:44 PM   
Paul S

 

Posts: 3023
Joined: 1/15/2008
From: Singapore
Status: offline 		Woah - how did my name pop up in here?! :)

Recotte - you're right on the money, Singapore is not in China. And there are plenty of "Serious" drinkers here/ However, as my compatriot Ikileo has pointed out, there has been a long running perception here that red wines are more "serious" than whites. Maybe its the tannins, or the higher cost for most reds (pricing in the oak), or perhaps because red wines go better with "Western" dishes like beef, duck, etc... hence, seeming more "foreign". That is changing though, with more and more exposure coming in.

Interesting note on Germans... just a thought - most German would drink dry whites rather than sweet whites, which they do amazingly well. Similar reasons to the red - white divide maybe?

(in reply to recotte)
Post #: 25
RE: Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! - 7/27/2011 3:00:27 AM   
Muthu

 

Posts: 5
Joined: 7/14/2011
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: mgriffith

quote:

ORIGINAL: fanglangzhe

But seriously, how do you account for the fact that 90% of the wine consumed in China is red? They apparently don't take white seriously at all. And China is a market that many wine makers and sellers take very seriously.



Thinking outside the box (or bottle in this case), there is, potentially, a cultural issue at work.

In China, red is a color of happiness and celebration. White is the color of death.

Who would want a bottle of "death?"





not true, White wine is not exactly "white"  in color...

(in reply to mgriffith)
Post #: 26
Page:   [1]
All Forums >> [Cellar Talk] >> General Discussion >> Serious wine drinkers don't drink white! Page: [1]
Jump to:





New Messages No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages Locked w/o New Messages
 Post New Thread
 Reply to Message
 Post New Poll
 Submit Vote
 Delete My Own Post
 Delete My Own Thread
 Rate Posts


Forum Software © ASPPlayground.NET Advanced Edition 2.4.5 ANSI

0.422