It could have been much worse for Colombelle, our sweet little white wine tasting of exotic fruit and wild flowers. Instead of meeting up with Adam, a respectable red, she could have suffered the displeasure of having to pass the best part of the evening with an Arrogant Frog.
Discrimination starts in the vineyards, of course, with the conscious segregation of the whites and the blacks, the latter not even bearing the colour assigned to them. Prejudices and presuppositions make their way from the vineyard to the Château cellars, to the wine bars and supermarkets of our towns and cities.
But what about wine drinking? Are there really wines in this world that have been genetically manipulated to carry XX chromosomes instead of the macho XY configuration? Is rosé wine really designed to satisfy the LGBT and other-lettered communities, by not knowing whether it is male of female?
Let me beg to differ and confess that I have exposed more than once my manhood to others by getting rattled on a few liters of Listel Gris between friends, soaked up with nothing but a solitary Italian frutti del mare pizza. All in response to a last-minute own-goal in a local derby – football being the ultimate man’s game.
It is said that some wines are particularly suited for women. You know who I am referring to, the delicate gender that can only enjoy wine that, “is light and easy to drink.” The sort of wine that does not get a woman drunk enough to not appreciate the genetics related to the delicate but persistent attention she receives from males.
Don’t get me wrong. I love and respect women and it could not be otherwise, my own mother is a woman. But I must admit that my wife has a distinct “penchant,” for sweet white wines or rosé, and it annoys me. I enjoy the occasional glass of wine with a well-cooked meal, but I have to give way, more often than not, to a sweet Riesling instead of a strong and manly “vin rouge,” if I do not want to enjoy my drink alone at the table.
In my search for the ultimate female wine, I came across this little number that was described as being preferred by customers when, “searching for Wine for Ladies.” It responds to the name, “Lady in White,” and you can find it right next to the Buttercream Chardonnay, another treat for the ladies.
The floral perfume of Viognier and spiciness of Gewurztraminer make this wine complex in aroma
and flavor, matching food from a plethora of cuisines.
The lingering finish is of sweet clover honey, beckoning one to take another sip.
I was intrigued by a comment left by a satisfied customer,
But I really enjoyed this wine….It was crisp, refreshing not dry but not overly sweet.
What or who did the “but” refer to, I wonder. Could it have been the cry of despair from a man who admitted enjoying a “woman’s wine?”
I am not a wine expert and the vast majority of people who enjoy the occasional glass of wine are not experts either. The wine that they and I enjoy is like everything else we enjoy – a question of taste and has nothing to do with genetics of the wine. In the same way that some women prefer reading books, whilst others watch movies, there are those who like red, and those who like white. It is as simple as that.
À votre santé!