Why Wine?

What is it about wine that makes people the world over so crazy about it? What makes them reach for a glass after a long day at work or with the kids? Why do people get so worked up over something as primitive as a container full of fermented grape juice? Why are there festivals dedicated to its achievements? Why have there been countless books published on the subject? Why are there international committees established to govern its policies, practices and products? Why can some people not eat a meal without having some of the stuff at the table?

There are no definitive answers to these questions. Or at least I don't have the answers to them. How can something that has been around for so long still have merit in our age of fast moving people and cutting-edge technology? For this question I may have one answer, or at least my own answer.

In the ancient times of the Georgians and the Egyptians, stress held a spot in the minds of the people just as it does now. Of course, they didn't worry about things like the stock market or how they were going to pay for their new Lexus but they too had worries and required some sort of release from the everyday woes that afflicted them. Throughout the ages people have looked to wine as a way to lower the pressure of their blood and allow themselves to unwind at the end of the day. If something as simple as drinking (a basic human function) can enable one to feel an escape from what ails the mind why shouldn't that little secret be passed on through the ages?

In a time where people are so wrapped up in drive-thru windows and time saving everythings, we should be especially concerned with our state of mental well-being. This is an age of go-go-go where our time at work is planned out by the minute in little books on our desks. When we finally get home we are all abuzz from the constant pressure and countless commitments that our day requires of us that we feel overwhelmed. It is this stress that manifests itself over time and weighs heavy on the mind. This leads to things like heart attacks and mental breakdowns. There must be some release! In steps an old friend.

Getting home, you throw on a comfy pair of sweats and open the bottle of port you bought last week. You kiss your wife and pour two glasses of the smooth, sweet purple nectar. Instant satisfaction, as you sip the juice that seems like it was shipped from Portugal just for you. Gone, if only for a moment are your woes. It detoxifies as it intoxicates.

This is why wine has stood the test of time. This is why we still celebrate its glory and euphoric nature. This is why something so simple holds so much value in our modern day society. This is why we will do our part to pass on the secret of the little bottle of grape juice, just as the people before us did.

Happy drinking.

Editors note - Stew Simons, the freshest face in the winehouse family, is passionate about wine.  The opinions in his blog do not neccessarly represent the views and of the winehouse.