Dear Aunt Mabel,

I enjoy drinking White Zinfandel.  Not that I much care what others think, but does this make me appear cheap? - B

Darling,

Aunty is a firm believer that where you live, what you wear, what you eat and what you drink are all firm reflections of your personality.

If you live in a trailer, wear bra-less halter tops over your double-D boobs, eat Ho-Ho's and chug Bud, then I’m going to develop a certain notion of the type of woman you are. A lady of distinguished taste, education and upbringing won't be my first thought.   You may say you don’t care what others think of you, but then you wouldn’t be writing Aunty, would you?

White Zinfandel is an inexpensive blush wine.  It is made by processing Zinfandel grapes, which would otherwise result in a bold, spicy red wine.  The resulting “white” is typically sweet, soft and relatively low in alcohol.  Many people who have spent many years drinking sweet sodas and few appreciating wine will happily quaff a White Zin.

 These wines are intended for immediate consumption, not aging.  They are typically quite affordable as White Zin is not complicated or expensive to produce. 

As a result of its drinkability and affordability, some statistics suggest that White Zinfandels account for as much as 10% of wine sales in North America.  However, these characteristics have also given White Zin a stigma as the beverage of choice for chicks who are “easy and cheap.”

Fear not, White Zin ranks a higher level of elegance than Budweiser beer.  It’s an undeniably popular option in the vast array of wines available on the market.  However, if you’re drinking wine socially on a regular basis, I must encourage you to develop a taste for more interesting flavors.  Doing so is not only fun, but it will enhance your appearance of refinement and panache to no end.

If you want to enjoy drinking wine, it doesn’t take much effort to attain a little education.  If there is a specialty wine store in your neighborhood, make a visit and chat with the staff.  They are usually very knowledgeable and can provide a host of great information.  The shop may also hold free tastings, which are wonderful ways to sample a variety of wines.  There are oodles of books at the library and bookstores on wines and endless resources on-line.  Aunty’s current favorite wine website is www.snooth.com.    I’ve also enjoyed using www.wines.com and www.cheapwinereviews.com.

There are many blush wines on the market that are NOT White Zinfandel but offer an equally light, crisp and refreshing accompaniment to summer lunch on the patio.  Shop for a bottle of rose that offers a more complex experience for your taste buds and I guarantee your reputation will remain intact.