Wednesday 03/11/09 - Wine Pairing-
The Curious History Of Wine Consumption In America
The Curious History Of Wine Consumption In America
by: Ben Bicais
The history of wine consumption in America has been frought with starts, stops, and inconsistencies. The American population has always had a love-hate relationship with alcohol. Historic prohibitionist attitudes amongst much of the American population have blurred the line between moderate wine consumption and detrimental alcoholism. As a result, regular, moderate consumption of wine by the American public continues to face ideological and legal impediments.
The History of Wine Consumption During the Colonial Years
Since its origins, the history of wine consumption in America has been both encouraged and despised by different demographic groups. Spanish missionaries produced the earliest New World wine during the early 17th Century. Shortly thereafter, French immigrants began to cultivate grapes in the Hudson River Valley. They made wine, juice, and preserves.
The early history of wine consumption in America was dominated by immigrants whom were primarily Catholic, and of Central or Southern European descent. The bulk of wine-drinking immigrants came from the wine loving nations of France, Italy, Germany, and Spain. They descended from cultural traditions that valued social wine consumption with the evening meal.
The aforementioned wine drinkers were counterbalanced by immigrants from Northern Europe. Many held Puritan belief systems that discouraged or banned alcohol consumption of any kind. The nativist movements of the early 18th Century cast suspician on immigrant groups that retained Old World customs and did not entirely assimilate into American society.
Wine consumption was a lightning rod for these discriminatory points of view. Although not accurate, alcoholism was seen as a problem only associated with certain ethnic groups that enjoyed wine. Whiskey and beer was the actual source of vast majority of problematic inebriation. Nonetheless, early prohibitionist forces were very effective at linking wine to the ills of American society.
History of Wine Consumption During the 19th Century
In the 1830s, Americans consumed massive amounts of whiskey and beer. Alcoholism was extremely widespread and was affecting the stability of the American family. Husbands spent time in the saloons instead of with their families, and rampant drunkedness increased instances of philandering and crime.
Ironically, as Prohibitionist fervor gained national momentum in the nineteenth century, the American wine industry boomed. From 1860-1880, Phylloxera devastated the vineyards of France. California wine production greatly increased to fill the international void. Huge tracts of vineyards were planted in Southern California to satisfy the international demand for wine. However, most of this production was exported and it did not have a major impact on the history of wine consumption in America.
By the mid-1880s, European wine production rebounded, causing a glut of American wine. To make matters worse, Pierce's Disease and Phylloxera simultaneously struck Southern California's vineyards. Rising population and real estate values in the Los Angeles Basin was the last nail in the coffin of extensive viticulture in the region. With Prohibitionist attitudes constantly gaining momentum, American demand for wine was insufficient to make up for the loss of the much larger European market.
History of Wine During the Prohibition Years
In response to the massive outcry of many Americans against alcohol consumption, Congress passed the 18th Amendment in 1917. It banned the commercial production and sale of alcohol in America. The Volstead Act was ratified in 1920 and expounded on the actual implementation of Prohibition. It also mandated several loopholes in alcohol production and consumption. Physicians could prescribe alcohol and it could be consumed for religious purposes. Additionally, a head of household was legally allowed to produce 200 gallons of wine a year for personal use. This was largely a concession to the significant Italian-American electorate.
Because of the Volstead Act, American wine consumption actually increased during Prohibition. The traditional American alcoholic beverages of beer and distilled spirits were illegal to produce and sell from 1920-1933. As a result, regions like Lodi saw a massive increase in demand for grapes used for home winemaking.
Prohibition did not curtail the American apetite for alcohol, it merely destroyed the legal framework that governed alcohol sales. Due to the inaccessibility of alcohol, the use of other drugs, including cocaine and marijauna greatly increased. Additionally, the government lost a major source of revenue from taxing alcohol as organize crime took over the means of production and distribution. The American public became increasingly dissolutioned with the government's stubborn attempt to attain the impossible.
The 21st Amendment: Repeal of Prohibition
After a decade of the "noble experiment", Congress passed the 21st Amendment. It ended national Prohibition and transferred the authority to allow or ban production and sale of alcohol to individual states. Many states relegated this authority to the county level. Counties in some states prohibit alcohol to this day. The history of wine production and sales since the repeal of Prohibition has been governed by the 21st Amendment, not the free trade mandates of the U.S. Constitution.
Because every state has the power to make their own laws regarding wine sales, it has effectively made commercial wine distribution a convoluted mess. Marketing wine in the U.S. continues to be a difficult and frustrating task, especially for smaller wineries.
The effects of the 21st Amendment have had a major impact on the history of wine consumption in the U.S. during the 20th and 21st Centuries. Its legacy is a tangle of state and county laws that regulate the production and sale of wine.
The Fortified Wine Years
Immediately after the repeal of Prohibition, wine consumption dropped as Americans had renewed access to spirits and beer. From the repeal of Prohibition to the late 1950s, high-alcohol dessert and fortified wines dominated the market. These were the darkest days of the history of wine production and consumption. Many fortified wines were produced and sold extremely cheaply, and catered to the "misery market". "Winos" drank these overly alcoholic concoctions becauses they were the cheapest way to get drunk. In the quest for short-term profits, unscrupulous producers stamped a black mark on the history of wine in America.
From 1934 to the early 1950s, immigrant families consumed the majority of table wines. Unfortunately, many of their offspring did not follow their parents traditional drink choices and began consuming beer and cocktails as they assimilated into American society. Table wine was a mysterious beverage to most Americans and was associated with high-society and recent arrivals from Southern and Central Europe.
The Jug Wine Years
America's taste for non-fortified wines finally began to develop in the early 1960s. The majority of these new wine drinkers were young, well-traveled, and relatively affluent. As the Baby Boom generation came of age, the ranks of wine drinkers increased. Even still, the majority of consumers bought simple, sweet wines.
The early 1980s saw the height of the frenzy to promote and sell inexpensive wines to the American public. The White Zinfandel rage was and continues to be a major part of the market. Total American wine consumption reached an all-time high due to a massive influx of capital and advertising. Despite predictions of continued increases, it did not materialize.
At the same time, overall alcohol consumption decreased in the United States during the 1980s. The anti-drug and alcohol movement justifyably discouraged dangerous levels of drug and alcohol ingestion. Unfortunately, extremists in the movement also attacked the history of wine consumption in America. Zero-tolerance attitudes portrayed moderate wine consumption as not only hazardous to the individual, but also as detrimental to the entire population.
The Renaissance Years
In the late 1980s, jug wine consumption fell sharply. American tastes were changing, and the market began to demand wines with defined characteristics. Mike Benziger's Glen Ellen Winery entered the void, creating the hugely popular "fighting varietals" genre. These wines bridged the gap between the generic production of the past, and the boutique wineries of the following decade.
Much of America's current interest in quality wine stems from a 1991 60 Minutes Program that examined the health benefits of moderate wine consumption. The "French Paradox" is the fact that the French consume fatty foods, significant red wine, and have a very low incidence of heart disease. This news had a major impact on American wine consumption, especially in aging, affluent demographic groups.
The Future...Factors to Consider
As American society becomes increasingly more fast-paced and hectic, fewer families are sitting down together for dinner. This is not a positive sign for American wine consumption as few people open up a bottle of wine to drink with their drive-thru or take-out dinners.
Wine enjoyment is symtomatic of relaxation, and these days American society is anything but relaxed. The history of wine is also synonymous with stable family relationships, and the divorce rate in the U.S. is currently about 50%.
Furthermore, wine is a complicated subject that generally requires a certain amount of leisure time and money to become a true adherent. Additionally, wine has an unflattering image amongst many American alcohol consumers who prefer beer or liquor. In my opinion, there are limits to how large the quality wine market can increase.
On a more positive note, the American population is aging, and older, more affluent people tend to enjoy wine more than other demographic groups. Hopefully they will pass their appreciation of wine to the next generation.
In many ways, the history of wine consumption in the U.S. is a microcosm of both the positives and negatives that have come with the innate American experience. Studying the history of wine consumption in the U.S. illuminates the political, cultural, religious, and racial diversity that has made the nation what it is today.
America has a relatively small but growing population of wine-lovers. Although the number of regular wine drinkers are far from being a majority, they will continue to grow as the population ages. Future trends will probably include an increase in consumption of quality varietals grown in specific, terroir-driven locations.
About The Author Ben Bicais lives in the Napa Valley and is the webmaster of http://www.california-wine-tours-and-accessories.com. |
Short Review on Wine Pairing
Hello From Toronto (3) - Exploring Niagara Wine Country
Two days ago I took our European visitors on a little driving tour of the Niagara Peninsula, specifically to explore some of the 50 something wineries...
Click Here to Read More About Wine ...
Valencia And Wine
Valencia is famous for its wine production; many of its wines are exported overseas for use in restaurants, or for personal use. Valencia's weather cl...
Click Here to Read More About Wine ...
Featured Wine Pairing Items
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless PCI Adapter WPN311 - Network adapter - PCI - 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11 Super G
As a 21st-century consumer, your notebook computer is an integral part of your life. But does your home computing environment work for you? Even if you already have a wireless network, you've probably found "dead spots" in your home where your Internet connection fades in and out, or drops off completely.Now, say good-bye to those dead spots... and say hello to the freedom to work (and play) absolutely anywhere in your home!With the RangeMax Wireless Router and PCI Adapter, your whole house becomes a "hot spot." NETGEAR's exclusive RangeMax technology gives you the longest range of any wireless network on the market today - up to 10 times the wireless coverage of 802.11g. So you'll have a sizzling-fast, consistent connection in every room of your house... and beyond.Put the NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless PCI Adapter to work for you, and that's all you need - leave those range extenders, repeaters, and external antennas at the store. The RangeMax Wireless PCI Adapter is optimized for use with the RangeMax Wireless Router, which adjusts to the interference and physical barriers in your home, and delivers up to 500,000 square feet of coverage - 1000% more than 802.11g. And the RangeMax Wireless PCI Adapter is 100% compatible with your existing 802.11b/g products.
More product information
WINE GOURMET WH 11.75 OZ, CS 2/DZ, 08-1630 LIBBEY GLASS, INC. GLASSWARE
Special Order Item
More product information
The PERFECT Wine DECANTER, 750ml
Like its name, this classic design glass wine decanter is perfect for all your decanting needs. The wide bowl allows for a maximum breathing surface. The Perfect Decanter comes in an attractive black gift box.
More product information
Colavita Champagne Wine Vinegar - 17oz. Bottle
Traditionally fermented vinegar made from Champagne wine and naturally aged.
More product information
Mouse Pad, Premium, Wine
Current Wine Pairing News
Chocolate and Dessert Wine, the Perfect Blend?
Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:27:48 -0800
With Valentine's Day quickly approaching, vinophiles attempt to tackle the challenge of pairing wine with chocolate. This article explains why beer is actually the natural choice for chocolate, as epitomized in a Russian Imperial Stout Cheesecake.
Pike Brewing Company hosts Pike Chocofest
Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:20:05 -0800
Pike Brewing Company hosts PIKE CHOCOFEST, a romantic evening of chocolate paired with wine, mead, spirits and beer.
Weekly $10 Wine Reviews - Find The Gold, Avoid The Dross
Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:17:14 -0800
All you ever wanted to know about wine. Trivia, food pairings, the grapes, the words people use to describe wine and most of all. Reviews of inexpensive and moderately priced wine, paired with food. I tell you what I like and what I don't like and nobody tells me what to say, I buy all my wine at the full retail price. Visit us often.
Wines That Go Well With Super Bowl Food
Sat, 31 Jan 2009 12:17:01 -0800
Instead of cracking a beer in the first quarter, wine expert Gary Vaynerchuk suggests pairing your macho nachos with a suave chardonnay or popping open a nice citrusy wine to complement those buffalo wings. Plus, he says, you don't have to break the bank to serve good wine.
Restaurants' pairings ease novices into sherry
Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:05:52 -0800
We merry band of sherry fans have learned to suffer in silence. I have loved sherry for as long as I've loved wine - its tang and drama invigorate my palate as few drinks can. But if Dionisio is the patron saint of Jerez de la Frontera, perhaps it should be Jude, because sherry has long been the wine lover's lost cause.
How To Pair Wine With Food
Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:12:00 -0800
Uncertain which wine goes well with a certain type of food? Here's your guide on how to pair wine with food.
Wine Chateau
Tags: Jordan Wine
Labels: Kosher Wine, Linux Users
