Arithmetic, Dr. Seuss and Merlot

In March 2016, an Italian senator proposed a bill that would require schools in Italy to teach an hour of wine culture per week to students, starting at age 6. The senator explained that the intent is to help children gain a better understanding of the cultural importance of wine in Italy (and not, of course, to encourage them to drink it at such a young age).

Some American parents may be alarmed by this early introduction of alcohol into their children's lives. However, research shows that children learn what kinds of foods and drinks are enjoyed in their culture as toddlers regardless of whether adults are intentionally teaching them. Through observing how we consume wine - whether it makes us happy or sad, whether we drink alone or with others, whether we enjoy it with food or not - children internalize these cultural practices, which (on average) can manifest later in their own lives.

My parents bought into this mentality when I was child, often pouring a glass of wine at the dinner table and even slipping me a sip occasionally. My parents portrayed wine as a grown-up privilege to be enjoyed (in moderation) during celebrations and with a particularly juicy steak. As we ate, talked and laughed over my Dad's top-notch cooking, the wine became imbued with a delicious sense of togetherness, joy and love.

For my parents, wine became a gateway into American culture. Most of the bottles we drank were from the States (mainly California), and just like action movies and country songs, Mom and Dad collected knowledge about wine to casually drop in conversations with co-workers and neighbors. Wine also became a part of our own family culture. As I got older, we began sampling varietals from around the world, from the barolo of Italy to the shiraz of Australia. We began a ritual of sitting down in front of the TV for a dinner and a movie and popping open a bottle. Often, the movie-watching and wine-drinking experiences would merge in my memory. Rom-coms and rose. Jackie Chan and chardonnay. Film noir + pinot noir. Watching movies like Sideways and Bottle Shock were doubly beneficial, as we learned about Alan Rickman and Chardonnay all at once. Wine was a way for us to demonstrate belonging in a new country and way of life.

While I am not sure what ultimately became of that Italian wine-ducation bill, I agree with that Senator when it comes to teaching children early about the wonders (and warnings) of wine. Wine exploration was such an important part of my growth and development, and when I have kids, I am excited to offer them the same.

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A few interesting wine labels

Of all the wines people have poured this quarter, I enjoyed those from ShareASplash most. To be clear, many of the wines poured really did taste good. However, ShareASplash was uniquely approachable. Its designs were modern, playful, and unintimidating, and the actual beverage tasted much better than I would've expected for that price point. I found myself ordering multiple bottles of Angels and Cowboys and Cannonball after class, and have since brought these bottles to several dinners where my friends have enjoyed them and gone home to order more bottles of their own.

I wanted to see if there were other similarly interesting labels in the market. Although these wines didn't receive great reviews on taste, here were a few that I was amused by...


Mini garage winery's turpentine can-like hip flasks


Inkwell Wine's Rorschach-inspired wine bottles that have you think before you drink


Neleman's wine that proudly proclaims its worth


DQ Wine's labels which have you peel strips off to uncover more information


Lar De Maia's bottles that come with a small sheet of paper with tasting notes, so users can scribble down their own assessments


And Finca de la Rica that makes you really work for it!