Do Men’s and Women’s Wines Really Exist?

Is there such a thing as men’s wines, or women’s wines? Well, some of the men in our wine-tasting group this week insisted they do exist. This distinction rather rankled me at the time, but I’ve since given the matter more consideration.

This week I had a wine tasting with seven cabernets from around the world. One of the Moroccan wines I included provoked a heated discussion when none of the women liked it (except me) and most of the men (except one) liked it a lot. The men claimed it was a “men’s wine,” and that there were certain wines that were more “women’s” wines, or “men’s” wines.

The exact wine which provoked this whole discussion was the Moroccan Bonassia Cabernet Sauvingnon, appellation Beni M’Tir, 14% alcohol. It is a dark burgandy, rich and fruity with a blackberry/cassis taste, and also tasting of oak and dark chocolate.

Since at this tasting, I was the only woman in our group who liked the heavy cabernets (while most of the men liked them), I began to wonder if there might be something to the men’s opinions. Could it be just the “fashion” for women to “claim” they like whites, rosés, or lighter wines, and for men to claim they like heavier wines (so as to either be more “impressive,” or at least so as not to seem “wimpy”)? Or is it possible that women are often eating diet foods and so want lighter wines to go with lighter fare (generally speaking)? Or, is it something innately different in the way men and women are able to taste?

I posed this question to the West Coast Wine Forum. I got some interesting responses.

Most of the (expert) forum posters there seemed to feel there was no basis at all for such a generalization. Wine expert Melissa McCall gave her opinion that there seem to be three types of wine drinkers.

Quoting Melissa:

I haven’t noticed that divide between the sexes, but I’ve noticed a divide of a different sort:

1. Infrequent wine drinkers who stick with high RS (residual sugar) white and blush wines that have no perceptible tannin and a very smooth mouth-feel.

2. Regular (but non-obsessed) wine drinkers who buy mostly Supermarket big reds (like Jest Red, Yellow Tail) and eschew anything white or pink. The vast majority of my wine-drinking friends fall into this category, both men and women. We’ve hosted neighborhood tastings, and almost everyone prefers “big reds.” I think there’s an element of feeling like bigger is supposed to be better, but more importantly, these wines are consistent and they pack a lot of flavor. How many people opt for a slice of watermelon when the other dessert choice is flourless chocolate cake?

3. Hardcore wine lovers who prefer wines in context. Most of the ones I know are men, but among the women, it’s the same. What are we eating, and what will pair well? All other things being equal, I definitely prefer low alcohol, but when the medium-rare ribeyes come off the grill, I want an equally beefy red wine. On a beautiful, breezy June afternoon, I want to relax in the garden with a glass of rosé. It’s all context. A Beaujolais or Valtellina is more likely to match what we eat on a typical fall night, so that’s what we mostly drink this time of year. Once the holidays roll around, there will be plenty of Bordeaux and Cote Rotie on the table.

All the women I know who love wine love good Cabernet or Syrah-based wines in the proper context, and all the men I know who love wine love a good rosé or white.

Another brief, but especially interesting opinion comes from wine expert Marshall Manning:

I believe it’s been shown that the palates of most women are more sensitive than the palates of most men, so it wouldn’t surprise me if most women tire more easily of wines that are big, ripe, low acid, and have astringent characteristics (tannin or wood).

And I think some men do go way overboard on the whole “macho” thing, only drinking big, burly reds no matter what food they are having, but these generally aren’t the true wine geeks. They’re more the type who like to brag about how many points they have in their cellar and who call whites and rosés “wimpy wines”. These wines are only “wimpy” if you have lackluster taste buds!

Anyone who is interested in viewing the entire thread can see it at:

http://www.westcoastwine.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=333787&an=&page=1

So, what do readers think?

Madame Monet

Explore posts in the same categories: Bonassia Cabernet Sauvingnon, Cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Marshall Manning, Melissa McCall, Men, Moroccan Wines, West Coast Wine Forum, Wine, Wine Tasting Issues, Wine Tastings, Women

Tags: Men's Wines, Women's Wines

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