Oenophobia
The severe fear of wine is called oenophobia. Yes, it’s a real thing. Though not common, a select few suffer from irrational behavior when they come in contact with wine or wine bottles. These people cannot be around wine without experiencing a severe reaction.
No wine for women
During the very early years of the Roman Republic, Women were forbidden to drink wine. Husbands did what they considered a breathalyzer test on their wives with a kiss on the lips every day. If they detected alcohol on her breath, the husbands could impose punishment, which might be starvation, physical abuse or even death. Wow.
The oldest known wine cellar
In 1985, the US Navy sponsored an expedition to find debris of the RMS Titanic, which went down in 1912. During this mission, the divers found the wine cellar of the ship, an epic discovery. Not only did they discover the Titanic’s wine cellar, which is the oldest known, but they also found an unbelievable 10,000 intact bottles of wine as well.
Upright or horizontal?
It’s best to store wine horizontally, as is the case with most wine racks. If stored upright, the cork might dry out and cause it to split, disintegrate and/or fall into the wine. You also risk excess evaporation through the cork’s porous fibers. That being said, many bottles of wine come with screw caps these days, which can be stored either way. It’s a good idea for bottles of wine with both screw caps and corks to store them in a cool, dark, humid environment away from fluctuations in temperature.
Vintage vs. non-vintage wines
In case you wondered, vintage wines are those made from the same year’s harvest. In contrast, non-vintage wines are the wines produced from the grape harvests from different years.
Drinking age
Drinking age these days is 21, but it was originally determined to be 18 many years ago by the Greek Philosopher Plato. He wrote that after age 18 a person should drink moderately up to the age of 31…and after that, as much as they want to fight the annoyances of old age!
Wine and your sex life
Some think this the most sparkling and amazing fact about wine. According to an a 2009 Italian study, regular intake of red wine is associated with increased sexual desire and function in women. Though we need to interpret these results with caution because of the small sample size, self-reported data and other factors, the findings are intriguing. They nonetheless suggest a potential relationship between drinking red wine and improved sexuality. Don’t overdo it, however; moderation is the key as you need only a little bit of wine to feel the effects.
The bottom line
Wine’s been around for more than 3,000 years in one form or another. Today, wine serves as a source of unity. It brings family and friends together to make memories and reflect on life.
Hope you enjoyed our wine trivia. Cheers!
Leslie Farin is the Publisher and Founder of 50PlusToday. She is an experienced communications and marketing professional passionate about working with older adults and their families. She works with a team of writers to provide essential and cutting-edge information related to the 50Plus community.
