I love going to wineries and breweries. I found that once I experienced how things were made, I really appreciated them more. I use to hate red wine, but after visiting, I can drink a glass no problem and understand most of its properties.

Thank again!

As you can tell I am gradually working my way through your old shows. I thought the discussion at the beginning of this particular show very interesting. Particularly the comments regarding the male to female ratio attending at tastings and other wine functions.

I’ve had a bit of a think about why that might be. Yes there is the children element – I know since I’ve had mine my ability to attend wine related events has been reduced (but then again my husband has the same problem!). But I’m not sure that’s really the reason.

I find that at most tastings I go to the ratio of men to women seems to change depending on the age of the attendees. It seems to me that if the people there are under 40 years, there’s normally about a 60/40 ratio of guys to girls. However if the people attending are over fourty it tends to be more 80/20 ratio. So maybe the reason has more to do with the age of the attendees.

Also it probably has something to do with disposable income. Men have more than women. Or maybe women have different priorities of where to spend that disposable income. Unlike most of my girlfriends, I’m prepared to(and do) spend more money on wine than clothes!

However there probably is still some sexism that does exist. I do notice that when my husband and I go to dinner there will be the occassional service slip up (for example I ask for the wine list, they give it to my husband or I order the wine, the waiter gets my husband to check it). Also in wine stores if we are both looking at the range, it’s often my husband who is offered assistance first.

I’d be interested to see if other women have had similar experiences. Or if anyone has any other theories as to why there seems to be not as many women as men going to tastings.

Regards

Siobhan