A new survey reported on by the Daily
Mail suggests that despite popular perceptions, men love wine, especially
decadent luxury vintages, every bit as much as their female counterparts, but
are far more reluctant to express their appreciation. Why is this and does this
teach us about the wine culture we live with every single day?
At the Ideal Wine Company this
isn’t news – just as many men peruse of luxury products list as women - so
we’ve always known that the myth that wine is exclusively the province of
women, is just that, a myth. However this new survey sheds more light on the
matter and shows us that cultural stereotypes that have governed the genders
for years still hold far more power than we might give them credit for.
Wine at Home, Beer in the Pub
The broadsheet conducted a
colossal poll of 1,500 men and women into their alcohol habits. The poll had
surprising results for those people out there who aren’t as acquainted with the
drinking habits of men as the Ideal Wine Company.
The poll concluded that whilst
men prefer a pint when they’re down the local pub, they’re much more willing to
indulge in a glass of wine when they’re in the privacy of their own home.
Specifically, a significant 91%
of men claimed that they prefer to drink wine at home, whilst 76% said that
they prefer to imbibe drinks they see as ‘more manly’ when at the pub, in front
of other people. Parties seem to be the
middle ground amongst male drinkers, as the Broadsheet reported that 42% said
they would be willing to indulge in a glass in the middle of a crowded party.
The Mail turned to Professor
Richard Wiseman, a psychologist at the University of Hertfordshire, to shed
some light on these findings. Wiseman commented that: “My guess is that it is culturally acceptable for guys
to order a pint in a pub.” He elaborated by saying that “If they are
then drinking wine at home, it suggests that is their drink of choice. In
the pub they are being affected by context – they think it is not manly to
order a glass of wine.”
Defying Gender Stereotypes
Like we’ve alluded to earlier in this article, men enjoy a glass of
their favourite luxury vintage and these statistics only reinforce a conclusion
we long came to ourselves. At the Ideal Wine Company we would suggest that men
defy gender stereotypes and embrace their love of wine for what it is – a part
of their life that brings great joy.
