Why a Government Shutdown May Be a Blessing For Wine Lovers

THIS IS DEFINITELY A JOB FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT…READ ON:

Has anyone noticed the interesting and kinda weird assumptions that have been built-in the recent reports on a study that shows wine drinkers tend not to know how much wine they are putting into a glass? Here’s what this study found:

“The study, published in Substance Use and Misuse, found that participants poured 12 percent more wine into a wide glass than a narrow glass. They also poured 12 percent more wine into a glass they were holding, versus one placed on a table. Color contrast affected pours, too. Participants over-poured white wine into a clear glass by 10 percent. There was less over-pouring when the wine was red. Even after participants were informed of their habits, they still over-poured.”

But…by what measure are wine drinkers “over pouring”. That’s a judgement, isn’t it. The fact that it’s hard to measure exactly 5 oz. when pouring wine into various different vessels shouldn’t be a surprise. But should we really care?Look at this headline referencing the study: “Wine Drinkers Often Pour Too Much”. Why is what is poured into a glass “too much”.

The idea of “too much” is based on the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s judgement that a “standard serving size” of wine is 5 oz. That’s kind of arbitrary, isn’t it. Why not 5.5 oz.? Why not 6 oz.? Why not 10 oz.? Why not 1 oz.?

The New York Daily News reported about this research this way:

“Understanding environmental cues like the size and shape of a wine glass and the way it’s poured can help wine lovers drink in moderation and avoid over-consumption, say researchers in a new study.”

What’s clearly needed, in light of this study, is a government-funded program to educate wine drinkers how to pour exactly 5 oz of wine. Then, another government-funded program that teaches wine drinkers to multiply so that they can add up the various 5 oz. glasses of wine they consume and know how many government approved 5 oz “glasses” of wine they have consumed. We probably also need some sort of law that prohibits more than 5 oz. of wine exiting a wine bottle during any single tipping of the bottle. And finally, there surely needs to be some sort of law that punishes the tampering with any mechanism that prevents more than 5 oz. of wine exiting a bottle of wine during any single tipping of the bottle.

This is clearly a job for the Federal Government…..Wait…we don’t have a working federal government at the moment. Hmmm….Maybe the shut down of the Federal government is a good idea after all.

Source:  Tom Wark at www.fermentationwineblog.com