The Foreplay of Wine

We’ve all heard it: Swirl, Sniff, Sip…

And we’ve done it: Talk, Touch, Tongue… You fill in the blank.

It is no coincidence that these two pleasures of life can be compared to each other; I think I’m old enough to say.

Can you remember it? Your first time…

…Drinking fine wine.

I’m not talking about the wine cooler you downed at a party in high school, or the box wine you and your roommates bought in college. I’m referring to your very first glass of smooth, balanced, rich, flavorful, bold fine wine. Was it red or white? Was your first time with your parents? (OK, sorry.) Was it on a date? Do you remember the label? The table? The food? The emotions?

I’m going a little overboard here.

Maybe your first glass of truly delicious wine was nothing like your first sexual experience, which was probably awkward, clumsy, and in the back of someone’s pickup truck, but you get where I’m going with this. Drinking wine is like having sex, and if it’s not, you’re not doing it right.

To truly appreciate wine, you need to enjoy it as an all-sensory experience, much like other hedonistic pleasures. Notice how the wine looks; swirl it in your glass. What color is it? How deep is the color? What does that hue of red, purple, yellow, or gold tell you about this unique wine? Every grape is different. Every beautiful woman is different… Pay attention.

Close your eyes and breathe in the wine; let her flavor fill your nose with the distinguishable aroma of natural fruits, earth, or herbs. Enjoy the one-of-a-kind scent profile for your specific wine. Now, sip the wine; twirl her around in your mouth, and let her touch every taste bud. Taste her. Treasure each of her delicate flavors; enjoy them. Let her aura connect with your senses. Don’t swallow your sip too fast; let it linger. Let it dance in your mouth. Breathe her in again before you swallow. Keep your eyes closed, and let your other senses do the exploring.

This is the foreplay of wine, without which, we cannot reach the most powerful climax possible.

Wine is an experience to be enjoyed, not rushed. A good bottle, a special night, the right people, flavorful food…All of these things go into the whole sensory event. Without the foreplay, you’ve just shorted yourself the ability to achieve maximum satisfaction.

Finally, you know your wine. You really know your wine. You’ve admired her physical appearance. You’ve smelled her individual fragrance, and you’ve let her flavors dance in your mouth. You are ready to work with her to revel in your pleasure—pair her with the right foods, sing her praises to your friends, savor the intoxication she creates inside of you with every sip. She is giving you all she has tonight. So give her the honor of foreplay. You won’t be disappointed in the gratification it brings you.