Rant: Sometimes A White Zin Is The Best Wine You Should Buy

This past weekend, a Facebook thread caught my eye, with the starting post of "The Worst Wine You Should Never Give As A Gift...." The responses were generally what you might expect, from White Zinfandel to Yellow Tail. The commenters seemed to be wine lovers, people with more adventurous palates, who desired to expose people to different wines. In general, that's a cool thing to be, and I would generally fit into that category as well.

However, there are some who might see the thread as pretentious, a charge commonly lodged against wine drinkers. Fighting that perception is an ongoing effort. By denigrating these "worst wines," which are consumed by millions of people, some of those people will feel insulted as their personal favorites are trashed. That certainly wasn't the intent of this Facebook thread, but it was an effect nonetheless that should have been considered. 

Not every wine drinker wants to be adventurous. Some just want to drink the same wine all the time, even if it were White Zinfandel or Yellow Tail, something they know they enjoy. You could buy them some other type of wine, but they might not even open it. They might regift it to someone else. They know what they like, and you should give them what they want.  

Eight years ago, I penned a Rant that addressed this very issue, and it's appropriate to resurrect it now. 

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Yesterday was Mother's Day, a time to honor our mothers, to show the love we possess for them. I love my mother, and she's worthy of much honor for her love, devotion, and sacrifice in raising me. However, she'll say that she doesn't need any specific day to be honored, that she feels my love every day. Many mothers probably feel that very same way about their children, yet we children still enjoy celebrating this holiday. 

I worked at a wine shop on Mother's Day and it was fairly busy with people buying wine for their mothers. I sold more White Zinfandel that day than any other day I can ever recall. One of the customers seemed almost guilty buying it, telling me that it was for his mother. That made me ponder the matter, raising a question in my mind.

If you truly love your mother, would you really buy her an inexpensive wine like a White Zinfandel?  

Some might think the answer is easy, that their mother deserves much better than White Zinfandel. Some might think she deserves a high-end Cabernet Sauvignon, a fine Bordeaux or a vintage Port. In some respects, they are correct. Your mom is certainly worthy of a pricey, high end wine. My own mom is certainly worthy of any wine I know. However, that doesn't mean you should buy your mother such a wine.

In fact, sometimes a White Zinfandel is the best wine you can buy for your mom.

For Mother's Day, I believe that you should give your mother the things she loves. No matter what they might be. I don't believe it is the day to test your mom, to give her mother something she might or might not enjoy. You want the day to be as perfect as possible for your mother, so you should cater to her desires. If she loves White Zinfandel, then the best wine you can give her for Mother's Day is White Zinfandel. You shouldn't feel guilty or cheap. You shouldn't feel like a bad child.

Even if you are a wine lover, conversant with wines from all over the world, having tasted wines made from hundreds of different grapes, don't shy away from buying White Zinfandel if that is what your mother loves. Maybe your mom has never had a Provence Rose or a Gruner Veltliner, and might enjoy them if she did. Then again, maybe she won't. Don't try to change your mother's palate on Mother's Day. Give her what you know she already loves, even if it's White Zinfandel.

Yes, Love for your Mother can be expressed through White Zinfandel.