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The science of psychology has attempted to explain almost every aspect of human behavior. From preferences in color, places to vacation, and décor to career, life partner, and family dynamics, different aspects of your life can tell a psychologist about your personality. These aspects can include choices you don’t even realize you’re making; something as small, for example, as your choice in wine.
It makes perfect sense that your taste in wine is a window into both your personality and lifestyle. Like food, the best tasting wine for you tells psychologists about your personality since a wine’s flavors appeal to specific people who possess specific traits.
Starting with the basics; a study conducted in the United Kingdom, home of the globally known WSET (a series of wine courses), showed that those who prefer red wine are more likely to be university graduates. Red wine drinkers make more money than white wine drinkers. They are also more ambitious, more stable in relationships (likely to be happily married), enjoy face to face conversations over virtual (social media) interactions, and on average vacation at least three times a year.
White wine drinkers, on the other hand, tend to stay home more and are more likely to be single. They are happy where they are in their career, which tends to make them less anxious and more at ease than those who drink red.
Diving in a little further, choices within red or white also reveals some interesting personality traits. For the purposes of this article, The Study has chosen three reds and three whites.
The Reds
Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers are seasoned wine drinkers. Their parents very likely drink wine or often had wine in the house. They are assertive, direct, are opinionated, and often command the ongoing discussion. Those who believe that the best tasting wines are “cab savs”, as they call them, enjoy the classics, art, and literature.
Merlot drinkers desire comfort over style. They are easy to get along with, can be put in almost any situation without a problem. They are go getters, with a lot of passion and drive. They are quite likely to take wine courses to better understand their drink of choice, but being laid back may choose online wine courses over a classroom course.
Pinot Noir drinkers are the sweethearts of the red wine set. Natural born charmers, they use their people skills to succeed in almost every aspect. Think Olivia Pope. Fresh, elegant, graceful, they are very likely to have a capsule collection of clothing. That way they can think and focus on what they deem to be more important things.
Malbec
The Whites
Chardonnay. The most ambitious of the white wine set, chardonnay drinkers have big personalities. They are a powerhouse in what they have chosen to do, whether that be run a business or head of the PTA. Chardonnay drinkers do tend to stay in their comfort zones, however, which is why they are likely to gloss over the rest of the wine list and just order a chardonnay. If they were to take an online wine course, it would be to be an powerhouse at wine, but not necessarily to branch out of their Chardonnay ways.
Riesling drinkers are often described as the nicest and most genuine people. They find themselves happy and content in careers that are purpose-oriented. They care about other people and animals, and are in tune with nature, knowing exactly how a biodynamic wine is made.
Pinot grigio drinkers like to day drink. They are weight conscious (hence this choice), like to stay fit, consider themselves spiritual, and like to travel. Optimistic by nature, they tend to be very trusting of others, in both romance and business, which means they do need to be careful not to be duped.
Didn’t find your wine of choice on this list? Want to learn more about wine? The Study offers the WSET program, levels one to three. Click here to enroll.