wine
Men are reluctant to choose the wine with a meal according to research, with 96% of British men admit they would try to avoid the responsibility of choosing the wine on a date.
Men and women a-like (41%) prefer to unwind with a glass or two of wine in the comfort of their own home.
According to a study of our wine drinking habits men feel intimidated by the huge variety of wine on offer and worry that a poor selection will reflect badly on them, hampering their chances - nothing cuts a date short like sour grapes.
Nervous about ordering wine on a date, most men are also reluctant to drink wine down the pub with their mates, which is clearly still the domain of the pint in the study by convenience retailer SPAR,. In comparison, 40% of women regularly choose a glass of wine as their tipple when down the local - proving that putting the world to rights over a bottle of wine after a hard day in the office is still something just for the girls.
Real Rosé Is A Blonde Drink
Men still suffer from a percieved stigma with rosé, the SPAR research.found 95% of men still can't bring themselves to drink a glass of the pink stuff, compared to only 20% of women. A robust red is the most masculine choice for men with 58% of those surveyed choosing it as their favourite type of wine. It seems British men prefer the deeper and riper tastes that a Merlot or Pinot Noir offer compared to the fresh and vibrant aromas of a fruity rosé.
Whilst men try to avoid it, blondes have more fun when it comes to rosé. Just under a third of blonde women (28%) would choose the pink drink as their favourite wine, compared to just 8% of brunettes - they would rather have a crisp glass of white (47%).
Staying in is the new going out
Men and women a-like (41%) prefer to unwind with a glass or two of wine in the comfort of their own home. It seems that the best way to woo a woman now is to treat her to a bottle at home, rather than splashing out on fizz over a romantic dinner. With everyone still feeling the pinch it appears we are all content to spend some quality time together at home - and a glass of wine is the perfect accompaniment.
SPAR's head wine buyer and Master of Wine, Laura Jewell, comments: "Choosing the right wine for any occasion doesn't have to be difficult. Men shouldn't be intimidated when confronted with a big range of wines to choose from, there are plenty of wines out there that are great quality at an affordable price - you can't go wrong. Besides, the woman sitting opposite you is there because she likes you - not your ability to choose wine!"
The research also found:
* Seeing red: taking co-ordination to the extreme, a glass of red wine is the drink of choice for red heads (63%)
* Bring your own: whilst wine is best enjoyed at home according to the majority of Brits, we're quite happy to enjoy a glass at someone else's home - dinner parties are the second most popular place to share a bottle (24%)
Tagged in Food and Wine