French Drinkers Admit They Don't Know Much About Wine
France may be regarded as the wine capital of the world, but that doesn't mean its inhabitants know anything about it. A recent survey by French wine magazine, Terre de Vins, found that most French alcohol drinkers are more likely to say "Je ne sais pas" than be able to tell a cab from a merlot. In the survey, 71 percent of respondents admitted that they don't know much about wine, and 43 percent said that they know nothing at all. Meanwhile, just three percent of the population considered themselves to be knowledgeable in the subject.
Unsurprisingly, the poll also found that educated people were more likely to know about wine than members of the working class, which points to the fact that even in the wine capital of the world, it is still an upper-class drink.
"This proves that learning about wine is seen as still very elitist in French society and also a feeling — real or supposed — that those households with limited purchasing power cannot afford quality wines," said a spokesperson from the company who organized the survey.
But even though the French may not know much about their wine, they certainly do drink a lot of it. France consumes the third-most wine in the world, according to the California Wine Institute.
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Joanna Fantozzi is an Associate Editor with The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter@JoannaFantozzi