CHAMPAGNE - THE GUILT

It is just that time of the year that the wine shops love! Surpised? I am not! It is now that most wine shops get copious amounts of Champagne to satify our insatiable desire to drink! Yes and we drink like fish! Some have it a hobby, some have it as a job, some have it as a release valve but some are down right afraid of it! Few years back I said to someone, 'I drink Champagne daily'. The lady confronted me 'Are you French?' to which I jovially replied 'No I am an alcoholic'. So where is the line that divides the alcoholic from a mere consumer? Can I say I am in denial? How much is too much? Binge? Drink often but small amounts? Moderation (in excess)? I love Chamapagne! Does that make me an alcoholic though? To be more precise does that make me an addict? If love is the premise of my addiction in this case aren't we all addicts then? Don't we just simply love, or crave it when we dont' feel it? Or do we substitute it? I love that psychologist say 'as long as it does not affect your life' it is ok. But what if it does affect my life? What if it is my livelihood? What then? Would stopping my addiction result in a negative impact on my life by losing my job? There are other questions that necessary to ask. But these should do for this time of the year. As far as I am concerned these times will be a challenge to me as well. Social pressures are so that I will have to concede and drink during times I hate drinking. Yes, I loathe drinking during the day! Even more surprising may be that I actually hate being drunk! But I love drinking Champagne undisturbed; that is alone and especially when I am tasting something I have not had! I also hate drinking Champagne when I go out but few know about it and since most know me as the Champagne Guru, I still drink; but then how often do I actually go out? I love Champagne above all drinks! It is the most regulated, controlled and elaborate production of wine in the world and produces some of the finest wines on worldwide scale, unmatched and often exceeding the great wines of Burgundy. I love how balanced it is. the fact that the appelation of Champange controls the alcohol content which is just perfect for me. It might induce slight delirium but never too drunk! It is also very healthy but same is said about red wine. Give me a wine that has more than 13% alcohol and will never drink a glass of it! So perhaps it is true: 'it is not important how much you drink, but what you drink'. Oh! and, by the way, since the alcohol content is smaller it is quite important to point out that Champagne is 88% water! :)