Wine addiction may seem like any other alcohol addiction, but there are some things that make wine addiction and its addicts unique. Wine addiction is often able to slip under the door unrecognized as an addiction because wine is weaker than a liquor and because it has an elitist connotation about it. However, those who become addicted to wine in particular require a slightly different approach to alcoholism treatment than other alcohols do.

It can be uniquely difficult to separate a wine addict from their wine for a number of reasons. Much of alcoholism treatment material and study revolves around people who are addicted to hard liquor, because there is more immediate risk to the addict. This creates a misconception that wine is harmless, or that consuming too much of it is not a concern. In North America, our European roots reinforce this idea as Europe has always been the highest consumer of wine. Wine is also arguably more habit forming and ritualistic than other alcoholic beverages. It is an alcoholic beverage that we feel very comfortable around as a society, as demonstrated by its frequent presence at the dinner table (something that is taboo for harder liquors). There are certain rituals that invoke wine drinking, such as the end of a work day, a nice meal, a romantic night, or any weekend or holiday. Wine has some health benefits, so many have wrongfully stopped controlling their intake of wine, citing its “health benefits” as defense. Wine, in fact, has more health detriments than it does benefits and can cause severe health complications for someone abusing it. And lastly, wine has something of an elitist reputation among alcohols. There is the implication that only level-headed, responsible people drink wine. All of these things are responsible for the wine addict’s unwillingness to give wine up.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction to wine, seek the help of a professional addiction service. Separating a wine addict from wine can require an intervention, a thorough detoxification and intensive counselling and therapy in order to heal. There are addiction treatment programs that are tailored specifically to wine addicts and can be the difference between a life of sobriety and a life of serving wine.

Wine consumption is a very old tradition, and in modern times, wine consumption and circulation is at an all time high. There are, however, some areas that consume more wine than others. In fact, some countries do not even consume a measurable amount of wine, while others might be considered addicted to it.

The region that consumes the most wine in the world is Europe. This probably does not come as a surprise as the Europeans were the first to be recognized globally for their wine creation. However, the areas of wine mass consumption may surprise some readers. Vatican City consumes nearly 30-percent more wine per capita than anywhere else on earth. Surrounding European regions come in second and fall in similar measures to one another. Plausible theories behind the Vatican’s radical wine consumption are that its population is very small and consists of no children, as well as the possibility that outside residents come to Vatican City to buy wine because it is tax free. The numbers have some people questioning the sobriety of the priests and cardinals who live in Vatican City.

Among other high wine consuming countries were Uruguay in South America and Australia. Surprisingly, burgeoning wine regions such as Chile, Portugal, Canada and the United States did not make the top twenty list of wine consuming countries. The United States ranks in the mid-50’s for its consumption of wine, which suggests that the connection between consumption and income is not necessarily valid. Wine is found to be more of a cultural staple than a measure of income.

Wine is one of the oldest documented beverages to be consumed in history. It is possible that the wine making process is more than 10,000 years old. However, it is impossible to compare modern wine to ancient wine, as the process is hardly recognizable from what it used to be.

Throughout most of history, wine was consumed as a necessity, not for pleasure. Water and milk were full of disease before any filtration or pasteurizing standards were implemented, and because alcohol was naturally sterile, wine was consumed mainly for sustenance.

This practice carried on all the way until the Renaissance between the 14th and 17th centuries brought about the process of wine making as an art form. A small group of elite wine experts began to recognize that some wines were far superior to others, and certain regions began to be championed for producing better wine.

During the Enlightenment of the 18th century, the modern wine movement began. Analysis of grape choice, grape growing, wine making, wine storage and wine aging changed forever how the world created and valued wine. The way we produce wine now is a highly specialized form of the process that emerged in this time.

As drinking water became safe and trusted, wine only grew in its rank as a pleasurable substance. Its popularity still had its ups and downs in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries due to vineyard disease, world wars, popularity of liquors and prohibition, but from the mid-20th century to the present time, wine has been more popular and accessible than in any other time through out history. Establishments in every modern and developing nation serve varieties of wine, and the more money and area has, the more wine selection it is privy to.

Wine has been a continuously growing trend throughout history. It had humble beginnings as a sour, widely spread beverage and evolved over centuries into one of the world’s most sought after beverages. Few other foods and drinks have experienced quite as significant a success story as wine.