in defense of cheap wine

So there are all these little tales of academics being connoisseurs of wine.  Since becoming a member of this circle (with yet none of the financial benefits, although admittedly there aren't really many to be had), I have only encountered a few.  And trust me, they're people you wouldn't want to eat dinner with.  Most of the academics I know are hipster-leaning intellectuals who would rather spend their money on beer, books, and iPads.  Admittedly, I have no sampling of academic folk from the Ivy-places, but let's just say that I wouldn't even consider having dinner with most of those people anyway.

Am I kidding?  You decide.

Back to the point at hand.  Wine, it's expensive.  According to people I know who know even a little bit about wine, the truth is that to get to that next level you've got to throw down some bills.  If I had bills, I'd be throwing them down on clothes and organic meats, things of that nature, and certainly not wine.  Why?  Because I have this theory that an unsophisticated wine palate just doesn't know what it's missing.  It's blissful ignorance, and I think it can be maintained for my entire life.  To me (and don't gasp, wine lovers out there, keep breathing), a Merlot is a Merlot--aromatic, calm-inducing, sweet evening in a rounded glass.

Here's a red that's been circulating among us poor grad-student-folk here in Athens:

Less than three dollars a bottle at Trader Joe's.  Everyone agrees that it's decent.  

Before you go thinking I'm below par in any way, here me out on my beer theory.  Boutique beer is something I can really get behind.  To me, beer tastes like something with a thousand variations.  I feel about flavors with it how some people feel about flavors with wine.  I get excited to try new ideas, and I love the fact that several of my close friends here homebrew.  To me, the beauty of beer in this situation is its accessibility.  Even the priciest of beers won't set you back what a fancy wine will.  And there's A TON of amazing, flavorful, interesting beer in the eight to fifteen dollar range for a six-bottle-pack.

Here's my current favorite (actually, it's been a favorite for awhile):

It's a sour red beer, with a sweet, full aroma and a balsamic bite.  They have it here in Athens at Trappeze (just named one of the best 30 beer bars in the country).  

So no, I'm not knocking wine people.  But I am knocking the idea that cheaper wine is sad.  And I am suggesting that beer connoisseurs be taken more seriously.