美国酒文化

WinecultureinAmericaContentsWinevarietiesAlcoholandthelawDrinkingpurposeWinevesselDrinkingetiquettewinefestivalsWinevarietiesInUnitedStates,winecanberoughlydividedintobeer,whisky,wineandcocktail.Beer（啤酒）Americanbeer,withveryfewexceptions,variesfromthemediocre(普通的)totheterrible.TherearenotmanytypesofbeerintheUS,“light”and“dark”aretwotermscommonlyused.WinevarietiesTheHardStuff(威士忌)InAmerica“whiskey”meansbourbon(一种烈性威士忌酒，最初为美国肯塔基州Bourbon地区所产)unlessotherwiseindicated.Bourbonisaratheroilyspiritmadefrommaize(玉米).Rye(黑麦威士忌酒)whiskeyiscalled“rye”andScotchwhiskeyiscalled“Scotch”.WinevarietiesWine（葡萄酒）Inbarswinecanoftenbeboughtbytheglass.Don’tbemisledbynames,suchas“Chablis”isusedtorefertowhitewineand“Burgundy”tored.AmericansseemnevertohaveheardofwhiteBurgundy.WinevarietiesCocktails（鸡尾酒）Cocktailsand“mixeddrinks”aremuchmorepopularandratherstrongerintheUSAthaninEurope,andtherearehundredsofdifferentcocktails.WinevesselWinevesselcultureisanimportantcomponentofthewineculture.TherearemanykindsofdrinkingvesselsintheUnitedStates,andeachwinehasitsfixeddrinkingvessel,suchasCocktailglass,wineglass,champagneglass,brandyglassandsoon.DrinkingetiquetteToast(敬酒)ThereisfewAmericanstoasteachotheronthetable,andmostofthemdrinkbythemselvesorfindpartnerstodrinkandchat.Onlyincertainoccasions,theywilltoasttogether,forexample,ablessing,congratulationsonsomethingorsomebody.DrinkingetiquetteClink(碰杯)Inaspectofclink,theAmericanpeoplewillnotspeciallytomaketheirownglasseslowerthanothers’toshowhishumility.WhenAmericansseeatableofChineserushtopresstheirownglasseslowerthanothers’whiletheyareclinking,mostofthemwillbefullofsurpriseandincomprehension.DrinkingetiquetteUrgestodrink(劝酒)ThepeopleoftheUnitedStatesemphasizethedemocracyandfreedom,neverinterfereandforceothers.Theydrinkwiththeirfreedomandindependenceinthedinner,donotneedpoliteandcourteous.Whentheysaynottodrink,themasterisnoturgingpeopletodrinkinanycase.DrinkingpurposeOnonehand,Americansarefocusedonwinetastingwhentheydrink.Ontheotherhand,WhetherChineseorAmerican,everyonegathertogethertodrinkmostlyinordertocontactfeelingandtheneedofcommunication.AlcoholandthelawAmericanlawsconcerningalcoholvaryfromstatetostateandcitytocity.Sometowns,evenstatearetotallyissoldatallexceptthattheyallowthesaleofveryweakbeer.SomeplacesdonotallowthesaleofalcoholonSundays.AlcoholandthelawInmanypartsofAmerica,youarenotallowedtodrinkalcoholinapublicplace.Andinmanystatesyouarenotallowedtodrinkalcoholwhiledriving,orevenhaveanopenedalcoholcontainerinthecar.Somebarshavealicenseonlyforbeerandwine.Othersarealsoallowedtosellspiritsandthus,asAmericanssay,“mixeddrinks”.TheLegalDrinkingAgeLegaldrinkingagevariesfromplacetoplacebutisgenerallybetween18to21.Someplacespermittheconsumptionofbeerat18butspiritsonlyat21.Otherspermittheconsumptiononlyof“three-two”beerfrom18to21.Insomeplacespeoplebelowlegaldrinkingagearenotevenallowedtosellalcohol.winefestivalsTheconsumptionandappreciationofwineamongAmericanshasgraduallygivenrisetoadistinctivelyAmericanswineculture.Americanwineenthusiastsengageinceremoniesorfestivalsthatcelebratethefinethingsinlife.winefestivalsThelocations(e.g.NewYorkCity;Aspen,Colorado;andLongboatKey,Florida)anddatesofAmericanwinefestivalshavenothingtodowithwineproduction.Mostwinefestivalsaretargetedatthewealthyandconsistofhoursoflectures,seminarsandstructured“blindtastings”.ThankYou!