Adult Kool-Aid.

My parents visited over the weekend and they took my boyfriend and I to Sonoma for some wine tasting. It was my second trip to wine country, and it was wonderful, but there is one thing that I can't stop brooding over.

I have a ravenous sweet tooth. My favorite foods are candy and fruit. It is not surprising, therefore, that I tend to prefer sweet, fruity wines.

While in Sonoma, I found myself growing increasingly self-conscious about this preference. And now I feel like I can't demonstrate a preference for any light or sweet or fruity wine unless it is almost excessively complex. At dinner one night, I expressed interest in a wine that was described as sweet and peachy, and the waitress laughed at me and called it "adult Kool-Aid". At one winery, the wine pourer was really condescending because I didn't care for some of the bigger reds. I know I am young and my palate is not fully developed, but I am actually fairly knowledgeable about wine for someone my age, and I think my palate is probably more sophisticated than you might guess. Yes, my favorites are Pinot Noirs and Sauvignon Blancs, but I also enjoy plenty of other varietals, and actually, I brought home several Cabernet Sauvignons this weekend.

So, hey, pretentious wine pouring guy, don't belittle me just because I don't like your stupid Merlot. There's no need to make me feel like the only alternative is Boone's Farm.