微醺狀態逛酒展 (一) / Browsing a Wine Expo in a Tipsy Mood (Part 1)

人們常說「酒是穿腸毒藥」，矛盾的是，儘管如此，喜好飲酒的人依然比比皆是，像我有一位長輩，幾乎每天都會來幾杯酒，據他說，一日不飲酒，渾身乏力，搭著餐點，小酌幾杯，反而身體更健康，至少，據我所知，那位長輩在聚餐時，幾乎沒喝醉過，而且身體還算是不錯，不知道是特例，還是真的如此。

近年來的酒展也是越來越多，而品酒風氣也盛行一時，在公司閒聊時，我才知道，我有幾位女性同事會私底下相約去學品酒，她們偶爾會在週末參加威士忌品酒會，哇！威士忌篹是烈酒吧，我以為女生只喜歡喝紅酒或水果酒，這類較甜的酒， 或是她們醉翁之意不在酒，那我就不知道了。

得知又有酒展後，我特地找了好友一起去品酒，畢竟這種場合最棒的就是，每個攤位幾乎都大方請你試喝，根本是酒迷的天堂啊，平常哪有機會一次把威士忌、白蘭地、紅酒、白酒、清酒通通嚐過？展場就像一場小型環遊世界的酒旅，可以喝到不同國家的商品，像是加拿大的冰酒，我和朋友們邊喝邊聊，慢慢地，我就進入微醺狀態。

走到某酒商的展區，伴隨著講解員的介紹，讓我不自覺想細細品味她所推薦的酒款，她說起酒的年份、蒸餾過程，以及每一口背後的歷史，我一邊聽，一邊讓酒液在舌尖緩緩散開，甘醇又帶有一絲刺激，微醺的狀態，讓我對這些細節更加敏銳，好像能透過味覺，真實觸碰到遙遠的風土與時間，這就是所謂的故事行銷吧。

據我觀察，酒展也像是一場社交聚會，可以看到有人三五成群熱烈討論，有人靜靜獨自品嚐，有人偏愛清爽的白酒，有人熱愛醇厚的紅酒，還好我有朋友陪伴，和攤位業務討論時，有人可以分擔業務的注意力，因為每個攤位，還是希望消費者能多多消費，不過，來往的人潮太多，他們光忙著倒酒及分發試飲酒，就幾乎無力推銷酒。

People often say, “Alcohol is poison that harms the body,” but ironically, despite that, there are still so many people who love drinking. Take one of my older relatives for example. He drinks almost every day. According to him, if he skips a day, he feels weak all over. But if he enjoys a few drinks with his meal, he actually feels healthier. And honestly, from what I’ve seen, he rarely ever gets drunk at gatherings, and his health isn’t bad at all. I’m not sure if he’s just a special case, or if there’s actually some truth to it.

In recent years, wine expos have been popping up more and more, and the whole “wine tasting” trend has really taken off. During small talk at the office, I found out that a few of my female coworkers actually meet up to learn about wine tasting together. Sometimes they even join whisky tasting events on weekends. I was like, “Wow, whisky? Isn’t that a strong liquor”? I always thought women preferred red wine or fruit wines. As you know, the sweeter stuff. Or maybe the wine is just an excuse for them to enjoy the vibe… I’m not really sure.

So when I heard there was another wine expo coming up, I immediately called up a friend to go with me. The best part about these events is that almost every booth generously offers free samples. It’s basically heaven for wine lovers! Where else do you get the chance to try whisky, brandy, red wine, white wine, and even sake all in one place? The expo feels like a mini world tour of wine. You can sip on products from all sorts of countries. For example, I tried Canadian ice wine with my friends, and as we kept drinking and chatting, I slowly slipped into a tipsy state.

When we got to one vendor’s booth, the presenter started explaining the wine in such detail that I couldn’t help but want to savor it carefully. She talked about the vintage, the distilling process, and even the history behind each sip. I listened while letting the wine gently spread across my tongue — smooth but with a bit of a kick. Being tipsy actually made me more sensitive to the details, almost as if I could taste the distant lands and times through the flavors. I guess that’s what they call “storytelling marketing”.

From what I observed, a wine expo also feels like a social event. Some people come in groups and chat enthusiastically, some taste quietly on their own, and others clearly have their personal favorites, like crisp white wines or bold reds. Thankfully, I had friends with me, so when the booth staff tried to engage us, we could share the attention. Of course, every booth hopes people will buy more bottles, but honestly, the crowds were so big that the staff were mostly busy just pouring drinks and handing out samples. They barely had the energy to actually sell.

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