Wine Notes: drinks for techies

DRINKS

FOR TECHIES

BY AJ LINN

It had to happen sooner or later. Social media has finally established itself firmly in the wine world, mainly thanks to TikTok. Having developed from its initial purpose as a forum for all sorts of odd dance routines and funny videos, changing the music industry as it went, TikTok’s reach now extends to even the most unexpected areas of interest. And, to the dismay of many, it is showing what it can do to the drinks industry; although we may not have caught on yet, it is influencing what we drink. With one billion active users in 2020, its tentacles are spreading everywhere, and Drinks TikTok (or #DrinkTok) covers every conceivable sub-section, from cocktails to manufactured wine. Introduced in September 2016, TikTok is far from a new platform, but its prominence as a trend hub, influencing everything from the way we dress to the dishes we cook, became more relevant in the past year or so as TikTok’s main user base increased its age level. The platform has become more relevant to drinks specifically, as Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2000) reached legal drinking age. With their more sophisticated knowledge (or, at least, a wider experience) of alcohol and a deeper understanding of TikTok’s all-too-confusing algorithm, Gen Zs started sharing the creative cocktails and drinking hacks that brought DrinkTok into the mainstream. The age differentials are not as wide as many think: 60 per cent of users are over 25, and the key age sector, 25 to 34, doubled last year. As with the demographic changes across the platform, DrinkTok changes as well. In the world of drink, the quickly-expanding age range has resulted in a vast assortment of well-composed, high-production cocktail how-tos, giant punch bowls filled with cheap spirits and lots of fruit, and everything there and back. It is plain to see that recording yourself mixing cocktails at home for a TikTok video is a way to become popular. With many bars and restaurants hanging on by their fingernails after surviving COVID’s worst effects, the name of the game is to stick in there as one day all this will be horrible history. Even before TikTok came into our lives the wine lover with basic technical skills found a new world waiting out there at the click of a mouse. Merely typing “wine podcasts” into Google or DuckDuckGo search engines opens up endless possibilities, from attractive Masters of Wine couples to international experts like Tim Atkin, whose love of photography and music is offered as alternatives to a solid wine diet. YouTube, of course, is just so amazingly extensive that there is nothing known about wine that is not available there. Interested in unconventional maturing methods? Just type in “wine ageing without wood” and among a thousand other offerings we get the history of Georgia as the first wineproducing nation, complete with instructions on how to make the clay qvevris traditionally used. Want to see the history of sherry as the first Spanish export, and how this came about? It’s all there. The amazing algorithm means that, if we set YouTube to keep serving up material on the same subject, it will just keep going ad infinitum until even the most avid aficionado can stand no more. Sadly, many people become nervous on being handed the wine list in a restaurant, concerned about the possibility of becoming the laughing stock (behind their backs) of the servers for the errors they habitually make. So what could be more natural than to watch a video about choosing wine with a meal? Or how about opening a bottle when no corkscrew is available? Or cooling white wine without an ice bucket on hand? Ask for anything and it will surely throw up suggestions and recommendations within milliseconds. Buying wine online? It is hard to go wrong. There are even websites that compare other websites, so you are guaranteed to get the best price, come what may. We can also sell wine online, and that bottle of Vega Sicilia that we could never bring ourselves to open may find a happier and more appreciative destination if it is advertised on one of the hundreds of specialist sites. Come to think of it, what on earth did we do without the internet?

FINE DINING Venetiis is a delightful little restaurant tucked away in Benalmádena Pueblo that has earned high praise among authentic Italian food aficionados – and is referred to as the best restaurant in the village. It also features international and Spanish cuisine, superb value for money and a good wine list. All COVID-19 precautions are in force, vegan options are available and the tasting menu is better than most. Price range: €20 to €50 Open for lunch and dinner Calle San Miguel, Local 1, Benalmádena Pueblo Tel. (+34) 951 765 199 www.venetiisrestaurant.com