5 Reasons It’s Definitely Best to Drink Wine Before Noon

Most people are familiar with the term ‘day drinking’ and in my opinion people either love it or hate it.

Basically, the term means drinking before the sun goes down, and for those under 30 – drinking copious amounts and being in bed by 6pm (I’m not admitting that this may or may not be based on a personal experience).

It’s very common in summer as all that vitamin D seems to make you crave a crisp glass of wine. However today on the blog I specifically want to talk about drinking before noon, yes, before 12pm and why I think it’s good. I can already hear some of you gasping from here, don’t be scared, read on…

Now that I am in the over 30s club, I’d like to say I have matured somewhat. I am soon to be celebrating another 30-something birthday and to be honest drinking before noon is actually something I really enjoy. Do note, however, I am talking about weekends and holidays, I literally do not crack a bottle of Shiraz to have with my breakfast before work!

I actually came up with this blog topic last weekend prior to heading to the Brave New Wine lunch at No Mafia. I was heading to the lunch with a friend and we thought we’d meet up beforehand so we could arrive together.

My friend looked into what was nearby and open before 12pm and suggested Lot 20. We organised to meet at 11am to have a pre-wine and catch up. I hate being late for anything so naturally, I was there early and sipping on wine before 11am. Being the only one in the bar drinking wine, I did wonder if the coffee drinkers were quietly judging me.

The bar staff did, however, give me the thumbs up of approval – good on them! However it made me think, should we judge people who are drinking wine before midday?

I say no, don’t judge them as I reckon they have a pretty good reason why they are tucking into our favourite wine-y beverage bright and early. So why do I think early morning drinking is pretty darn great? Here are my 5 reasons:

1. Your palate is untainted & heightened

First thing in the morning your palate is fresh and more sensitive to flavours and sensations, therefore, making you a better wine taster.

Typically when I do drink before noon it is for an occasion, one, in particular, is Christmas. Ever since I was old enough to drink I remember having champagne or sparkling wine with a BBQ Christmas breakfast. Before I really got an appreciation for wine, it was mimosa’s (orange juice and sparkling wine) and nowadays it’s fine champagnes.

My palate is more alert and aware first thing in the morning.

Tip: If you are going to drink in the morning, just be wary of brushing your teeth beforehand – toothpaste and wine are not a good match!

2. Your wine drinking style is more appreciative

I don’t know about everyone else who morning drinks but I find the style you drink in the morning is slower and more laid-back. You’re not in a hurry to catch up, or down everything in sight as you have a full day ahead of you.

Instead, you take your time and enjoy every sip with your heightened morning senses. Typically morning drinking is attached to breakfast or brunch – both very laid back social meals that can set the mood for the rest of your day.

3. Breakfast foods are epic for wine matching

Croissants, bacon, hashbrowns, eggs, fried mushrooms… The list goes on, breakfast food is absolutely fantastic for wine matching!!

Hand me a croissant with a glass of champagne at 6am in the morning and I’ll literally be putty in your hands. Plus don’t get me started with bacon and wine matching – the possibilities are literally endless.

And then there’s brunch, this glorious meal should not be complete without oysters and yes you guessed it, oysters go insanely well with Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and bubbles!

Plus don’t get me started on these champagne pancakes with strawberry champagne syrup.

4. It puts you in a good mood for the day

Ok so this point, you do need to read the fine print for. If you have that little bit too much early in the day then it can lead to grumpiness, naps or worse (e.g. re-read the first paragraph – it’s not always the under 30s it happens to).

However, if you hit that sweet spot and just have a glass or two, you’ll be starting the day off on a high note! Plus you have no doubt seen all those articles online about the study which concluded one glass of wine will make you more attractive to others.

5. You can assess a wine better

This is along the same lines as #1 – your palate and senses are in better shape in the morning and because of this, you can assess the quality of a wine better.

For instance, I always write my tasting notes by looking at the appearance first, followed by the aromas and then what it’s like in the mouth. In the morning, or during the day there’s no doubt natural light is at its best so you can properly access the colour.

This coupled with your heightened senses means you’re going to write a far better tasting note and will be giving the wine the best chance to shine without numerous other factors disrupting you.

So this is why I love before noon wine-time, are you a fan of early morning wine drinking? If so make sure to leave a comment below so I know there’s more of us out there!