I voted but, honestly, I don't remember it's been so long ago.

My Uncle Bud made scuppernong wine and kept it in a very large crock. This sweet wine was my first taste - not sure of the age of me or the wine. He made it for medicinal purposes and never had a well day until it was gone.

My Mom took me to a tasting event for a local winery and kept handing me samples even though I was underage.

I was of legal age, but I sort of forced the issue and had my first legal drink on a flight from London to Copenhagen. It was champagne, I then had whiskey in an airport, changed flights and had white wine with dinner.

The poll didn't take into account that it's legal to drink alcohol under the supervision of a legal guardian (meaning many of us tried alcohol before being legal to purchase it without having to swipe any), as well as expected in many cultures (Germany, France, Ireland, to name a few) to begin getting a feel for alcohol at younger ages.

Just remember, the sooner you start drinking, the faster you can develop your tastes!

And then there's college, but that's something else altogether.

I wasn't of legal age, but it was at my wedding so no one said anything. It's good I got started then, because the marriage and subsequent divorce necessitated a LOT of wine drinking.

My mom let me try it when I was younger because she guessed correctly that I'd hate it.

Uh, Passover Seder? Bar Mitzvah? Derp Derp.

threemoons wrote:Uh, Passover Seder? Bar Mitzvah? Derp Derp.

Yep! I was 8 or 10. Passover at my grandparents. Grandpa made his own wine, had it blessed, served it to all as part of family holidays.

Where's the 'when my parents gave me some for special occasions like Thanksgiving and New Years' option? :P

I never had a first communion, not being a catholic and all, but I first started having wine at holiday family dinners about 2nd or 3rd grade.

My dad was a deacon at church when I was a kid so on communion days, he'd be in charge of preparing the wine and wafers. Us kids would always find a way to steal a little of each when the adults weren't looking.

8 days old.

About 10 ... maybe 9. It was my dad's. It was Thunderbird. He didn't like it any better than I did.

Later - like, when I was 13-14, bottles of Lancer's or Almaden or Mateuse were passed around at "parties" ... those were marginally better.

Then, a certain white bordeaux landed in my lap and I was in love. Both with the wine and the somewhat older girl who provided the wine. I was 14.

Back in the late 70's the legal drinking age was 18 (in NC). But I still was't old enough. However the law wasn't really enforced. I could walk into just about any 7-11 & buy a bottle of Boone's Farm. Strawberry Hill was our favorite. I always looked young for my age so it was just that the store clerks didn't care. Kind of scary when I think back on it now. Oh, and I could go to night clubs without getting 'carded'. I never had a fake id.

Fifteen, used to drink the cheap glass gallon jug wine at friends' parties. Carlo Rossi, I believe.

And my first drunk experience was off a single tall glass of Mad Dog 20/20 (whether anyone counts that as "wine" or not).

Didn't really get to experience good wine till my early 20s, I suppose.

joelsisk wrote:8 days old.

+1

And this question sure feels like a repeat..

Seriously, need the option for "whenever my parents gave me some when I was growing up"....

My sister and I had a fancy glass. looking back, they were crystal sherry (2 oz) glasses. They were for special occasions like Christmas Eve or 'Easter'; so once or twice a year we got an ounce and a half of wine. Not enough to affect us or disgust us, but enough so it was special.