Wine for a teenager.
 

I'm going to Italy for the first time in about two weeks. I'm sixteen and going with a group of about 15 people from my school. Anyways, i was wondering about what wine I would like. I've never drank wine before and I'm exited to try! And no, i'm not going to go wacko over the no drinking age thing. What wine is commonly served at restaraunts that is good? And feel free to add any other traveling tips. I'm going to Florence, Venice, Rome,Pisa, and a couple of other places. Oh, and what are things I can do from becoming a victim of pick pocketing?? Besides the obvious...Thanks.

Well, Simsy, if I were you, I'd concentrate on grammar and spelling a bit more than what wine you will be able to drink. And I assume if you are American and going with a group from school and there are chaperons, no way are they going to let you drink.

> I've never drank wine before
Good joke :D :D

You will have the opportunity to taste different "house wines" both vino rosso (red) and bianco (white) at each restaurant. Teens in Italy are very accustomed to be offered and served whatever is the wine of the region and you can try them all. You will be offered a small jug/carafe and can pour as much or as little into your glass as you like. (If you like what you drink, you can ask what it is and then look for it back home-sadly, you will likely have to remember it for 3-5 years given the unenlightened liquor laws in North America.)

Italian teens always celebrate the birthdays of friends and end of school term with groups of their peers in local restaurants and, by 16, they are savvy food and drink consumers. They NEVER finish all the wine at the table: it is considered ill-mannered. (But don't worry, as a tourist no one will judge you, if you like it and want to finish as long as you can handle it and don't get loud or silly, which it doesn't sound as if you would.)

As far as the pickpocketing thing: I was a don (kind of a house-mother) for a residence of a college of teens in Italy. In all the time we were involved with them and taking the kids from our school to Rome, Florence, Sorrento, Verona etc. we NEVER had one of the group successfully pick-pocketed. Number one: as a teen, you are not viewed as easy pickings as you are likely alert and athletic. Number two: you are not seen (most probably) as wealthy. If you are sensible and don't show-off your money, camera, fancy jewellery, it is unlikely you will be bothered.

Stay with your group, by all means if you are shy or nervous. But try to find some time all by yourself to wander and discover your own Italy.

Have a wonderful trip!

Just so you know, i am going with chaperons and they are completly fine with us drinking wine. As I stated above, i do not intend on going out and getting drunk. I may be a teenager, but i am not stupid. As for my grammer: this is an online forum. Get over it. I'm asking for advice, not criticism of my age,grammer, and nationality. Thank you.

It's spelled grammar, just so you know.

> i do not intend on going out and getting drunk. I may be a teenager, but i am not stupid.
Now it seems is the time to learn that going out and getting so "pissed" you can't stand is actually great fun. :-). You just need a safe environment. Don't waste you youth :-), you can stay sober later.

&quot;<i>Get over it.</i>&quot;

And you hope to get exactly where w/ that???

If your chaperones are OK w/ you drinking - maybe ask them (and how does the school feel about it?)

lol. Thanks :). Grammar.

When I was in high school I went on a school sponsored trip to Europe for teens. The chaperones did allow us to drink, but in moderation. By that I mean we were allowed one beer or one glass of wine and that's it, end of story. The reason we were given was that we were following the local custom by sampling the local beer or wine, but nobody in our group was allowed to have more than one.

As for pickpocketing, our teacher told us that every year someone in the group gets pickpocketed, and of course, it did happen to a girl in our group. She was walking down the street in Rome while thumbing through her purse. A kid ran by and snatched her passport. (In case you don't know, a US passport is a hot item on the black market) So she spent the entire next day at the US Embassy getting a new passport, since you cannot get on the plane without it.

The reason you could be a target is that kids who take these trips are usually not seasoned travelers and do not take the necessary precautions. My advice to you is to keep your passport, extra money and credit cards in a money belt under your clothing. If you are female, keep your purse close by at all times, in fact it's best if you can carry it with the strap across your chest instead of over one shoulder. (I hope that makes sense) When you are at a restaurant, do not hang your purse on the back of your chair. If you are a guy, keep your wallet in your front pocket and always be aware of anyone bumping into you. Of course, this advice does not just apply in Europe but anywhere in the world, including your own country.

On a personal note, my first trip to Europe as a teen was like a dream. I've been back many times over the years, but nothing will ever compare to being a teenager seeing Europe for the first time. Please make the most of this trip, and have an absolute blast!! :-)

Sorry if i sounded like a snob. :)

I first went to Europe at 17 on a 4-H trip... many years ago. We spent quite a few evenings in bars with our chaperone.

When my daughter was headed to France with her teacher I thought back to this experience. I told her to drink what her host family served. And be safe. I think she was better behaved than others of her group. LOL

Be responsible. That's the best any of us can do.

I guess I would recommend that you first drink the house wine. Order red, white or rose. See what strikes your fancy. From there try to taste what is local. See what kind of wine calls to you. Remember, your taste will probably taste many times over your lifetime. But it is good to taste and see what you enjoy NOW.

Bon Voyage!

Ignore the moralists...

For reds, Chianti and Valpolicella are probably the ones you should look for. Brunellos, Amarone and Barolos are more high end.

For whites,pinot grigio and orvieto would be good choices.

These are fairly wide categories, but it should be a good starting point.

Avoid grappa!

Simsy, we were posting at the same time, please scroll up to see my post.

Simsy, I really don't care how well you spell.

If your post is sincere, I offer the only advise I can to a 16 year old with such a question. Please do not drink. I am very sincere with my answer. The adults going along on the trip are morons if they are indeed going to allow you and your classmates to &quot;try&quot; wine. I'm sorry but as a parent of a recovering 22 year old who never drank before college I have NO tolerance for such idiotic behavior.

oops... I meant to type that your Taste will Change over the years.

&gt;Please do not drink. I am very sincere with my answer. The adults going along on the trip are morons if they are indeed going to allow you and your classmates to &quot;try&quot; wine.

So Italians and French must be all idiots, right?

Hahaha..thank you guys! I had to laugh at some of the posts.

At age 16, it is very unlikely that you will appreciate the dry wines served with meals. I have heard young people call them 'bitter' or 'sour' especially when they were expecting something with a sweet taste like a dessert wine. Unfortunately, even a wine that you don't like starts tasting better and better when the alcohol starts doing its evil deed. So be very careful.

The most likely thing that will happen is that you'll get falling-down-drunk one day, maybe even puking your guts out, and you won't want to touch a drop of wine for a year or two. At your age, that's maybe not a bad thing to happen. I didn't start appreciating wine until I was 21 even though it was readily available to me starting at about age 12.

Prost Simsy! ;-)