What is inebriation? Dictionaries say there are two states of inebriation: both talk about the loss of control. One talks about well-being and pleasure, while the other one is not the subject of this blog. The experience of inebriation requires moderation and safety as a necessary condition. It is a matter to leave to the experts.

I only consider what provides well-being and satisfaction: almost a state of abandonment. Available to anybody, it requires accountability and rejects excesses. In any case, you need a safe condition for yourself and others. Anyone who loves wine always promotes responsible consumption.

Wine tourism is also an experience of inebriation

The time we spend in the cellar goes fast during the wine tourism experience.  It is a dense, intense time, where tasting is more relationships with new people than trying new wines. The experience of human knowledge, territory, of sharing between people intensifies the perception of pleasure. It is a time that appears very short and understood as general well-being. A state of grace that makes you say: “I have everything I need to feel good.” Then, a question arises:

How often in our life can we experience this sensation?

Average, we do not even have the space for the question, let alone the answer. Speaking of wine, we should never forget that the drink belongs to humans but is always ‘elusive’. Even if we believe we dominate the matter, we all know that wine always contains a mysterious component that escapes us and always remains out of human control. Experiencing inebriation is also an acceptance of our limit.

Inebriation is a cocktail of mysterious elements

Searched the web to understand who and how we talk about inebriation, I found a cosmic void, with very few comments, strictly maintained in the study of philosophy. So, I report my observations: how do you get inebriated?

In my opinion, a good starting point is:

• be curious, open to diversity and experimentation – curiosity and the desire to discover allow us to be amazed, but at the same time to learn about experiences and worlds other than the obvious. They may also not be distant in space and be in a past time. In any case, one must try and make an effort to connect the dots of the discoveries with the so-called ‘connections’.
• choose innovative and not obvious paths – look for experiences that resonate with our values and with the elements that ignite our attention
• look for experiences where we have an active role – it is studied and proven by science that a dynamic activity helps to memorize and learn faster. Why not think that it can also produce pleasure?

With the last piece of advice, “I throw water at my mill” – an Italian expression that indicates “wanting to take advantage of a situation in an opportunistic way. I firmly believe that appreciating an experience is sometimes a bit tiring, and satisfaction may not always be immediate. You may need time to enjoy it fully.

 Tasting is a journey, and inebriation a point of arrival

There is a difference between drinking and tasting: grasping the aromas and nuances of a wine is the arrival of a journey. It may sound banal at the beginning, and this makes us feel inadequate. The tasting requires absolute dedication and concentration. On the contrary, inebriation requires a predisposition to relaxation and abandonment and has nothing to do with quantity. To seize the moment, you need to be present and alert, especially towards yourself. Inebriation is also a tool towards a discovery:  a description of one’s emotions in a state and moment. Another journey of experience, where a magical mix creates a situation made up of moments.

Just as in Heinrich Böll‘s “Opinions of a clown” novel, where the author makes his protagonist say: “I collect moments” – a famous quote that later became a pop aphorism for trendy t-shirts.

Drive to inebriation

A light activity in nature, a welcome in a well-kept cellar, almost always outdoors, when the climate allows it, contribute to the state of well-being. Well-trained, smiling, and welcoming staff, who take care of your well-being, excellent wines for tasting, accompanied by tastings of typical and high-quality food. Key ingredient: time to get lost and no time to waste. You also need to be in good company, with people who appreciate you and whose judgment you do not fear, because control inhibits abandonment, which is a necessary condition.

Staying outdoors contains the state of inebriation

Enjoying parks and gardens is the authentic dimension of the Italian lifestyle end of April on average. Living in the open spaces of nature automatically leads to synchronization with the variability of daylight, with the unexpected noises of leaves in the wind, with the sounds of animals. It is a state where one manages to enter into harmony and enjoy it to the fullest.  Chronological time dilutes. You are alert but differently present. Good company and good conversation help create the magic.

Inebriation may take you quickly. It is a feeling of relaxation, harmony, joy, and sharing. You would like it to last as long as possible, and like all magical moments, it has to end. It usually happens when the wine runs out.

Cheers!