What is the Best Alcohol for Romance? It's Wine!

Our articles may contain affiliate links. For more information, view our policies.

Table of Contents

The history of wine and seduction

The elixir of Bacchus…The world’s last legal intoxicant…Wine has long been considered the liquid precursor to sensual pleasure. Popular thinking associates the loss of inhibition brought on by all forms of alcoholic drinks with wild, Bacchanalian revelry. But there just might be more to the powers of wine than simple, alcoholic stimulation. Read on to discover why wine is hands down the best alcohol for romance.

Evidence-based reasons wine is the best alcohol for romance

According to the research of Australian winemaker and surgeon Dr. Max Lake, the scents of certain wines replicate the smells of human pheromones, those tantric body scents said to excite sexual instinct. “The very act of tasting a wine can start a cascade of sensations likely to trigger at least a dribble of happy hormones,” promises Lake.

Lake maintains that the entire sensory experience of wine, from appearance to the lingering finish, is an act of temptation. But the aroma of a wine is what can tempt a woman or man to thoughts of more sensual acts. In other words, it’s the scent that makes wine a turn-on.

What is the best wine for sex?

There’s a popular notion that red wine is best if you’re going to try to seduce someone with wine. But when you look at the science, the answer is actually a lot more complex than just popping the cork on any old bottle of red.

As a matter of fact, it’s actually Champagne, Cava, Prosecco and other sparkling wines that Dr. Lake deems the most likely to turn on a lover. And there is so much to love about sparkling wine that might lead to a night of passion.

Let’s start with the celebratory “pop” of a cork. That is the sound of a good time.

Next is the texture. Sparkling wine has such a distinctive, bright and fun texture. And those bubbles are known for producing a giddy sensation. And then there’s the fact that Champagne, for most of us, isn’t an everyday drink.

These things could all contribute to sparkling wine’s power to seduce…But Lake thinks the key is its unique aroma and that aroma alone may increase desire and sexual arousal.

Thanks to the research of serendipitously named Dr. John Amoore, we know that the primary female pheromones are linked to the smells of seafood and soft, ripe cheeses. And it just so happens that the delicate aromas of soft cheese, such as Camembert, is an aromatic often associated with Champagnes and other sparkling wines made in the Méthode Champenoise.

A complex beverage, Champagne produces aromatics that resemble a female pheromone. But it also produces a male pheromonal aroma proven in studies to influence female reproductive physiology. (In other words, smelling Champagne could jump-start a woman’s sex drive.)

Why you want to drink “sweaty” wine

In addition, Champagnes and sparkling wines also often produce a “sweaty” note, said to tempt women and men. To capture these aromas and set the tone for passion, Lake recommends serving Brut or Blanc de Blanc sparkling wines–and they must be ones made in the Champenoise method.

Here’s one of my favorite American sparkling wines for a romantic evening

Other wine styles are noted for producing “sweaty” aromas, including aged Semillons and some Rieslings. Some white Burgundies offer this aroma as well.

Red wine and sex

Of course, it isn’t just white wines that are the best wines for men or women, when the objective is fanning flames of sexual desire. The scents used to describe many red wines–leather, sweat, spice, musk–are nearly identical to the scents emitted from the glands of a man’s hair follicles. This means they are essentially the same as the smells associated with the primary male sex hormone, androstenone.

In addition, Dr. Lake asserts, androstenone smells a great deal like the scent new oak imparts on fermenting grape juice. “The mature Cabernet Sauvignon has an essence which is as close to this natural sexual turn-on as one could hope for,” he adds. Perhaps this is the hidden explanation for the ever-rising trend toward full-bodied, oak-enhanced reds.

Can wine improve mood?

Although it might sound like a flimsy plot from an Anne Rice novel, a well-planned wine selection could just spell “sure thing.” You see, the scents we introduce to our bodies have the power to release more than just sexual hormones.

Not only can scents trigger sexual excitement and attraction, but they can also alter mood. It is believed that pheromonal scents can improve mood, promote relaxation, self-assuredness and feelings of well-being. Dr. Lake’s research asserts that not just actual pheromones but those scents – like the ones in wine – that replicate pheromones, can trigger the same results in the brain.

What wine should you buy for your next date night?

If you want to put wine’s sensual promise into practice, you’re most likely to awaken the senses with wines featuring generous aromas.

Shop for great seduction wines on Drizly, my favorite local alcohol delivery service

The best white wines to seduce someone

Champagne is always a great choice. But if you prefer still wines, try aged Sémillons, Chardonnays that are oak-fermented and aged in oak, aged, dry Rieslings.

The best red wines to seduce someone

If you’re wondering how to temp a woman or man with a red wine, look for musky Syrahs, full-bodied, American Cabernet Sauvignons and earthy Bordeaux blends and red Burgundies.

So next time you’re thinking of serving a drink to improve your sex life, skip the cocktails and reach for that bottle of wine!

RELATED: Wine for a Romantic Picnic