A very good story, Michele. Honest and thought-provoking. My perspective --as someone who drinks- is that there's a bit of the guilty pleasure about it. Not unlike indulging in chocolate, I suppose, although perhaps with more serious consequences for overindulging.

I can't imagine that anyone who drinks is unaware of the health risks--I certainly am--so to continue enjoying the evening glass or two of wine regardless of the possible health risks suggests a lack of self-control at best which isn't exactly a comfortable feeling-- perhaps the way the woman who spoke to you was feeling.

It's funny, I read your story and wanted to comment rather than just clap, but after reading all the responses--mostly it seems from non-drinkers--I had second thoughts about admitting my own enjoyment and having it seen (rightly or wrongly, I'm not sure) as a failure of self-control.

Then I decided that anyone reading my stories would probably have picked up on the fact that I do have more than a passing interest in wine and decided to respond anyway, then rambled on far longer than I'd intended . . .