Wine and Sex – Is it True that Wine is an Aphrodisiac?

Let’s talk about sex.

Okay, it may be a slightly odd topic for an Italian wine website to cover. But think about it for a moment. There has always been a link between alcohol and sex. Whether it’s led to a good night or a mistake that you’ll regret in the morning, most people have an alcohol-laden story of sexcapade from some point in their life.

But why is that? Why does that link between wine and sex even exist in the first place? Is wine a natural aphrodisiac?

It may well be. This article looks at the link between wine and sex and why you may want to consider a glass or two of the good stuff before getting down to the other good stuff.

Lowering Inhibitions

We’ve all had nights where we’ve perhaps consumed a little too much alcohol and done something that we might not have done otherwise. Anybody who’s found themselves dancing on a table despite not being an attention seeker, or somebody who’s belted a song out at karaoke despite not being able to sing, can tell you that.

But that’s also one of the ways that wine links into sex. Alcohol lowers your inhibitions and loosens you up. Of course, if you drink a little too much, this loosening can become a bit of a problem. But a couple of glasses of wine will make you more talkative and relaxed.

The upshot of this is that this is the perfect state to be in when talking to a potential romantic partner. You’ll become more open with one another, which allows you to take the conversation in different directions.

Your inhibitions are lowered. In some cases, they may be gone completely. Of course, the key is to only drink wine to an appropriate level. Too much and you end up becoming sloppily drunk, which has the exact opposite effect than you may have intended.

Lowered inhibitions may lead to you sparking up a conversation that you may otherwise have never had. It leaves you more open to trying new things. It’s also a little dangerous in that too much wine may lower your inhibitions to the point where you do something that you regret or don’t remember doing at all.

So, there’s a fine line to tread in regards to your inhibitions and wine. A little may loosen you up. A little too much may lead to a bad decision.

The Science

Of course, this is something that most of us already know about alcohol. But did you know that there’s some science to suggest that alcohol is an aphrodisiac beyond the lowering of inhibitions that it allows for?

A group of Italian researchers looked into this in more detail. They examine 798 women, splitting them into groups of teetotallers and different types of alcohol drinkers.

The overall result of the study was the finding that those who drink alcohol tend to have higher sex drives and can derive more pleasure from the sexual act than those who don’t drink.

The study also reached another interesting conclusion. It found that of all of the alcohols examined, red wine seemed to be the most effective in this regard.

Of course, there are some provisos to this. As is the case with all alcohol, drinking too much red wine can have the opposite effect on your sex drive. An overabundance of alcohol can even lead to you have some depressive feelings, which will instantly get rid of any spark that you may have hoped for in the bedroom.

As usual, it comes down to moderation. Researchers generally agree that a glass or two of red wine is all that you need to stimulate your senses to the point where you have better sexual experiences. You’ll enjoy the openness that comes with moderate drinking. Plus, your brain will stay in the “pleasure” mode that’s so important for good sex.

Don’t believe us? Think back to the last time you had a few drinks. Specifically, think about the moods that you went through during the course of the night. You were probably very happy and chatty for the first couple of drinks. Then, as the night went on and you drank more, you probably found yourself feeling more tired and perhaps in less of a good mood.

The Physical Problem

Of course, all of this comes without the acknowledgment of the physical problems that a little too much wine can cause. We’re not talking about anything too serious here. But the men reading this will likely be able to recall an occasion or two when they had a little too much and were…unable to rise to the occasion, so to speak.

Again, this highlights the point about balance and moderation that we’ve made throughout the article. A glass or two of wine is enough to get your blood pumping and to move you into a more open mental state, both of which are ideal for good sex.

A little too much leaves you so inebriated that you can’t quite get things right. Oddly enough, you may even become a little too self-conscious and nervous when you’ve had a glass too many, which has the exact opposite of the aphrodisiac effect that you may have been hoping for.

The Final Word

So, what can we conclude from all of this?

Wine is an aphrodisiac. Italian red wine, in particular, seems to have an astonishingly potent effect on women. It can help you to lose your inhibitions, become more experimental with the ways you have sex, and generally lead to a good night.

But, as with almost everything in life, moderation is key. If you’re drinking too much, you’re unlikely to have a good sexual experience later on. Too much alcohol can take a physical and mental toll that you’ll struggle to overcome once you reach the bedroom.

Understand what you’re doing if you intend to use wine as an aphrodisiac. Take the night slowly and enjoy the drinking experience. This will put you in the relaxed mood needed to appreciate wine’s aphrodisiac effects.