Top 10: Drinking Countries - AskMen.com

Top 10: Drinking Countries - AskMen.com: "© iStockPhoto.com
Prev 10987654321 Next No.9 - ItalyPure alcohol consumption: 8.0 liters per capita per year

Like France, Italy is both a wine-producing and a wine-drinking country. And as in France, wine is an integral part of Italian gastronomy. Italians drink wine with meals, and they have no problem inviting the children to join them in doing so. The connection between food and booze is made clear by looking at Italian groves, where one commonly sees grapes growing alongside olive trees.

According to a 2007 U.S. Department of Commerce report, Americans import more table wine and vermouth from Italy than from any other country. This statistic speaks to the diverse array of quality Italian wines. As a result of its increased exportation, Italian wine has drastically improved over the past century. For example, producers in the Chianti region now increasingly stress grape quality over quantity. Chiantis are now made entirely of red Sangiovese grapes, which is perhaps Italy’s finest grape. In the past, Chianti was more of a rosée, blending the red with a little white wine to extend the batch.

Local Liquor
Grappa, a stiff sipping (or shooting) liqueur made from a by-product of the wine-making process."