spoiled grape juice

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spoiled grape juice (uncountable)

1. (slang, humorous) Wine.
   • 1910, George Randolph Chester, Young Wallingford‎, page 186:

     Any time I let a kindergarten crowd like that work a trick on me that was invented right after Noah discovered spoiled grape juice, I owe myself a month in jail.

   • 2002, Glen Cook, Angry Lead Skies: A Garrett, P.I., Novel‎:

     The rest of the Tates are wine people, every one with a favorite vintage. I'm not much on the spoiled grape juice myself.

   • 2003, Steven Stoker, You May Think Life Stinks But It Could Be Verse‎, page xiv:

     In my mind they are like those who view spoiled grape juice as something of great value, something described with such terms as “body”, “bouquet”, “woody”, “tannin”, “supple”, “sweet”, and etc. all in an effort to impress the listener with their “cultured” background in fine wines.

   • 2011, George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois, Down These Strange Streets‎:

     The modern obsession with spoiled grape juice is inexplicable.

Often used to refer to wine derisively, and to present a negative characterization of wine drinkers.