Oenophilia. An oenophile ˈ is a lover of wine. In the strictest sense, oenophilia describes a disciplined devotion to wine, accompanying strict traditions of consumption and appreciation. In a general sense however, oenophilia simply refers to the enjoyment of wine, often by laymen

Layman

A layperson or layman is a person who is not an expert in a given field of knowledge. The term originally meant a member of the laity, i.e. a non-clergymen, but over the centuries shifted in definition....

. Oenophiles are also known as wine aficionados or connoisseur

Connoisseur

A connoisseur is a person who has a great deal of knowledge about the fine arts, cuisines, or an expert judge in matters of taste.Modern connoisseurship must be seen along with museums, art galleries and "the cult of originality"...

s. They are people who appreciate or collect wine, particularly grape

Grape

A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...

 wines from certain regions, varietal types, or methods of manufacture. While most oenophiles are hobbyists, some may also be professionals like vintner

Vintner

A vintner is a wine merchant. You pronounce it like this In some modern use, in particular in American English, the term is alsoused as a synonym for winemaker....

s, sommelier

Sommelier

A sommelier , or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, commonly working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food matching...

s, wine merchant

Merchant

A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...

s, or one who tastes and grades wines for a living.

The word did not exist in the wine lexicon until 1977 when Shirley Copperman coined it for her new bring-your-own-wine restaurant she and her husband dubbed "Oenophilia", located on the upper West Side of Manhattan. A reviewer in a local paper, The Westsider, wrote about the debut: "If the name suggests a rare disease you wouldn't want to catch, a sign in the window informs you that you may already have it. 'Oenophilia', it says, 'is an affliction of the senses characterized by intense cravings for good food and service and vintage wines served in a tasteful, comfortable setting at reasonable prices.'" The reviewer from the Village Voice wrote in 1977: "Oenophilia. No, not a social disease. It's the sensual orientation towards the pleasures of fine food and wine, and the name of a spiffy new bistro for elegant gourmandizing....'"