Drinking at 15 isn't illegal (where I am) but sex at 15 is... as I don't condone sex outside of marriage there's no way my children will be exposed to the "it's OK to have sex whenever" attitude in the household where I grew up. Please don't compare the two, it is VERY insulting.

What age to drink... I figure if DS asks for a taste of wine then why not give him a sip? Obviously I'm not going to do that to a toddler, but a junior school child certainly. Alcohol doesn't cause any health problems UNLESS taken to excess (just like paracetamol - no one would say never to give a child a paracetamol, which is another drug that isn't vital to life) and has the odd benefit if taken in moderation (just like paracetamol!). That doesn't mean I'm going to encourage DS to have alcohol, that just means that if he's around 10-11 and wants a taste I don't have a problem with that.

Also, just because a taste of alcohol is allowed doesn't mean I expect DS drinking with every meal or every weekend. There's nothing wrong with saying no - another thing we will be teaching him. That's not "setting a bar" too low or too high, that's just teaching what is and is not acceptable. Legal behaviour that is not out of control is acceptable. I fail to see how that is bad parenting.