How old do you have to be to drink a virgin martini or margarita? Is there really an age limit?

In the United States, you must be 18 to enter a bar. So you have to be 18 to drink one in a bar. However, there is no age limit outside of a bar, as there is no alcohol.

According to wikipedia: "A Virgin martini is made just like the canonical version only leaving out the vermouth- basically chilled gin or vodka with a garnish."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_martini_variations

In the US there is a nation wide drinking age of 21, unless you want to break the law you have to wait untill your 21st birthday to drink any alcoholic beverage. In other countries the age limit is different.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_drinking_age#The_Americas

Er, a virgin cocktail is not supposed to contain any alcohol at all, and I think that's the sort of drink xo_cinnabon was talking about. That's why I was nonplussed. A virgin version of a fruit-juice-based cocktail makes sense, but a classic martini is all alcohol.

In fact, here's a "recipe" for a virgin martini that illustrates my point:

http://www.martinellis.com/recipes/n/nadvirggrnaplmartini.shtml

I thought a martini was supposed to contain the merest whiff of vermouth anyway. I prefer Vimto in my gin. Neat Vimto 50-50 with a not too dry gin. Perhaps Virgin have started marketing drinks other than Cola, and are producing alcopops..... Otherwise, a virgin martine sounds stronger than an experienced one, as vermouth is not as strong in alcohol as gin.

Don't forget the weak point of Wikipedia. It's written by the people for the people and checked by the people. Almost anyone can put up articles and inaccuracies are only found later. Looks like this may be one.

Good point, Ianfranco, and funny recipe. I know virgin means that the drink is supposed to lack alcohol, so why do you think the definition on wikipedia includes gin or vodka?