Grape Gossip, Wine, The New Health Craze

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Wine - The New Health Craze?

Okay, so it’s the new year, traditionally a time for abstinence, dieting and getting healthy after the Christmas over-indulgence. But had you considered that wine could be an essential part of a healthy diet, and may even hold those winter sniffles at bay? Recently published scientific research suggests that moderate consumption of wine could be beneficial, so I thought I’d look into it a little.

Last week, the Times ran a headline which read ‘2 ½ bottles of wine a week can save your life.’ Sensational perhaps, but based on a 20-year Danish survey of premature death rates among 12,000 men and women which showed the lowest mortality rate was amongst moderate, steady drinkers (defined as 14 drinks in a week – a glass of wine, bottle of beer or measure of spirit) who were moderately or very physically active. The premature death rate in this group was lower even than in active teetotalers! Although not a particularly precise survey, the length and size of this study shows that wine when drunk in moderation must have some health benefits.

It also calls into question the government’s recommended weekly alchohol allowance, especially that for women. Even at a meagre 12.5% ABV, 2 ½ bottles of wine constitutes 23.5 units, 2 ½ units higher than the official guidelines for men and 9 ½ units higher than that for women, which in themselves have no scientific basis (a member of the working party from the Royal College of Physicians which worked on the figures confessed last year to having plucked them out of the air as a ‘best guess’ when put under pressure in 1987). The worying thing about this is that most Government research in to alcohol is based upon these figures which hardly inspires confidence in their results.

Wine seems to be of most help in combatting heart disease and cancer, but other benefits have been mooted, including improved memory and resistance to the common cold. There are also chemical compounds in wine which elements in the pharmaceutical industry claim help to combat the signs of aging and increase lifespan (although in a much-engineered form).

So why is wine so healthy? Well let’s start by making it clear that it’s red wine that appears to have all the health benefits. White is not so good for you and (like almost everything else, including breathing) it may slightly increase the risk of cancer. Red wine, however, contains all sorts of compounds not found in white which are certainly beneficial (even if some of them stain your teeth).

The cancer-fighting ingredients are polyphenois, which work as anti-oxidants (well known to combat cancer) and are found in all red wines.

Procyanidin, which helps protect against heart disease and strokes (and also helps memory in old age as it keeps the blood vessels in the brain from swelling and restricting brain cell activity) is found in varying amounts among red wines, but is most prevalent in the wines of South West France and Sardinia. The grape variety is key, the best being Tannat, which is a relatively obscure grape used in the wines of Madiran (France) and often in Uruguay. And guess what? Surprise, surprise we have wines from both regions in the shop so you can pop in and get your health kick whenever you want!

The other keys to healthy winemaking are low-yielding vines, traditional techniques (another reason that Madiran, which is dominated by small producers) and longer fermentation which allow greater extraction, not just of the flavour components, but also of the healthy compunds. Thus mass-produced Malbec is no use, but traditionally produced Cahors, or top quality Argentine Malbec is almost as good as Madiran!

Other than Tannat, the healthiest grapes (in descending order) are:

Tannat Malbec Grenache Aglianico Cabernet Sauvignon Tempranillo Sangiovese Nebbiolo Syarh/Shiraz.

Good news for reserve, then, that carefully made, high quality red wines have clear health benefits when consumed in moderation, but it’s important to remember that alcohol can also have a negative effect on health, and when consumed all at the same time, those 14 drinks will do more harm than good!

Below is a list of ‘healthy’ wines which you can find on our shelves or our website, so get drinking and get healthy!

Domaine Berhomieu, Madiran Charles Batz Pizzorno Reserva (Uruguay). Currently not in stock, but should be soon! Chateau Pineraie, Cahors Vesevo, Benventano Aglianico Cullen, Mangan – even better as it’s bio-dynamic and doesn’t have any added nasties! Pascual Toso, Magdelene (when we can get it!) Pertaringa, Two Gentlemen Grenache

and many more…