inly,thereareracksof
uingstudiesintoredwine
inginparticular.Someappear
wanassociationwithpositive
h outcomes– it mayhelpto
cttheheart,forexample,and
studiesshowit boostinggood
acteriaorevenprotecting
ry.But there are many caveats
n the research. One is that it is
vermoderate drinking that is
d tobenefits. As soon as wine
e goes above moderate levels
itsor 1 ½ bottles a week), the
h risks from the alcohol
etely outweigh any possible
fromantioxidants or anything
Another snag is that studies are
universal: in some research it
y older people, for example,who seem to benefit. But perhaps
the most important take-home is
that it is impossible to unpick wine
drinking from other aspects of
lifestyle that may be protecting
health. Association is not
causation. Wine is not medicine.
Nevertheless, red wine is an
(optional) part of a Mediterranean-
style diet that is so often held up as
the ideal. Possibly due to the
relaxation and socialisation that
accompany the drinking of it. The
last word goes to the Blue Zones
project, which studies the world’s
healthiest communities. Their work
suggests that small amounts of red
wine, enjoyed with family and
friends, can be one of the pillars that
supports a long and healthy life.earlier because of ‘phenolic ripeness’,
relating to the f lavour compounds in
grape skin and pips. In hot summers,
sugar ripeness often comes first; picking
then risks producing thin-bodied,
underdeveloped wine. But waiting until
the fruit is phenolically mature could
produce a ‘hot’, high-alcohol wine
which may lack subtlety. It’s all part of
the winemaker’s balancing act.
After crushing, the time that the
grape skins are left in contact with the
juice is also important. All grape juice is
‘white’. It is the skins of red grapes that
give colour. So, you can make white
wine with red grapes if you separate the
skins straight away – as is the case with
Champagne. With rosé, the skins are
removed after a brief time. For red
wines, the ‘maceration’ can last several
weeks, laying the foundations for
intoxicating aromas; dried fig and black
pepper to cedar wood and cigar box.
ENJOYING A GLASS
Do drink outside your comfort zone
from time to time for a delicious
surprise or two. When it comes to food
matching, you needn’t be an expert:
that’s what sommeliers are for. At home,
On the label
OOrganic wine is produced to the
organic standards of the country
of origin, generally grapes grown
without synthetic pesticides and
fertilisers. They also have a lower
level of sulphites – chemicals used
as preservatives, which can cause
headaches, or even allergic
reactions. Some add no sulphites.
OBiodynamic growing has a small
but increasing following among
commercial winemakers. It starts
with organic methods but goes
further. Growers use the lunar
calendar to prune, harvest and
time applications of preparations
such as fermented cow manure,
which is stirred into rainwater
before being sprayed on the soil.
OVegan and vegetarian wines are
made without animal products
used to clarify and filter, such as
egg white, milk casein, gelatine or
isinglass (from fish).the simplest approach is to just think
about what to avoid. Delicate, bone-dry
white? Don’t pour it with a hefty stew or
rich chocolate. Big, beefy red? Keep it
away from the fish and the crudités.
It usually works to match like with
like, too. Sticky-sweet dessert wines are
good with pud; complex, aromatic
wines (red or white) can work well with
curries, and big, savoury reds are lovely
with a roast. Or try complimentary
contrasts: rich, fatty, savoury foods such
as lamb shoulder or potato dauphinoise
will benefit from a red wine with
astringent tannin like good old cab sav.
Once you’ve uncorked a bottle, it’s
best to finish it within a couple of days
before oxidisation spoils it. And finally,
treat yourself to decent, big-bowled
wine glasses. Fill them no more than
half full, swirl, sniff and sip: they will
enhance the aroma of what you are
drinking and maximise your enjoyment.Certai
intrigu
drinki
toshow
health
protec
somes
gutba
memo
within
only ev
linked
intake
( 14 un
health
compl
boonf
else.A
never
isonlyIS WINE GOOD FOR YOU?
It ’s easy to be seduced by the
idea of wine being beneficial –
almost like taking a
supplement. But is the cry of
‘good health!’ as you raise
your glass really accurate?