The Health Benefits Of Red Wine
Terminology aside, why exactly is red wine good for you? What does it do inside the body, and how are its effects good for you in the short and long-term? Research has a lot to reveal when it comes to answering the health benefits of red wine:
- Improves cardiovascular health:;Perched at the top of red wines health list are its association with;the heart and overall cardiovascular benefits. Those struggling with high blood pressure and high bad cholesterol in particular benefit from the polyphenols, resveratrol and quercetin compounds in most red wines. These compounds combine to create a team of plaque-buildup fighting agents, reduce bad cholesterol from compounding and encourages good cholesterol reserve. The wine flavonoid quercetin, in particular, can lower blood pressure by helping to relax arteries and prevent cell stress.
Best Overall: Dal Forno Romano Vigna Ser Veneto Passito Rosso
;Courtesy of Vivino.com
From vineyards rooted in chalky-clay soils outside the town of Tregnago, about an hour and a half west of Venice, Italy, comes this ultra-rare passito from Dal Forno. In fact, in three decades, the wine has only been produced six times. Made in the tiniest of quantities, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one of the most profound sweet wines youll ever encounter.
Corvina grapes are used to make the bulk of this wine, along with 15% rondinella, 20% croatina, and 10% oseleta that are then aged for 36 months in oak. The result is rich and decadent, with sweet red-berry fruit, red licorice, crushed stones, and brown sugar-coated candied violets. All this is framed by juicy and brisk acidity, giving freshness to this wine that defies gravity.
Healthiest Red Wine Choices Good For Your Body
Weve all heard that red wine has a health benefit or two to offer, but just how much of an impact does your selection of wine make when it comes to positive impact? Well, in fact, it can matter quite a bit. All wine is definitely not created equal when it comes to the health benefits that it offers, and as more and more research is being done, we have an even better understanding of some of the good things found in our wine and which grapes have the largest quantities.
If youre looking to get a little health boost with your next glass of wine, we prepared a guide to help you make a selection. Here are the five healthiest red wine choices for your body:
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Esser Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
This is another wine with a unique taste that sets it apart from its peers at similar price points. The berry-driven Cabernet is known for a slight peppery taste which is attributed to the Petite Sirah grape that is used in the production of this red.
Priced at approximately $10, depending on your city and state, it is another wine that delivers more bang for your buck.
Best Value: Franzia Dark Red Blend
Taste of Home
When you think of boxed wine, who doesnt think of Franzia? This classic brand got high marks for its value. A five-liter box costs less than $20 that comes out to $0.46 per glass! But outside of the amazing price, Franzias Dark Red Blend also impressed us with its rich bouquet.
Slightly dry, this red blend also gave us some earthier flavors accompanied by subtle notes of currants. During our blind sampling, a few tasters commented on how this wine stood out as being more festive than the others. Something about those dark fruit flavors and a touch of spice had us thinking fruitcake . Sipping this wine, we definitely envisioned ourselves enjoying a glass with friends during a party.
- Price of a 5L box : $15.47
- Cost per glass: $0.46
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What Conclusions Can I Make About This Wine
With the methods used above you can quickly identify specifically what you like or hate about a wine. For instance, if you hate how some red wines taste light and have high acidity, then you can conclude that you might not enjoy a region such as Beaujolais, which is known for high acidity.
Make a note how the taste evolves over time in your mouth or even as you drink a glass.
Build Your Tastebud Repertoire
If you havent ever tasted a raw black currant or bit into a gooseberry then you might try expanding your palate by tasting new fruits and vegetables. You never know what flavor youll find next in your glass.
Louis Jadot Beaujolais 2019
Beaujolais Nouveau gets a lot of play on our market. But the region of Beaujolais is not just young bubblegum fruit. This bottle is a good example of how the Gamay grape can go beyond punchy. It is a mouthful of juicy cherries and sandalwood, with crazy acidity and a slight earthy vibe. Its the bottle you buy by the case for Thanksgiving.
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Fontanafredda Briccotondo Piemonte Barbera Doc 2018
Barbera was once considered an everyday wine in Piedmont. Over the years, winemakers have leveled up the status of this grape, giving it the attention its due. But it can still shine on that everyday role, and this one is a clear example. Under screw cap, juicy, and with good acidity, this is a great bottle for casual weeknight pasta nights and is a definite crowd pleaser.
Massolino Barolo Docg 2016
No list would be complete without a wine from the beautiful region of Barolo tucked in the rolling Langhe hills of southern Piedmont in northern Italy. Its a magical place. Sipping this bottle will take you there. Its powerful and elegant at the same time. The tannins are grippy, as the wine continues to age, but its drinking well now. Its a wonderful mouthful of balanced cherry fruit, with whispers of where its headed in the form of a whiff of leather and rose petals. Guys, this wine is awesome. Stuffed ravioli with a dense, meaty red sauce or a hearty mushroom risotto are in order.
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Different Types Of Red Wine
Red wines are categorized by varietals the type of grape that is used to produce the wine. Some red wines blend several varietals to elicit different flavors or tasting characteristics. These red blends are also generally more affordable than single varietals from Bordeaux, Napa Valley, or Australia.
Within these types of red wine, each one can have a different style: light-bodied, medium-bodied, or full-bodied. Red wines with a light body have an airy effect on the palate. These wines including Grenache and Pinot Noir tend to have fewer tannins and thus less of a punchy flavor. Medium-bodied red wines like Merlot and Shiraz have a higher alcohol content compared to light-bodied wines and offer a lingering flavor. Full-bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon from California contain more than 13.5% alcohol and offer a full mouth feel. They are rich and bold with intense flavors.
Not sure which type of wine you’ll like? Here, well break down the differences between red wines. Plus, well give you handy tips on which ones you may like based on your taste preferences.
Apothic Red Winemakers Blend
Why settle for one when you can enjoy a blend of your favorite wines in one insanely cheap but delicious red wine? Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon come together to give you a dark red wine with hints of vanilla and mocha.;
This rare blend of red wine comes from the best vineyards of California, USA. It has an ABV of 13-14% and is best paired with lamb dishes.
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Become Well Versed In The World Of Reds With These Delicious Essentials
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So you think you want to get into wine? Its not for the faint of heart. There are so many wines out there: amazing wines, confounding wines, perplexing wines; wines from many countries, many regions. Any time you think youve learned the names of every grape variety in existence, you havent .;
Though the journey is treacherous, there are great rewards to be had when you stumble upon the perfect wine that gives you that invigorating heady kiss that stays with you forever. Merlot did that for the Baby Boomer generation of wine lovers before one guyan actor in a movieruined merlot for every Generation X consumer. I refuse to name the movie . Chris Sawyer is a sommelier based in Sonoma, Calif., a renowned wine judge, and author of The Sommelier Files, a weekly digest. He says, “We have the highest-quality merlot on the market than weve ever had. The folks who kept it in the ground care so much for it. And thats exactly the point I want to drive home: The more you care, the more youll learnand the better the world of wine will be.;
Best Overall: Louis Latour Chteau Corton Grancey
Region: Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France | ABV: 14% | Tasting Notes: Red currants, Blood orange, Dried raspberries, Baking spice
One of the top names in all of Burgundy is Louis Latour, and one of the most unique wines it produces is this Château Corton Granceya blend of four Grand Cru vineyards .
Delivering profound notes of black and red currants, blackberry fruit, blood orange citrus, and dried raspberries underscored by baking spices and dried red florals, this pinot noir is also a textural masterpiece with mouthwatering acidity and grippy cedar-like tannins.;
Good to Know:
When it comes to red wine, balance is a non-negotiable for Alexandra Neverov, sommelier at Topping Rose House in Bridgehampton, New York. For me, there has to be this unspoken equilibrium in a great red wine, from tannins to alcohol to acid and fruit balance, she says. Neverov also goes for reds with pronounced aromatics. If I find myself entranced, then I feel that wine can be truly enchanting.
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Valle Dellacate Cerasuolo Di Vittoria Classico Docg 2015
This is a Sicilian double whammy! I am telling you, wine lovers: Wines from Italian island regions are some of the best everyday and communal wines. They are bright and focused, with unique aromas. Like this wine. Made from the native grapes Frappato and Nero dAvola, it wafts with earthy strawberry and cherry aromas. The fruit is chewy but balanced by great acidity and would shine with a beef carpaccio.
It Goes Well With Saturated Fats
In the 1960s, the belief evolved that too much animal fat causes heart diseases.
Compared to the U.S., the consumption of animal fats is about three times as high in France. But Americans have twice as much heart disease as the French .
Additionally, the French also consume more alcohol. And these facts are known as The French Paradox .
Recently scientific investigation uncovered to primary reasons for the French Paradox:
- Saturated fat rather protects against heart disease than causing them
- Red wine is also protective instead of a risk factor for heart disease
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How To Drink Wine
The easiest way to find the right bottle of wine for you and your occasion is simply to ask a wine expert or sommelier for their recommendations based on your taste. If youre pairing wines for dinner, tell the expert what dishes youll be making. If youre simply buying a bottle of wine to broaden your horizons, the most important things to state are your price range and flavour preferences.;
When it comes to preparing and drinking wine, there are differences based on the colour of the wine. Red and fortified wines should be served a touch below room temperature, while white, rose and sparkling wines benefit from a chill. Red wines should be kept in the fridge for around 45 minutes before serving, while white, rose and sparkling wines can stay in the cool for around two hours.;
White wine glasses are typically smaller than red wine glasses, as they dont need the same surface area to oxidise. When drinking the wine, hold the glass by the stem rather than the bowl. This will help the wine to keep at the same temperature, rather than warming up in your hand.;
Pour 30 to 60 ml of wine into a glass to taste it before serving. Swirl the wine in the glass, holding the stem, to expose it to a larger surface area. Smell the wine as you swirl it to release the flavours and varied aromas. A higher quality wine will offer different aromas the more its swirled.;
Recommendations For The Best Red Wines
With so many red wines available from winemakers around the world, it can be really difficult to know whether you are choosing a good one just by looking at bottles on the shelves in the wine shop. Fortunately, there is plenty of help available, and with a little knowledge and information, you can choose red wines like a pro.
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What Exactly Are We Assessing
When you look at wine, its not just to verify the color. Look for things like density, viscosity, flocculation , and how intense it looks. This is your chance to size up your wine.
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What density tells you:
Wines that have very little translucence and are rich in color are usually young and from warmer regions or highly-extracted . A blue-tinged rim on some wines correlate with lower acidity whereas a red-tinged rim correlates with higher acidity . Color doesnt just tell you acidity level though, if its a little orangish on the edges, it may be several years old. When you have a very translucent wine thats weak in color it could be from a cooler region or from a light red wine.
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What viscosity tells you:
Viscosity can tell you several things including alcohol level and sweetness in a wine. Since most red wines are dry, you can usually assume that a higher viscosity wine means that its higher in alcohol. A higher alcohol wine can only be made with super ripe grapes, which usually come from warmer growing regions .
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What suspended particles tell you:
If the wine is unfiltered it will have little bits of stuff in it. As a general rule, large productions shy away from this technique for fear of inconsistency. Also, Old World regions often have entrenched traditions of using old-school winemaking methods.
Stick With Dry Red Wines Over Sweet Reds
As a rule of thumb when considering what kind of red wine is good for you, dry blends over sweet varieties are the safer, heart-healthy pick.
Thats because red wines with dryer notes and flavor profiles carry much higher levels of flavonoids, polyphenols and other compounds necessary for cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory health properties. Its also these flavonoids and antioxidants that promote the bodys absorption of good HDL cholesterol while kicking bad LDL cholesterol to the curb.
Red wine varieties with that desired dry profile run the gamut of cabernet sauvignons, cabernet francs, malbecs and merlots. On the other hand, notoriously sweet red wines like zinfandels, maderias and any commercial red blend will almost always contain lower flavonoid concentrations though theyre still delicious, with a definite time and place at the dinner table!
On the most end of the sweet scale sits ports and anything labeled a dessert wine. Ports, with their liquor additions and fortifications, alter the entire chemical composition of the wine, as well as many of its metabolic processes. And dessert wines are, well, for dessert. Theyre fundamentally sugar-forward, with a fermentation process meant to minimize acidity and bring about the highest notes of fruit and sweeteners.
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Red Wine Vs White Wine
In the winemaking process, red wine is fermented from darker grapes and their skins, while white wine is made from white grapes separated from their skins. Whats more, red wine is typically aged in oak barrels, while whites are not. Barrel aging creates the numerous aromas and flavors that you taste in red wine.
What Is Red Wine
Red wine is a fruity and spicy drink made from dark-colored grapes.
Red wines are typically dry, with a more intense flavor and tartness.
Red wine is made by fermenting grape juice into alcohol, then adding sugar to balance the taste of the acidic fruit sugars.
Its typically aged in oak barrels for three years or more before it can be sold as red wine .
Red wines are usually served at room temperature rather than cold because this allows them to blend better with food.
A bottle of red wine contains about 13% alcohol by volume, which typically ranges from 13-16% ABV.
Red wine is one of the most consumed drinks in the world today, and its believed to have originated over six thousand years ago near Asia Minor .
The color red wines turn as they age primarily from tannins found in grape skins; these are also responsible for giving red wine its dry taste.
A good quality bottle of red wine usually has a high percentage of alcohol, so it can be stored for up to twenty years without spoiling.
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