Here's To Your Health

It’s not often an alcoholic beverage makes its way to the cover of Fortune magazine, but that’s exactly what happened with red wine in February.

The cover story “Drink Wine and Live Longer: The exclusive story of the biotech startup searching for anti-aging miracle drugs” discusses the agent identified as reservratrol, which has been shown to ward off the negatively-perceived side effects of aging, such as Alzheimer’s and other illnesses impacting the brain.

What if modern medicine becomes radically changed by a naturally-occurring chemical that has been under our noses and palates for years? Only time, and a lot more research, will answer that question.

Exactly how long has wine been a part of our history? To answer that question, let’s open the Holy Bible and flip to none other than Genesis 9:20-21 which reads “And Noah began to be a husbandman and he planted a vineyard, and he drank of the vine.”

Without making this blog a Bible study, the New Testament also points out an instance where Jesus turned water into wine.

Archaeologists have even traced wine to the ancient Egyptians and King Tutankhamen, who died in 1327 B.C., whose tomb was found to have traces of red wine left in jars. Years later, the Roman scientist Pliny the Elder was known to rate the wines of 121 B.C. “of the highest excellence.”

Did they know something we don’t know?

Vineyards have been traced back as far as 8,000 years ago. But, it seems we are finally coming to grips with a real understanding of the benefits of drinking the same elixir Jesus touched.

Here’s what research has told us about wine in recent years. Scientists have discovered that wine will increase HDL or ‘good' cholesterol and decrease LDL or ‘bad' cholesterol when used in moderation. I’ll leave it up to you when sipping on your Pinot Noir to determine the definition of moderation.

All of these facts are exciting and show that wine has a rich history that has circled our globe. But, what gets me excited about wine is that it is a way to make new friends, connect with old ones and learn how to integrate it into preparing great meals.

Wine can be used to change our entire lifestyle and eating habits, with a just a little bit of education on food pairings about the different varietals of wine.

Another thing that gets me excited is when I can share this expertise with you, your family and your friends in the comfort of your living room with a complimentary wine tasting! What a better way to have fun, learn and share stories and think back over the rich history of wine.

Here’s to your health! Who’s next?