For me, nothing compliments and completes a meal better than wine! Even though, I don’t drink it every night, I do enjoy my occasional glass of red wine now and again. Ultimately, I’d like to bring back two bottles of wine with me from every place I travel, thus building a legit wine collection. But, wine has a history and offers more than what meets the eye. Obviously (like just about anything else), too much wine is detrimental to one’s health yet the right kind of wine in moderation is not only pleasurable, but beneficial.
The oldest bottle of wine was discovered in 1867, near the town of Speyer, Germany. The relic dates from approximately 325 A.D.
Wine consumption stretches far back with middle eastern origins from 3100 B.C. where the Egyptians cultivated their own methods for pruning as they acknowledged the differences in wine quality. But the Romans back in 1000 B.C. we’re the ones to really dig their heels into the “wine industry” (if you will) making major contributions to the way wine is crafted (classifying grapes, charting, soil type preferences, fertilization, etc.). Apparently, one culture discovered the fine delectable elixir and introduced it to another culture that passed it on to another and so on and so forth causing the pastime of wine drinking to spread like wild fire across the globe. Winepros.org highlights that around 1600B.C. is when wine came to Europe with the spread of Greek civilization. They also reveal how Greek doctors use to prescribe wine to their patients!
Which leads me to reveal some rewards that are in wine (possibly the reason why Greek doctors recommended it in the first place).
According to draxe.com (Dr. Josh Axe, DNM, DC, CNS, is a certified doctor of natural medicine, doctor of chiropractic and clinical nutritionist: as describe on his website), wine “boosts heart health”, “improves cholesterol”, “fights free radical damage”, “manages diabetes”, “prevents weight gain”, and may “assist in preventing Alzheimer’s Disease”. Dr. Axe further exposes that there are higher levels of ‘antioxidants’ in red wine than white. Antioxidants are in the skin of red grapes and the skin is removed (after the grapes are crushed) when making white wine; thus stripping the wine of most (but not all) of the antioxidants it contained.
That’s great news for me as a wine enthusiast because red wine is my favorite wine. I use to drink Heineken beer occasionally, but I enjoy a glass of red wine instead. I like the dry taste of red wines with a hint of fruitiness. White wines are nice for summer because to me they’re refreshing, but even then in the hotter months I choose red over white. I personally recommend Mark West’s Pinot Noir circa 2013. I first had a glass of this when I was with my family in NYC when they came to visit me. It was March of last year and they were staying at the Yotel (a great place to stay when looking for a hotel, especially in New York, and they’re prices aren’t bad on the wallet either). We had a night-cap at their bar/lounge area and I was surprised when I took my first sip. It was not too dry but not overtly fruity like a juice box (i.e. the perfect blend)!
I’m still young, but I’m looking forward to being able to pair wines with meals and start my own collection. So far, I only know that reds go good with meat dishes and whites pair nicely with lighter dishes such as vegetarian meals or a salad making a refreshing pair.
Wine also makes a great present for any occasion such as a “thank you” for a dinner invitation. If you have a Trader Joe's in your area, then you already know that they're wine store is no joke, but if you don't then I recommend stopping in when you find the time to shop their vast selection. They also sale wines for as low as $2.99 (but they don't taste as cheap as they cost)!
Now, I don’t endorse drunken revelry, but I do hope that the next time you crack open a bottle of wine you’ll enjoy every sip; knowing that you’re partaking in history and also doing something that adds to your wellness!
Visit the links below to discover more about the health benefits that are jam packed into a bottle of fine wine!
https://www.traderjoes.com/digin/category/Wine%20Insider
For your “wine shopping” convenience: https://citywinecellar.com/
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