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Wine may Slow Dementia

If you love a glass of wine with dinner, you’ll be happy to know that you may actually be helping your brain as you are treating your taste buds to a good time. Tammy from Celebrate Wine pointed out this new study that was reported in Wine Spectator:

A new study, conducted by scientists from the Department of Geriatrics at the University of Bari, in Bari, Italy, found that a drink or two per day may help slow the development of dementia. The research, published in the May 22 issue of the journal Neurology, may provide hope for those at risk of dementia and diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the transitional stage between normal brain function and full-blown, irreversible cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer’s.

However, this doesn’t mean you should run out and develop a two glass a day habit. The researcher also mentions that the study may be flawed by the fact that most people who drink a glass or two of wine a day are also usually active and involved in new things. The benefits of drinking wine in the study may actually be because the study participants were not couch potatoes. So, if you do drink those two glasses, make sure you are stretching your mind and getting exercise, too.

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Red or White Wine With Dinner?

So, you’re having a dinner party and you don’t know what kind of wine to serve with your main course. Well the truth is, nowadays, you can serve whatever type of wine you like with whatever your course may be.

The old adage of Red Wine with Red Meats, White Wine with White Meats is a bit passé in today’s society. Still, clichés exist for a reason, and the reason (in very basic terms), is this:

Red Wine: Because of the richer tannins and rolling flavors found in red wine, the flavor and feel of le vin rouge tends to be more overpowering. When eaten with other rich flavors such as a creamy cheddar cheese or a juicy steak, the tannins in the wine actually bind to the proteins in your food, thereby leaving your tongue less susceptible to the astringent, drying sensation that red wine often provides. Additionally, the rich flavors complement nicely with the strong, rich tastes found in your steak or cheese and the two work in harmony together.

White Wine: White wine tends to be crisper, lighter, higher in acidity but much lower in tannins (if any). Because of this, white wine tends to go nicely with milder dishes such as poached seafood or raw oysters. The crisp, light flavors do not overpower the subtle flavors of the food and provide a pleasant, refreshing accompaniment with them.

So which to choose? Really, any you like. While the above paragraphs demonstrate the reason behind the adage, there is no reason why you can’t try a rich, red wine with raw oysters or a crisp Chardonnay with you veal parmesan. In fact, I enjoy matching apparent opposites such as this. The flavors and contrasts are fun to experiment with.

Plus, if you’re like me, sometimes you just prefer a red over a white (or vice versa), no matter what you’re eating.

Bottom line? Red or White is really up to you and it is an acceptable practice in our modern age to drink whichever with whatever foods. In my experience, the folks that speak condescendingly about “You’re supposed to drink red wine with that….” usually don’t know much about wine in the first place and are just spouting out what they’ve heard from everyone else.

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Wine good for waistline

Light to moderate alcohol consumption, especially red wine, is not only good for a woman’s heart, it’s also good for her waistline, according to a recent study.

The study started out with nearly 20,000 trim middle-aged and older women. Over time, women who drank alcohol in moderation put on less weight and were less apt to become overweight compared to non-drinkers. This was true even after taking into account various lifestyle and dietary factors that might influence a woman’s weight.

Red wine seemed best at keeping weight in check, but white wine, beer and spirits also had some benefit.

Many prior studies have suggested that moderate drinking – usually defined as a drink or two a day –can be a healthy habit, particularly with regard to heart health, while heavy drinking can harm health.

The study found that women who drank higher amounts of alcohol were generally more physically active, weighed slightly less at the outset and were more apt to be smokers, than other women.

However, the association between drinking and less weight gain and risk of becoming overweight or obese remained strong after accounting for these factors. This suggests that alcohol may independently affect body weight beyond its relationship with diet and lifestyle factors.

There are several reasons why alcohol might help women stay trim, according to Dr Lu. Wang , who lead the research. In the current study, women consuming more alcohol ate less, particularly carbohydrates – a finding seen in other studies. Moreover, it’s been shown that women tend to expend more energy after drinking alcohol – more so than that contained in the alcohol. “Taken together, regular alcohol consumption in light-to-moderate amount may lead to a net energy loss among women,” Wang said.

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What wines are good aperitifs?

An aperitif is usually an alcoholic drink served before dinner and it is drunk to “open up” the palate, preparing guests for treats ahead. But what wine styles will be good aperitifs?

The answer will be determined by the exact form of aperitif that will be served. If the aperitif is served with a starter or an appetiser meal the wines must complement the dish.

Alternatively if the aperitif is only limited to the drinks,  the season, regional traditions and general preference of your guests must be taken into account.

In the winter fortified wines like Sherry or Port will be a save bet.

In the summer Champagne or White wine spritzers with dryer wines like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc will be also go-done well with your guests.

But in some cases  and some counties,  no matter how hard you try,  the men want a beer to cleanse there palates , while a classic Martini cocktail will be the  preferred aperitif for the ladies.

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Red wine makes you think

It’s the perfect excuse to have another glass of Red wine  - research has shown that drinking red wine helps you think.

Men and women did better in mental arithmetic tests after being given resveratrol, the ‘wonder ingredient’ in red wine.

It is thought that the plant chemical – said to have abilities from burning off junk food to warding off heart disease – increases blood flow to the brain.

Northumbria University researchers set 24 healthy adults a series of tests before giving them a resveratrol pill or a dummy tablet.

When they were tested again, those that had taken resveratrol performed better, the British Psychological Society’s annual conference will hear today.

Other tests confirmed that the drug, which is found in grape skins as well as raspberries, blueberries, cranberries and peanuts, widened blood vessels, boosting the brain’s blood supply.

Other studies have linked resveratrol with fighting old age, cancer, obesity, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

It is also claimed that just half a glass of red wine a day can greatly cut the odds of death from heart disease.

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Pocket Wine Guide

One thing about wine is certain: Its easy to go wrong. Before you reach for your next bottle of wine, here is a list to point you in the right direction:

Red: Hearty robust foods, such as stew, beef, pork, duck, goose, cheeses, hearty pasta dishes and foods with lots of flavor. Red wines pair up nicely with a number of intense flavors.

White: Sweet or dry, white wine is best served with fish, chicken or lighter fare. Any main course that is robustly flavorful yet light on the palette, such as fish, should be paired with this simple classic.

Blush: The rose colored wine is a favorite staple among many for its versatility. White Merlot, White Zinfandel, and Grenache’ Rose’ are but a few delicate choices that compliment everything from salads to seafood to cold cuts. Rose’ wines work well with dinner or luncheons.

Dessert: Many hosts overlook the importance of a good desert wine. Dinner wines go with dinner – desert needs its own accompaniment. For fruits, nuts, sweets, tarts and cakes, opt for the sweeter variety such as Muscat, Catawba, or Port.

With this easy-reference, now picking wine no longer has to be the difficult part of the meal. Experiement with different regions and styles of each major variety to find your favorites!

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THE BEST WINE IN THE WORLD

The Domaine Romanée-Conti is the most rarefied and expensive wine in the world, with vintages that need decades to mature. At a tasting for the 2006 DRCs, Bruce Palling hears one vintage intone “Leave me alone you fool–don’t you know I am trying to sleep?”  …

Special to MORE INTELLIGENT LIFE

The acronym DRC is a potential minefield. Besides Drug Rehabilitation Centre or Dutch Reformed Church, it more commonly refers to the Democratic Republic of Congo or Domaine Romanée-Conti.

The former is perhaps the most misruled, war-torn kleptocracy in Africa, the latter is the most rarefied and expensive wine in the world. My preference is always for the Domaine Romanée-Conti: less sexual violence, more deliciousness.

The wine has a long history. The Romans cultivated this tiny slice of Burgundy a couple of millennia ago, with the Benedictines taking over from the Bishops of Langres and Autun in the tenth century. Its most illustrious five-acre vineyard was purchased by the Prince de Conti in the 18th century; upon his death it was sold to one of Napoleon’s bankers. Then as now, only a few hundred cases were produced each year.

But it’s not the pedigree that really matters. Rather, it’s the calibre of Romanée-Conti and the handful of other wines produced by the Domaine–all in mystique-fuelling miniscule amounts. The First Growths of Bordeaux–Latour, Lafite, Mouton, Haut-Brion and Margaux–produce on average 100,000 cases annually, whereas DRC releases around 6,000–and less than 500 of these are Romanée-Conti. The only other exclusive wine they produce is La Tâche, in twice the amount as the Romanee-Conti, plus portions of Richebourg, Romanee-St.Vivant, Grands Echézeaux and straight Echézeaux.

It’s tricky to describe the difference in taste between red Burgundy and Bordeaux. Burgundy is more difficult to grow; only a handful of producers succeed in regions beyond Burgundy itself. At its best, it is floral, mouth-filling and heady, appealing more to the emotions than the intellect. But when off-target it is thin, weedy and without depth, which is why many Bordeaux lovers think it is a complete con (particularly as wines from the same region vary dramatically in price and quality). Bordeaux is more linear and straightforward, whereas Burgundy is more elusive and sensuous. Bordeaux is Bach, Burgundy is Mozart.