Grape Destinations: Here’s to Your Health!

Pouring a glass of wine for enjoyment or opening a nice bottle with dinner also appears to have some health benefits beyond strictly the pleasure.

Moderate consumption of one glass per day (approximately 5 ounces) for women and two glasses for men is considered to be the magic number.  Heavier drinking or binge drinking can have the opposite effect, likely leading to increases in, most notably, heart disease, stroke, blood pressure and cancer.

A Glass a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Michael Scott Winery

According to WebMD, research has shown, wine can reduce the risk of heart disease, improve cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure, if following the quantity guidelines. Moderate consumption has also been linked to reduction in the risk of Type 2 diabetes and depression. Wine has also been believed to contain antioxidants and boost the immune system. A recent study conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School discovered that a compound (resveratrol) found in red wine can activate a protein that promotes health and longevity. The Mayo Clinic believes it may also be helpful in lowering our risk of inflammation. Remember, this is only for moderate drinking, so more is not better.

Wine has stood the test of time. Humans have been enjoying wine dating back to about 6,000 BC.  It was also used as a medicine for some.

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Beyond Health

I have found a glass of wine can give a calming/relaxing effect after a hard, stressful day at work.  It even works pretty well on an easy day. Pouring a glass can be a real nice transition into dinner, without impairing sleep.

Wine with friends | Photo: Michael-Scott Winery

While sharing wine with friends and family may promote a healthy lifestyle, it is not necessarily a cure-all.  We enjoy wine as we do food, and often pair it with what our meal choices are that evening. There are really no strict rules on that either.  While some wines match up better with certain types of food, I say, drink what you like. For instance, since we tend to like reds more than whites (we only make reds at Michael-Scott Winery so not near as much white wine around here), drinking a red with chicken or fish is fine, at least in my book.  A nice bottle of wine shared with others seems to accentuate the whole experience.

We have been doing this pretty much all our lives being in the wine business and living in the Napa Valley.  This is really the way it is done here and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Drink (wine) to your health!

Cheers!

-Michael Quinn