Wine: Healthy Habit or Deadly Dose?
Brandon Marc
The information available on wine and its role in human health is vast as it is ambiguous. Depending on what decade the data is sourced, one will discover that the conclusions declared differ somewhat.
For example, if one where to consider the American prohibition of the 1970’s, any medical texts concerning alcohol (wine included) were suppressed, and in some cases eliminated. The hand of politics in the scientific community, past and present, is evident.
‘Wine has no net health benefit’ – 1990 Dietary guidelines for Americans (U.S. Food and Drug Administration).
Then there were the 1990 ‘Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that stated: ‘Wine has no net health benefit’. A statement hardly based on scientific fact. The 1995 Guidelines were only slightly progressive by stating: ‘Advice for today: if you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation, with meals, and when consumption does not put you or others at risk.’ A feeble attempt, awarding little justice to the scientific evidence of that time.
So, now that politics have been cast aside (at least for now!), we are afforded a clearer view of what health benefits can be realised by the moderate consumption of wine.
‘It cannot be emphasised enough that over-indulgence can completely negate any potential health benefits, and prove to be considerably more harmful than abstinence.’
Without going into too much detail, and to avoid references to numerous scientific and medical texts, the modern conclusion that can be made is a simple one. Wine should be consumed regularly and in moderation. It cannot be emphasised enough that over-indulgence can completely negate any potential health benefits, and prove to be considerably more harmful than abstinence.
Personally I consider myself to be a moderate drinker… most of the time 
However, it seems that I am not gaining all the available health benefits when taking the point of regularity into account. It is recommended that you drink 2 glasses of wine, that’s approximately 440ml’s, every day to gain the maximum health benefits. There’s never been a better excuse to drink more wine! You must excuse me, there’s a bottle that needs opening…
Cheers!
Brandon Marc
| 2.5 |
Red, Red Wine
Brandon Marc
Red, red wine
Go to my head
Make me forget that I
Still need her so…
Familiar lyrics to most, and perhaps even more familiar to those of you who have overindulged in the alluring liquor. Surely this includes most, if not all of us If it’s not already clear, I’m talking about hangovers. But why exactly do we get hangovers from drinking ‘too much’ wine? And, especially when considering red wine, why are wine hangovers said to be significantly worse than other hangovers?
There are three main offenders when it comes to wine hangovers. The first and most obvious being alcohol. Alcohol dehydrates the body, shrinking the brain slightly resulting in headaches and that characteristic dry mouth the next morning. But alcohol is present in all alcoholic beverages (Duh!), so what sets wine hangovers apart from others?
‘…you feel like you’ve woken up with a sock in your mouth and a jackhammer for a pillow…’
The remaining two culprits, which make you feel like you’ve woken up with a sock in your mouth and a jackhammer for a pillow, are two nasty chemicals. The first group, called congeners, are by-products of alcoholic fermentation and amplify many hangover symptoms. They are more predominant in red wines, hence the associated notion that red wine causes worse hangovers when compared to white wine.
The second chemical, sulphur dioxide, is used by winemakers to slow down fermentation and thus ultimately functions as a wine preservative. Unfortunately for us it also results in thumping headaches. So, if you want to minimise your hangover, try drinking wines with relatively low sulphur contents.
But, if you want a simple, fail-safe way to avoid those dreadful hangovers, do as I do. For every glass of wine I drink, I try drink a glass of water. This makes you less thirsty, so not to drink out of thirst only, and replenishes lost water. It’s a simple solution with rewarding results! This method is preventative, but I’ve also heard some pretty outrageous hangover ‘remedies’ too. What’s your hangover ‘cure’? The friends and family of My Wine Cellar deserve to know, so please share your wisdom with us by commenting below.
Cheers!
Brandon Marc
| 3.2 |
Meet Brett…
Brandon MarcI thought I’d take this opportunity to introduce you to an all too familiar member of the international wine industry, Brettanomyces… or just Brett for short. For those of you who are unaware of Brett’s specific role in the wine industry, let me explain…
Brett is a yeast able to grow quite comfortably in wine, converting glucose into large amounts of acetic acid and other complex compounds. These compounds, at low levels, can in fact enhance the overall complexity of wine producing a pleasing result in the opinions of most winemakers. However, it is when these compounds exceed a certain threshold that these results become negative rather than positive. It is in this regard that Brett can be considered a spoilage yeast in the wine industry.
But what does this have to do with the South African wine industry? Brett has been around forever, but he is thought to be a potential culprit when considering the unwelcome ‘earthy characters’ being detected in many, but not all, South African wines.
This fact has been recently highlighted at the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show when Jane MacQuitty was quoted in describing a ‘burnt rubber’ characteristic odour on many South African Wines. A sentiment opposed by numerous prominent figures in the South African wine industry.
“By no means do all South African reds have these characteristics, and one suspects that UK critics are a little guilty of auto-suggestion: Show them a South African red and they experience the aroma of wheel-spinning Pirellis even when it’s not there.”
- Christian Eedes, WINE magazine editor (July 2008 edition)
In my opinion, biochemical problems associated with wine are so complex that a single fault will be difficult to pin down. However, for the sake of the South African wine industry I hope that a solution is found and that the odour of burnt rubber, real or not, dissipates forever.
Cheers!
Brandon Marc
| 3.3 (1 person) |
Wine 101
Brandon MarcWhat exactly IS wine? Ok, I know what you’re thinking… lame! But I think you’d be surprised as to how many people couldn’t accurately answer this question. And since people are often too proud to admit this fact, I thought I’d take the liberty to explain…
Wine is simply fermented grape juice. Ok, but then what is fermentation? This is the process whereby yeasts convert the natural grape sugars (glucose) into alcohol and other lesser-known byproducts. So then we would end up with plain alcohol and no grape juice, right? Wrong. Depending on what amount and strain of yeast and what type of grapes are used in the fermentation, will determine the balance of the wine. Essentially this is the job of the winemaker – to gently guide the fermentation process to produce a required result. Not that easy as you can imagine!
Then you might ask yourself, what is the difference between red wine and white wine? And I’d answer… tannins. Tannins are a group of chemicals found in grape skins responsible for the red colour, and acidic taste, of red wines. Only red wine is fermented with grape skins, therefore resulting in the before mentioned characteristics.
Another important factor responsible for the varying character of wine is the use of different Oak barrels (American or French Oak) for various amounts of time during the fermentation stages adding a distinct complexity to the wine.
Well, I hope you now have a better understanding of exactly what it is you’re drinking and have a new found appreciation for the complexity of wine!
Cheers!
| 3.9 (3 people) |
Times are Changing…
Brandon MarcI think I was about 18 years of age when I fell in love… with wine of course. At the time it was a little unusual that, while in the company of my beer guzzling friends, I instead decided to enjoy a soft Merlot… albeit from a box.
“The commercialization of the wine industry was surely the driving force behind this shift, and has been perceived as bittersweet.”
For many years wine has been something for the old and decidedly well-heeled. But thankfully the wine industry has now embraced a revolution of young wine drinkers and infiltrated all economic classes. The commercialization of the wine industry was surely the driving force behind this shift, and has been perceived as bittersweet. Bitter, because some might argue that this commercialization process has ‘diluted’ many characteristic differences between certain wine varietals. And sweet, because now there are a wide variety of wines from all over the world available to the average person like you and me.
Ultimately, I support this transition in the wine industry and believe that innovation is the way forward. And in these exciting times, where technology and wine have become almost synonymous, I am most optimistic about the future of our wine industry.
Cheers!
Brandon Marc
| 2.5 |
Going Sideways
Brandon MarcYou owe it to yourself as a self professed wine enthusiast and welcome visitor of My Wine Cellar to see Sideways. The movie, directed by Alexander Payne and starring Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, takes you on a rather comical trip through California’s Napa Valley, where the twosome engage in numerous wine tastings… amongst other things 
So, without giving away too much of the plot I will leave it at that. I will be interested to hear your own opinion on the movie, so please remember to check back with My Wine Cellar and post your comments below.
If you’re curious and would like to watch the Sideways trailer first, simply click play on the Quicktime player directly below.
Cheers!
Brandon Marc
| 2.8 (1 person) |
Stellenbosch Wine Festival 2008
Brandon Marc
This weekend brings us the Annual Stellenbosch Wine Festival to take place at the Paul Roos Centre, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Each year thousands of local and international visitors flock to the event and are treated to a selection of more than 500 wines from over 100 wineries on show.
Included in the weekend long wine festival will be various entertainment, forums of discussion, more than 30 food stalls and culinary displays in the form of cooking demonstrations. Amusement for kids will be provided on Sundays special Family Day. For the duration of the festival shuttle services will be available between Cape Town’s Waterfront and Stellenbosch.
Dates: 31st July – 3rd August
Place: Paul Roos Center, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Tickets: 100 ZAR – 250 ZAR (Day pass) or 350 ZAR (Golden festival pass)
Stellenbosch welcomes you to a weekend of fine wine and food for the family!
Cheers!
Brandon Marc
| 2.5 |
Tasting Tips
Brandon MarcTo the average wine-lover, like myself, the process of tasting wine can look more like an amusing ritual rather than practical necessity. But, in actual fact, there are sound reasons behind every step of the ancient process. And for your benefit I have compiled 3 simple steps below, deciphering the simple science and enhancing your next salivary encounter with the much loved liquid:
1. The Swirl
Once your glass is approximately one third full, give it a swirl, generating a vigorous wave in the contents of your glass, being careful not to spill the wine.
Why?
This action releases the aromatic compounds in the wine and allows for a greater appreciation of the ‘nose’ of the wine (see next step). In addition, the ‘body’ and age of the wine can be approximated by tilting your glass away from you against a light surface, observing the wines level of transparency. For more information on this, see my previous blog post, The Colour Of Wine.
2. The Sniff
Tilt your glass towards you and place your nose just inside the rim of your glass inhaling deeply and slowly for a few seconds.
Why?
A lot can be determined from the aroma of wine, and this is when I’d encourage you to be truthful and use your imagination. Everyone’s sense of smell is different. For example, I once tasted a Merlot and swore that I smelt burnt cabbage on the nose! However, my opinion was not shared by the wine maker as the bottle description omitted my observation… obviously ‘burnt cabbage’ doesn’t scream sophistication!
3. The Sip
Now for the part you’ve all been waiting for. But wait! Before you take that first mouthful, remember your objective is to TASTE the wine, not drink it. However, I think the best part about a wine tasting is that you can do both My point is, THINK about the wine when you taste it.
When tasting a wine it is important to spread it around making contact with all the different taste-sensitive parts of the tongue. This is done to provide you with a non-bias ‘taste profile’ of the wine. For example if I were to taste a tart cabernet with only the tip of my tongue I might report an exaggerated sweetness in the wine, as this is the region of the tongue responsible for detecting sweetness. Another way to enhance your taste perception is to aerate the wine by pursing your lips and sucking inward resulting in a more intense sensation.
But above all, when tasting a wine, decide if YOU like the wine regardless of price, vintage or origin. After all, wine should be nothing more than for personal enjoyment. Don’t you think so?
Cheers!
Brandon Marc
| 3.0 (4 people) |
The Colour of Wine
Brandon MarcWine is quite obviously more than just a colour. But, by the simple analysis of wine colour, can we predict anything about its attributes? Well, not entirely. But there are some rough guidelines that, together with other methods of analysis, may help us to approximate such things as wine quality, age and even alcohol content.
When you find yourself staring hopelessly at the contents of your glass during your next wine tasting, use the following guidelines to assist you in the process:
- Body (red wine only)
Place your glass three quarters full, flat onto a light surface and look down towards the stem of the glass. Can you see the bottom of your glass? If not, you’re probably dealing with a full bodied wine. If the bottom of your glass is a bit hazy, then your wine is probably medium bodied. And lastly, if the bottom of your glass is perfectly clear then it’s quite possibly a light, usually more ‘easy drinking’ red wine you’re about to encounter.
- Age
Tilt your glass slightly and examine the edge of the liquid. A somewhat brown hue indicates that the wine is probably quite old. Note that in white wine this discolouration could be more subtle, taking on a more golden tone. This could mean that the wine is either too old and has therefore gone ‘bad’, or it’s just a really old vintage meant to be aged. Hope for the latter.
- Alcohol content
Obviously this can’t be predicted exactly, but one can at least discern between a low and a high alcohol content wine. If you gently swirl the contents of your glass and then watch as the wine slides back down you will notice a clear liquid clinging to the inside of your glass as it retreats. This is in fact pure alcohol and is affectionately known as ‘Angels Tears’… so I’ve heard. And, for those more technically inclined, it is known as the Marangoni effect. The more ‘Angels Tears’ observed, the higher the alcohol content of the wine.
I hope that you will find the above guidelines useful at your next wine tasting experience… Good luck!
Cheers!
Brandon Marc
| 2.6 (2 people) |
My Secret Red Wine Sauce
Brandon MarcPsssst… listen up. Here is (or was) my secret red wine recipe. I’ve used it many times over and ‘tweaked’ it over the years. It can be combined with whatever you desire but goes best with Ostrich fillet medallions. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
My Spicy Mushroom Red Wine Sauce:
250ml red wine (Full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon recommended) 
2 cups finely sliced mushrooms
1 roughly diced onion
1 crushed garlic clove
Chopped fresh chilli (half an average sized chilli)
2 Tbs grated fresh ginger
½ cup fruit Chutney (Mrs Balls is best!)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Thyme
2 tsp ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Method
On high heat, fry the sliced mushrooms, diced onion and garlic clove in butter until slightly browned. Reduce heat to medium and add chutney and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer and add ginger, chilli and red wine. Season with Thyme, black pepper and salt to taste. Allow to simmer until desired sauce consistency is achieved. If necessary add chutney to thicken.
So there you have it! This sauce over medium rare barbequed ostrich medallions accompanied by creamy mashed potatoes and grilled mixed vegetables is possibly one of my favourite dishes.
Wine pairing
I think the obvious choice of wine accompaniment would be just about any bold Shiraz, Pinotage or Cabernet Sauvignon. For those of you who prefer white wine, perhaps less obvious, but just as appropriate, a spicy Gewürztraminer would be a satisfying complement.
Cheers!
Brandon Marc
| 2.5 |
