Wine lengthens life?

According to the results of a new study, drinking a small amount (half a glass) of wine increased life span by five years. Of course, limiting yourself to half a glass could be challenging.

See the article here.

Wine for Bone Density?

A recent study suggests that people who have a drink or two of wine or beer a day may improve their bone density. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported on the study which found that people who had one or two drinks of wine or beer had denser bones than those who didn't. Yet another reason to toast?

Read on - http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE52J2VX20090320

Wine may protect against esophageal cancer

I love good health news about wine... don't you? And really, there's been plenty of it. But today I saw one I hadn't seen yet. A new study found that drinking a glass of wine a day may lower the risk of Barrett's espophagus, a precurser to esophageal cancer. Barrett's affect about 5% of the population, and people with the condition are 30 - 40 times more likely to develop esopheagal cancer. Researchers looked at close to 1000 men and women in California (where, I must add, the wine is quite good), and found that those who drank one or more glasses of wine (red or white) were 56% LESS likely to develop Barrett's. Beer or liquor did not have a similar effect.

So... next time you have a glass of wine... toast to your health!

For the full story, click here.

Mondavi Tribute

This video was actually created prior to Robert Mondavi's recent death. It has old archival pictures as well as quotes on what inspired him. Check it out!

Interview with Robert Mondavi

There is a three part interview of Robert Mondavi available on You Tube. If you're interested in learning more about him, in his own words, check it out.

Goodbye Robert Mondavi

Robert Mondavi, the California wine legend who changed the status of American wines, has died at the age of 94, according to the NY Times. I've written about Mondavi in the past on this blog -- visit the archives to view the old stories. One can't help but be impressed with Mondavi's achievements. After a bitter fight with his brother, he split from his wine-making family at age 52 and started his own winery. Over the next ten years, he introduced French techniques (such as using oak barrels and cold fermentation) to improve the typical jug wine that was being produced. In 1976 came the momentous tasting when, to the shock of many, California wines beat French wines in a blind taste test. Since then, California wines have steadily improved and are on a par with the best wines in the world (at least in my opinion). Mondavi left quite a legacy.

So tonight, as you uncork your California cabernet or chardonnay, drink a toast to Robert Mondavi whose vision changed the face (and taste) of California wines.

Vampire Merlot - Oh, The Horror

You can't blame me for trying it. After all, there it was, right before Halloween - Vampire Merlot. Better yet, it was an actual product of Transylvania! Plus, it cost less than five bucks. So who could blame me?

I figured it would be the perfect Halloween wine. And it was -- but it was a TRICK not a TREAT. This is how the company describes this wine...

"An intense dark plum bouquet typical of a very young wine is just starting to open up and reveal the full, true character of this wine. The wine's lively, dark purple color will destroy your carpet so be careful! Already the soft fruit flavors are starting to integrate well with the powerful structure of this wine, which marries soft tannins with vanilla hints of fine American oak. Made in the modern reductive style, this wine is perfect to enjoy now but has the structure to age for many years. A big wine, Vampire Merlot can take on the biggest char-grilled steaks and barbequed pork cutlets that you can throw at it, but it also has the fine elegance of this classic variety, allowing it to be served at parties with buffet foods and dips."

This is how I describe this wine -- "This merlot was to me what the blood of an anemic person would be to a Vampire... thin, sour, and unfulfilling." But what do you expect from a Transylvanian wine? There's a reason it's the home of ghouls, not grapes.

To be fair, the company Vampire Wines also has a California Merlot that I did not try. Their CA wines are from Paso Robles. The company has a whole line of Vampire branded wines, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Pinot Grigio, and even a White Zinfandel (for old lady Vampires?) I give them points for inventiveness (Dracula Syrah anyone?), but frankly, I'll leave this brand to the Children of the Night, and I'll stick with something a bit lighter to have with my stake and garlic. (And a glass of holy water on the side, please.)

Tall Poppy

I've mentioned in other posts before that sometimes you can find a very decent wine in the bargain bin. Such was the case with Tall Poppy. I found it in the $6 bin at Bottle Buys and bought a couple of bottles (because I liked the look of the label) with the intention of using them for Sangria... which I did. (And the Sangria was great -- but that's besides the point.) A leftover bottle of the Merlot was sitting in my wine fridge and one day we opened it on a whim and drank it straight. It was surprisingly good - rich, not thin, with a complex blend of fruit and a nice dry finish. We also had a Cab Sav that wasn't quite as good as the Merlot, but certainly worth the $6.

To me, one of the really interesting things here is that this is an Australian wine, and I found many references to the phrase "Tall Poppy" used in Australia. For example, check out this excerpt from Wikipedia "Tall poppy syndrome (TPS) is a pejorative term used in Australia and New Zealand to describe what is seen as a levelling social attitude. Someone is said to be suffering from tall poppy syndrome when his or her assumption of a higher economic, social or political position attracts criticism, being perceived as presumptuous, attention seeking or without merit."

Or here's another one -- The Tall Poppy Campaign -- "The Tall Poppy Campaign was created by the Australian Institute of Policy & Science to recognise and celebrate Australian scientific and intellectual excellence and to encourage younger Australians to follow in the footsteps of our outstanding achievers."

After reading these, I was kind of entertained at the choice of label name by this company. I wonder what they were thinking? Nevertheless, the wine is a good value and perfectly drinkable, so if you happen to see it, pick up a bottle.

Red Wine Spa in Japan

Here is an irresistible image from CNN.com. This is a spa filled with wine in Hakone, Japan. The wine spa is believed to be rejuvenating for the body and has been open since 2005. Fresh red wine is poured in several times a day..

I don't know... I still think you're better off drinking it than bathing in it... but perhaps I'm wrong.

Thank you to Rose for bringing this to my attention!

Wine Online

There's a lot to be said for shopping at your local wine shop -- there's the whole interaction between you and the owners and the wine, there are tastings, you might meet interesting people, etc. But I've also learned there's a lot to be said for wine online.

After a particularly harrowing night of doing taxes (I believe it was the night of April 15th), I found my wine fridge was terribly depleted and felt the need to replenish it... INSTANTLY. While Mark input Schedule C's, I went to www.mywinesdirect.com and placed an order. While the site does not have a huge selection, and doesn't carry many commonly "popular" wines, I've found that their wine recommendations are solid and their wines are affordable winners. Best of all, I could order in my pajamas at midnight and have the wine delivered, for free, in about two days. The boxes arrive beautifully packed, and my wine fridge is instantly full.

I've ordered from this site twice now, and I've been very satisfied both times. The wine that originally drew me in was a Sonoma Cabernet -- reasonably priced and a great "everyday" wine. Plus, they carried some of the smaller family brands that Mark and I got to try when we were in CA last year (for example, Larsen Family wines).

Don't forgo your local store - they appreciate your business - but on the other hand, the convenience of ordering at home and having it delivered is something you may want to try.

Wine IQ

Do you know your wine IQ? How much should a glass be filled? Which wines should be served cold? What kind of grape is champagne made from? If you've got 5 minutes, you can take a 10 question wine IQ test here.

Cooking with Cheap Wine?

We all know the rule... never cook with something that you didn't want to drink... right? I've always believed that (even though I have been known to occasionally toss a bit of rather harsh red wine into a pasta sauce).

Well, an entertainingly written article in the New York Times debunks that theory. The writer actually bought both the crappiest and the best wines she could find and then prepared the same dishes with them. And as it turns out, you really DON'T need to use good wine in cooking. Or at least that's what she says (I'm still a bit skeptical). Read the article here.